Purpose: The global COVID-19 crisis posed many managerial and leadership challenges for principals. More specifically, after the crisis passed noticeable changes in school climate manifested and affected principal management style. The present study examined perceptions of principals regarding school climate and its impact on management style. The…

This qualitative study explores school principals' perceptions and enactments of shared sense-making processes during a generally-outlined pedagogical reform, i.e. "a broad-policy reform allowing educators to exercise their discretion in meeting its pedagogical goals," aiming to inquire what makes such processes critical to schools'…

This qualitative study explores how 60 Israeli high school principals vary in their perceptions and enactments of shared sense-making processes while engaging in strategic activities to gain teachers' support during a national reform implementation. Data analysis has yielded three major themes: (a) a common language; (b) a collaborative learning…

Educational reform implementation in today's fast changing world requires a critical transition from individual to school sense-making processes. Managing expectations from above (e.g. external demands) and below (e.g. internal school goals) while performing within multiple overlapping contexts, principals seem pulled in many different directions…

Schools in Western cultures, including Israel, have been transformed from closed to open systems. This change is especially important to the principal's role and leadership style. This article seeks to investigate the cultural-religious differences in Israeli Jewish principals' leadership styles. Data were collected from 1,859 teachers, 34% from…

Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) refers to all behaviors outside the formal role definition but which contribute to organizational functioning and performance. To date research has focused on teachers' OCB in an attempt to identify the causes and consequences of such behavior for the individual and the organization. Questions that have…

Principals' implementation of national reforms in the educational arena resembles a wild ride on a roller coaster as they face with contradicting demands, ongoing confusion and ambiguity. As critical change agents, principals interpret and translate reform demands into local practices through a process of sense-making. This current qualitative…

Theories often assume that schools in communities with high violence also have high rates of school violence, yet there are schools with very low violence in high violence communities. Organizational variables within these schools may buffer community influences. Nine "atypical" schools are selected from a national database in Israel.…

Describes a study of Israeli high school biology teachers that was conducted to determine the concerns and motives of teachers who had persevered in the use of the electronic spreadsheet in their classes, in view of their own perception of their accomplishments. Computer/student ratio and administrative support are also discussed. (LRW)

Describes a study that evaluated the impact of information technology on the role of seven high school principals. Findings suggest that the introduction of a management information system into the school resulted in changes in the clerical, managerial control, and strategic aspects of the principal's role. (Author/JKP)

Describes a study at an Israeli high school that investigated changes in the principal's role as the result of the introduction of a school management information system (SMIS). Discusses information handling and flow, interrelations with teachers, accountability, instruction evaluation, supervision, feedback, frequency of meetings, and shared…