How stressed are school superintendents? What are the reasons for their stress? To find out, authors surveyed 150 superintendents in American School District Panel member districts. In spring 2023, 79 percent of superintendents reported that their jobs were "often" or "always" stressful. Superintendents most commonly cited the…

This article examines the experiences and coping strategies of four university middle-managers during the unprecedented time of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We use the research approach of autoethnography to reflect on our experiences and decision-making processes. To reflect on how we managed the rapid change and moved from…

In early 2020, the world was thrown into chaos with no organization, country, or individual escaping the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just a year before in 2019, community colleges, universities and schools were thriving. 2020, however, was a year that none of us predicted, marked by the pandemic, as well as, other cataclysmic disrupters and…

When a major fire occurs in a school, the impact can be felt for years to come. How the school community rebuilds depends on strong leadership and the resilience of the members of that community. This article explores the stories of four Australian schools, two rural NSW schools, Kelso High School and Oxley High School and two urban schools;…

This study explored the types of stressors prevalent in the self-reports of university research administrators (URAs) and examined whether or not the degree or type of role stress was influenced by: a) the affiliation of their office unit within their institution, or b) their type. Randomly selected members of NCURA were invited via e-mail to…

Hurricane Katrina slammed into 80 miles of Mississippi shoreline on August 29, 2005. It was the nation's worst natural disaster, a perfect storm. One hundred sixty miles-per-hour winds sent 55-foot-tall waves and a 30-foot wall of water across the shore and miles inland. It displaced 400,000 residents along the coast of the Mississippi, and…

This article examines the ways African American educators experience themselves as raced individuals in their school settings and explores their perceptions of racial discrimination, subordination, and isolation. For this study, five African American educators participated in in-depth phenomenological interviews. Qualitative data analysis of their…

Because assistant principals are essential to the smooth functioning of a secondary school and the success of its principal, attention must be given to facilitating veteran newcomers' adjustment. New assistant principals should be given a realistic picture of the district and be assigned responsibilities corresponding to the newcomer's talents.…

In a research project examining stress and coping strategies among heads of year in a British comprehensive school, role conflict and role ambiguity emerged as stressors. Subsequent sessions on positive uses of stress and staff willingness to discuss stressful incidents were only partly effective. Alternative recommendations are provided. Includes…

Argues for a reconsideration of rumor from an interpretive perspective and articulates a theoretical perspective that combines organizational culture with Burke's guilt-purification-redemption cycle. Concludes that students use rumor to make sense of and to cope with problematic aspects of their university-life pertaining to roommates, academic…

Intended as a synthesis of current literature on school improvement and educational change, this guide attempts to provide central office personnel, principals, teachers, and parents with an overview of five school improvement models, along with practical suggestions for improving instructional programs. The second chapter summarizes relevant…

The principal's office is frequently a collection point for problems and demands. Secondary school principals often average 1,000 interactions daily. Principals can manage stress by declining to solve every problem, delegating responsibility, reexamining their supervisory role, developing networks of trusted friends, and engaging in…

Examines role transitions and role strain resulting from restructuring initiatives in four districts. The 20 principals interviewed had acquired coping skills. Cognitive restructuring and environmental factors moderated role strain effects, along with experience, tenure of position, staff trust, personal leadership style, and degree of autonomy…

The luxury of "slow change," so characteristic of schools over the years, may be giving way under the pressure of Britain's 1988 Education Reform Act. Primary headteachers have lived through two years of government-set agendas. Different groups' conflicting interests have created new priorities for headteachers and require new coping…

Uses findings of a national longitudinal study to examine the changing role of secondary principals in England and Wales. Explains the United Kingdom's education system, outlines the principal's role within the context of unprecedented educational change, and discusses strategies for coping with changes and balancing roles as educators and…