Issues of teacher support, retention and recruitment are not new phenomena. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has added layers of uncertainty to the industry. Fearful of exposure, infection, and not identified as an essential industry, educators across the nation were impacted. The problem of practice is couched in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and is supported through the author's own experience as a school leader. With intent to gain an understanding of the impact of this phenomenon (global pandemic), this study will serve as a guide to understand educators' lived experiences and for future research and planning in the event of a future crisis of this magnitude. The design of this study was centered around an anonymous survey. Using a thematic analysis data coding process, the author explored the impact on educators during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Twelve willing respondents shared perspectives on their lived experiences through a transcendental phenomenological design. Findings and implications report that schools were not prepared to support teachers who returned to a face-to-face instructional model. In order to improve practices, it is recommended that school leaders prepare for crisis management and include the shift to virtual classrooms to develop comprehensive plans to support this potential need. In order to deepen this research, future studies should include a large sample size that expands to private and public school systems, larger sample sizes and wider geographic areas. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]