According to this article, “School leadership is not easy, and many of those who take the position have not had the professional learning and development to be successful” (DeWitt, 2021).
That’s why ATU’s Educational Leadership program has a high level of rigor, and the assignments in most courses are job-embedded, practical, real-world experiences. It’s not just about getting a P-12 Building Level Administrator license. It’s about understanding the foundational concepts of true leadership and developing the skills necessary to be successful right from the start.
But again, too many of today’s principals have not had this type of training, and the added pressures of the pandemic have made the situation even worse. In fact, one study found that 42% of current principals want to leave their jobs (NASSP.EPI, 2021)!
If you’re one of those struggling principals, DeWitt (2021) offers some excellent tips on how to regain balance in your position “through mindfulness and well-being.” There are a number of additional constructive suggestions in the article as well.
Feel free to share this article with your Superintendent, too. It includes suggestions on how the district can better support principals in their challenging roles.