The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that schools are complex systems in which everything affects everything else and that more important than materials and schedules are energy, commitment, and community. New priorities emerge, with the mental and physical health of every student and educator being the most important. Chaotic and volatile…

Although the literature illustrates well how leadership can (and has been) theorised, it is much less common to read about the idiosyncratic demands on leaders that shed light on the emotional responses and their individual learnings derived of those experiences. This paper attempts to document aspects of leadership through a consideration of the…

This article utilises the model of authentic leadership by Bill George et al. to explore the extent to which gender influences teacher leader authenticity in the school workplace. Four male and four female Secondary Heads of School were asked to complete George et al.'s authentic leadership self-assessment tool and provide a written commentary…

While schools' official vision statements--statements school leaders write telling their own deep vision for what they want their school to be--generally aren't empowering, they could be. A well-crafted vision statement is a powerful tool because it articulates the promise a leader and school staff make to students and provides focus. Drawing on…

The global COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted schooling worldwide. Remote and limited face-to-face school management during the pandemic brought to bear the numerous challenges facing schools and principals throughout the crisis, which, in turn, gave rise to changes in their leadership practices and roles. The professional literature needs conceptual…

Academic researchers tend not to study dysfunctional, disturbing or malfeasant administrative and organizational behaviors in the higher education (HE) sector; yet, a variety troubling things regularly take place in HE. This article offers some 'conceptual spadework' to open up the muted discussion about this disquieting aspect of the sector. We…

A school principal has been placed on administrative leave for allegedly having sexual relations on school property after hours with a member of the county sheriff's department. The principal denies the allegations but, in an effort to get his job back, the deputy confesses to the affair. The school district says that the case is under…

The diverse body of international schools continues to grow and develop. Yet, the realities of being a leader in such a school continue to be neglected by discussion and research. It is acknowledged that international schools are complex organizations to lead and manage, with numerous boundaries, transient stakeholders, and opposing priorities.…

In the 21st century, policymakers and educators agree that improving the quality of K-12 education requires effective leadership practices and collaborative efforts. Particularly, research has shown that a leadership approach that focuses on a continuous improvement can achieve impressive results. Successful leaders empower teachers to be the best…

Principals who pay attention to their own learning serve as models for others. What principals do every day, how they view and value student and educator learning, how they organize their staff into learning communities, and the designs they support for those teams to learn make a significant difference in the learning of those they serve. In this…

Accountability in education is not new. Schools have always been accountable in one way or another to the communities they serve, regardless of the policy environment of the time (Elmore, "The Educational Forum," 69:134-142, 2005). This article explores how three principals from Ontario, Canada manage the tensions of multiple…

Greenfield's subjectivist approach to the construction and interpretation of social reality is examined and applied to school organizations in an attempt to demonstrate that such organizations may be advantageously viewed as entities constructed and sustained by ideas in people's minds. The path to understanding schools and their administration…

Author and educator Owen Griffith shares how leaders can infuse small acts of gratitude to energize their schools and create a positive, thriving culture. Leaders must begin by practicing gratitude personally, then slowly introducing the practice to their faculty and eventually students. With the right attitude and creativity, the acts of…

School leaders are expected to be visibly in charge, always on top of their game, doing the right things to advance the school, and exuding confidence and command. For these traits, leaders have extensive resources to draw on to foster their professional growth. The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the regional and state…

Drawing on the literature about responsible leadership in business administration, this article brings the concept of responsible leadership to the fore in the theoretical and empirical debates about educational leadership and to encourage scholars to study the particular characteristics and determinants of responsible leadership in schools. More…