Conclusion: Reflections and Lessons Learned

Abstract

School leaders face increasing challenges in recent years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to political attacks on public education. Despite concerns about principal turnover and stress, effective school leadership is critical for navigating current difficulties and enabling schools to be transformative spaces for students and communities to thrive. This edited volume explores how school leadership can be reimagined for greater effectiveness and sustainability in uncertain times, through evidence and insights from leaders in the US and globally. Key implications discussed include revising professional standards to prioritize principals' self-care and long-term, holistic student outcomes beyond standardized testing. Investing in research on principals' job-related stress and health and providing training on coping strategies. Empowering distributed leadership among school staff and proactive crisis management plans. The authors conclude by calling for adequate supports and resources for principals, and a societal commitment to public education's role in democracy and human potential, to enable the reimagining of school leadership amid current challenges and opportunities.

Citation

DeMatthews, D.E. and Kruse, S.D. (2024), "Conclusion: Reflections and Lessons Learned", DeMatthews, D.E. and Kruse, S.D. (Ed.) Reimagining School Leadership (Transforming Education Through Critical Leadership, Policy and Practice), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 151-157. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83797-410-820241009