Mental health wellness in educational leadership

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to research the impact of mental health wellness on educational leaders. Leaders with 3 or more years of experience in positions of leadership in Southern California, at the school site and district levels, were invited to participate. Interested participants, who met the criteria, were added to a list of potential participants from which 20 were selected at random and notified. The participants were interviewed once and asked the same 10 questions. The interview was designed to elicit examples of how mental health wellness plays a role in an educational leader's life, both professionally and personally. Leaders in this study shared their reasons for becoming an educator, the path that led them to their leadership position, how mental health plays a role in their ability to perform the duties of their job, roles and responsibilities, as well as how COVID-19 has impacted their overall mental health. Through this research, it demonstrated evidence that mental health wellness is negatively impacted by the positions that educational leaders hold and it has been exacerbated by the demands that COVID-19 have placed on our country, especially our educational system. Implications for this study suggest that changes need to be made to the systems and structures within school districts to better support leaders with mental health wellness so that they can be more effective leaders for the communities that they serve. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

School Administrators' Engagement in the Reintegration Process in Selected Secondary High Schools in Jamaica

The study sought to examine school administrators' engagement in the reintegration of students in schools during the pandemic era. The study was conducted using a multiple case study design that used an open-ended survey design to collect data from the selected school administra-tors. A total of eight participants were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The results of the study found that several challenges such as disruptions, indiscipline, fights, abnormal behaviors, and inadequate support structures all affected the reintegration process of students during the COVID-19 pandemic era. © 2023 James Nicholas Publishers.

The Dissemination and Implementation of Recess Guidelines, Policies, and Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: There are limited school physical activity policy dissemination and implementation studies. This is a concern given the adverse mental, physical, and socio-emotional effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on children and adolescents. This study explored New Jersey school administrators' experiences in disseminating recess guidelines, procedures, and policies as well as implementation strategies in their schools during the pandemic. Methods: A total of 29 elementary school administrators participated in semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed inductively using a conventional approach to qualitative content analysis. Results: In analyzing the data, five themes were identified: (a) adjustments for recess, (b) communications about recess, (c) successes and challenges of recess, (d) health and well-being among children, and (e) recommendations for recess postpandemic. Discussion/Conclusion: When planning, organizing, and implementing a recess in a postpandemic era, school leaders may want to consider establishing cohorts, developing a handbook, creating a rotation schedule (i.e., blacktop, field, playground), developing a recess committee, utilizing the physical education teacher for staff development, assigning recess equipment and bags, offering a variety of activities, and teaching children how to play.

Views on administrative leadership in remote K-12 school settings

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the American school system into various forms of distance learning, remote learning schools were a small but growing segment of the educational system within the United States. This causal-comparative quantitative study examined demographic variables to assess differences in K-12 teachers' views of their administrator's leadership skills in remote school settings. The sample population of credentialed California public charter school teachers (n = 449) completed the Adapted Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) about the leadership abilities of their remote working administrator. Transformational leadership served as the theoretical foundation of this study though transactional and laissez-faire leadership were included. The literature review identified significant research on transformational leadership within K-12 education and leadership in remote or virtual workplaces. However, a gap in the literature exists on leadership in remote K12 school settings. No prior studies explored teacher demographics' role in impacting teacher views of their remote school administrator. Research methods included statistical analysis using t-test, Mann-Whitney, and ANOVA statistical tests. Study results found that neither teacher gender nor race nor years of experience as a teacher made a statistically significant difference (p < .05) in how teachers view their administrator. The application of findings recommends additional research on different demographics using different sample populations. Implications from the research include increasing the preparation and professional development of educators desiring to work in remote school environments. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Human service professionals' perceived ability to support title I schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

Human service professional practitioners (HSPPs) who work in Title I schools help students overcome challenges including absenteeism and behavioral problems and serve as liaisons between the school, family, and student. The pivot to online education during the COVID-19 school shutdowns meant that HSPP services also pivoted. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand how HSPPs perceived their ability to serve Title I students during the pandemic through the lens of Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 HSPPs who delivered services to Title I students before and during the pandemic. Participants reported their service delivery was effective prior to the pandemic despite a lack of resources. Themes from coding analysis included (a) an ability to effectively deliver services before the COVID-19 pandemic despite a lack of resources;(b) not feeling that their job was undoable;(c) significant disruptions in pandemic service delivery (increasing student needs, changes in job responsibilities, communication/trust issues);(d) there was no way to be prepared;and (e) they gained helpful insights into professional priorities, the use of new organizational tools, and new resources for disruptions. Results could be used by HSPPs, education administrators, and stakeholders in the development of comprehensive virtual plans in schools, which could help parents, HSPPs, and school administrators pivot more smoothly and mitigate potential issues during these types of events. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Disruption, Transformation, Resilience, and Hope: The Experience of a Belizean Community During COVID-19 Lockdown

This qualitative research explored the lived experience of teachers, school administrators, parents, and children in Belize, Central America during the COVID-19 lockdown. Through field notes, correspondence, and interviews, a narrative approach was leveraged to convey the impact of two years away from classrooms and from each other. Both the trauma and loss of this disruption on global literacy, along with three forces that nourished the capacity for resilience, were examined. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Qualitative Report is the property of Qualitative Report and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

A Trauma-Informed Inquiry of COVID-19's Initial Impact on Adult Education Program Administrators and Instructors in the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on adult education programs globally, transforming in-person operations to distance, online enterprises often overnight. Many administrators, instructors, and program staff have been inordinately burdened physically, economically, and socially by the pandemic in ways that could be considered traumatic. The pandemic has also revealed how the insufficient access to educational technology and limited digital literacy has affected program administrators, instructors, and adult students alike. Can the pandemic create the opportunity to elevate adult learning and restructure existing policies and practices moving forward? To grapple with the answers to this question, this exploratory qualitative study sought the perspectives and insights of program administrators and instructors in adult education programs in the northeastern United States. Through an online, mostly open-ended questionnaire, self-reflections of lessons learned were analyzed through a trauma-informed lens (Gross, 2020). Through multiple rounds of coding, the following themes emerged: (1) balancing multiple stressors;(2) coping with pandemic uncertainty;and (3) addressing virtual classroom engagement, remote work, and the digital divide. Recommendations for modifying preservice preparation and ongoing professional development and making programmatic policies and instructional practices that promote distance teaching/learning and digital literacy in more trauma-responsive and inclusive ways were proposed as were areas for future research. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Adult Learning is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

The impact of life experiences on the school disciplinary practices of suburban high school administrators

This narrative study examined how the life experiences of high school administrators impact how they conceptualize and understand school discipline. These experiences were then positioned within the current context of COVID-19 pandemic related school closures and protests associated with George Floyd's death which brought light to systemic racism prevalent in school codes of conduct to determine how these events changed their disciplinary practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight administrators from suburban schools in the New York metropolitan region that also had a minority student population of at least 10%. Transcripts were analyzed using in vivo and process coding to identify themes across the interviews. Three themes were identified: elements that lead to an initial understanding of school discipline, how these initial practices change over time, and the twin impact of COVID-19 and protests highlighting systemic racism causing a drastic change to how administrators respond to student misbehavior. These findings were then analyzed using Critical Race Theory and situated among the current literature. The first finding was centered on the understanding administrators use their personal experiences as both as student and teacher to establish their understanding of school discipline. The second finding uncovered an awareness that in order to address student behaviors, administrators develop stakeholder connections. Lastly, there was an awareness and discovery that codes of conduct in their respective schools contributed to disproportionate discipline. While some administrators had already been working to enact change, others were in the beginning stages of learning about this problem and were unsure of the next steps. Form these findings, recommendations for practice and research were proposed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Challenges of leading during COVID-19: A qualitative study of K-12 administrators

This research discusses the impact of environmental and social crisis events, how these events affect schools, and how administrators can make informed decision in response to those events. The qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of K-12 administrators in Mississippi Public Schools and how their perceptions of planning for the 2020- 2021 school year differs from past school years. The study is based on open-ended, in-depth interviews of K-12 administrators at the elementary, middle and high school levels in Mississippi Public Schools. The researcher examined the data and search for emerging themes. The data can be used to inform administrators of future school decisions. Findings revealed the need for proactive approaches to virtual learning, increased crisis management training, and increased collaboration among school staff. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A descriptive case study examining school administrators' perceptions of their role in addressing educational inequities for English learners

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine the lack of equitable educational opportunities for English learners and school administrators' perceptions of their role in addressing inequities in schools that serve English learners. This descriptive case study examined contextualized phenomena within specific boundaries of the urban setting. Descriptive case study data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and a review of artifacts and documents. The interview data were coded using the keywords in context. By analyzing patterns in the urban school leaders' speech, I gained insight into their perception of their role in addressing inequities. The study results answered the questions, filled the literature gap, and contributed to the growing scholarly work body. The following research questions provided a basis for identifying school administrators' perceptions about addressing educational inequities in schools and their suggestions for other school leaders to interpret and implement English learner policy: What are school administrators' perceptions of their role in addressing inequities in access to and quality of education for English learners? What suggestions do school administrators have to address inequities in access to and quality of education for English learners? What are school administrators' perceptions of how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated educational inequities for English learners? The idea of language as a mediator of thought guided the descriptions of the language used by the 10 participants and the themes which emerged. The results are consistent with existing research related to sociocultural theory. The focus group discussions, individual interviews, and documents reviewed were used to triangulate the data collected to confirm the findings. The study findings included the administrators' prior experiences, sociocultural context, and speech, indicating their perception of their role in addressing educational inequities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Principals' perspectives on making sense of and implementing teacher evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

As the COVID-19 pandemic shook the very foundation of our educational systems, Connecticut created adjustments through the 2020-2021 Teacher Evaluation Flexibility Plan. Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, three research questions were explored through the theoretical lenses of Knowles' (1978) adult learning theory and Weick's (1995) sensemaking theory. This study explored the lived experiences of Connecticut high school principals as they made sense of and implemented the adjusted plan during the 2020-2021 school year in order to fill a gap in the educational research surrounding principals' perceptions of implementing teacher evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed four key themes and two subthemes which, when synthesized, formed an essence of the experience for participants. This essence reflected the importance of support, the use of technology, previous pedagogy, the strain of the pandemic, reliance on previously established systems, and the responsibility of capacity building in relation to school climate. The results of this study provide context for state policy makers, higher education institutions who provide programing for aspiring administrators, and central office administrators charged with supporting building administrators. As the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may be felt for many years, it is imperative we continue to learn from these experiences to support future educational leaders as they prepare to lead our post-pandemic schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

The lived experiences of special education administrators sensemaking during the COVID-19 pandemic

This qualitative narrative study design examined the lived experiences of the challenges special education administrators faced in implementing federal and state guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were comprised of special education administrators from a suburban county in New York state. Half of the participants were from a Title I school district. In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused schools across the country to close their doors, forcing schools to shift to online learning platforms. This left to sudden shifts in the delivery of instruction, leadership, and support, and created logistical challenges for administrators serving students with disabilities. Through qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews and reflective journaling, coding was conducted to discover themes to better understand special education administrators' experiences. The findings from this study supported Karl Weick's sensemaking framework that portrayed the need for an increase in communication, collaboration, and support for staff and student mental health needs. Understanding the lived experiences of special education administrators during this time will help decision making, should another unprecedented challenge occur. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Effects of COVID-19 on administrators' and teachers' morale

Since March of 2020, when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, the world changed, and countries closed their schools and moved instruction and student learning to remote and online formats. These changes created challenges ranging from a lack of internet access, the need to learn new technologies, and increased teacher and administrator workloads to social and professional isolation, mental health issues, and increased stress among teachers.This study aimed to explore the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on administrators' and teachers' morale. The participants for the study included elementary school teachers and administrators from five elementary and unified school districts in the County of Riverside, California. A mixed-methods approach was used to analyze data collected through a survey with guiding questions for this study included the following: (A) What are administrator and teacher experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic? (B) How does teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic impact morale? (C) According to administrators and teachers, how does the COVID-19 pandemic change perception on their own job satisfaction? (D) What can be done to help boost morale in the workplace? This study identified five themes that affected morale: frustration of uncertainty, needed support, self-care, relational connection and mental health, and workload. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Perceptions of music teachers and administrators: Support in K-12 schools

Peer-reviewed inquiries have revealed that music can play vital roles in the lives of students (Heinrich, 2012). This examination used research articles, email interviews, and documented sources to explore the relationships and communication of music teachers and administrators in supporting music instruction for students in grades k-12. The inquiry used email interviews to describe the positions of an administrator to music teacher in creating communication channels that address fine arts and improving student achievement through participation in music activities (Michel, 2018). The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between administrators and public school music teachers in the area of support of music programs. This study also studied how the COVID pandemic has impacted music program support. The researcher chose a qualitative study because this project focused on implementing email interviews in order to design personal portraits of the volunteers. The study offered investigative discussions of what music teachers perceive as support between administrators and themselves in K-12 music classrooms. Since this was a single study, the literature has significant limits and gaps. Most music teachers generalized that the support of administrators is imperative to school music success. The tenons of support included improving personal and professional relationships, input on curriculum and standardized testing decisions, school committee representation, budgeting cooperation, peer acceptance protocols, and student improvement methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A correlational study between high school administrators' perception of their school as a learning organization and the percentage in which students graduate under the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 crisis put more stress on students graduating from high school during the 2020-2021 school year in a myriad of ways. During regular times, this transition can already be overwhelming, disappointing, and even treacherous for some students (Hollander, 2020). In the uncertain days of COVID-19, the education landscape has been disrupted.This study examined the relationship between a high school administrator's perception of their school as a learning organization, the instructional models implemented, and the percentage in which students graduate under the COVID-19 Pandemic. Given that students may be farther behind than in a typical year due to the loss of three (3) to four (4) months of formalized instruction, high schools across the country needed to redefine their instructional delivery and adapt to the many health and safety requirements under the COVID-19 Pandemic. While the COVID-19 learning interruptions are unprecedented in modern times, there was minimal research on school systems that practice learning organization theory and their ability to adapt during significant change and maintain high graduation rates.The findings in this study suggest that high schools who adopt the learning organization framework experienced higher graduation rates. This study aligns with Peter Senge's Learning Organizational Theory and implies that when schools practice the five disciplines of a learning organization, a high graduation rate outcome is achieved.The study provides implications for school practitioners and leaders as the findings provide a basis for change in school districts. The significance that schools with high graduation rates have acquired the necessary knowledge of a learning organization and its five core disciplines is a catalyst for schools worldwide to adopt this practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 and its impact on the self-efficacy of K-12 female school administrators

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the efficacy of Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) female school administrators. The study addressed the research questions: How do K-12 female school administrators perceive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the efficacy of their instructional leadership? How do K-12 female school administrators perceive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the efficacy of their school leadership? How do K-12 female school administrators perceive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their efficacy in terms of school management and operations? This exploration provided a blueprint for understanding strategies that aid in strengthening leadership efficacy. The analysis of surveys and semistructured interviews revealed the participants' experiences in leadership during the pandemic. Although the phenomenon of COVID-19 required ongoing research to gain a more complete understanding of its impact on education, this study aimed to add to the body of knowledge on the specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the efficacy of school administrators. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The great equalizer: A case study of distance learning in public schools

This exploratory case study aimed to understand how the sudden and abrupt transition to distance education due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic of 2020 highlighted the vast differences in levels of readiness for adopting distance education among the public-school districts throughout the State of Connecticut. It explores the reasons behind the inequities in the implementation of distance learning in public school districts. To develop a more detailed understanding of the problem, the research employs the exploratory approach to identify the contributing factors that render some districts more successful than others in their rollout of distance learning for their students. The experiences of school and district administrators as well their familiarity with advanced learning technologies are utilized. The basis of this study's conceptual framework consists of three streams: the history of public education delivery, perception and familiarity with modern learning, and modern learning and delivery modalities. The guiding research questions are as follows: 1. What defines distance learning in Connecticut public schools? 2. What factors contributed to the adaptation of distance learning from an administrative perspective? 3. What is the current perception of distance learning from critical stakeholders? (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Improving student academic productivity within remote instruction: Investigating the effectiveness of virtual CICO

School Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports is a framework by which schools can assess and develop a system of preventative strategies to decrease the likelihood of problematic behaviors. SWPBIS provides for a three tiered system of interventions with increasing supports and complexity to meet students' needs at each level. CICO was developed as a Tier 2 procedure to be implemented for students that are not demonstrating responsiveness to Tier 1 interventions within a well-developed SWPBIS framework and is intended to be implemented with students that are exhibiting disruptive non-dangerous problematic behaviors such as calling out, out of seat behavior, low productivity, and non-compliance. The research which supports the potential flexibility of CICO intervention's applicability across a wide range of modifications empowers school administrators, teachers, and behavior specialists with the confidence to apply variations of these procedures to atypical circumstances that may arise. In March of 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic prompts schools across America to implement a novel instructional approach which allows students to attend school remotely through online access. The move towards online schooling requires a re-imagining of how behavioral support can be delivered through virtual instruction. This study reviewed the application and effectiveness of the use of Check In/ Check Out (CICO) implemented virtually during remote instruction through a commonly shared computer based platform (i.e. Google Classroom). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A descriptive case study examining school administrators' perceptions of their role in addressing educational inequities for English learners

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine the lack of equitable educational opportunities for English learners and school administrators' perceptions of their role in addressing inequities in schools that serve English learners. This descriptive case study examined contextualized phenomena within specific boundaries of the urban setting. Descriptive case study data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and a review of artifacts and documents. The interview data were coded using the keywords in context. By analyzing patterns in the urban school leaders' speech, I gained insight into their perception of their role in addressing inequities. The study results answered the questions, filled the literature gap, and contributed to the growing scholarly work body. The following research questions provided a basis for identifying school administrators' perceptions about addressing educational inequities in schools and their suggestions for other school leaders to interpret and implement English learner policy: What are school administrators' perceptions of their role in addressing inequities in access to and quality of education for English learners? What suggestions do school administrators have to address inequities in access to and quality of education for English learners? What are school administrators' perceptions of how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated educational inequities for English learners? The idea of language as a mediator of thought guided the descriptions of the language used by the 10 participants and the themes which emerged. The results are consistent with existing research related to sociocultural theory. The focus group discussions, individual interviews, and documents reviewed were used to triangulate the data collected to confirm the findings. The study findings included the administrators' prior experiences, sociocultural context, and speech, indicating their perception of their role in addressing educational inequities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Principals' perspectives on making sense of and implementing teacher evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study

As the COVID-19 pandemic shook the very foundation of our educational systems, Connecticut created adjustments through the 2020-2021 Teacher Evaluation Flexibility Plan. Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, three research questions were explored through the theoretical lenses of Knowles' (1978) adult learning theory and Weick's (1995) sensemaking theory. This study explored the lived experiences of Connecticut high school principals as they made sense of and implemented the adjusted plan during the 2020-2021 school year in order to fill a gap in the educational research surrounding principals' perceptions of implementing teacher evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed four key themes and two subthemes which, when synthesized, formed an essence of the experience for participants. This essence reflected the importance of support, the use of technology, previous pedagogy, the strain of the pandemic, reliance on previously established systems, and the responsibility of capacity building in relation to school climate. The results of this study provide context for state policy makers, higher education institutions who provide programing for aspiring administrators, and central office administrators charged with supporting building administrators. As the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may be felt for many years, it is imperative we continue to learn from these experiences to support future educational leaders as they prepare to lead our post-pandemic schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)