Discovery and Confirmation: School Culture and Identity Evolution Throughout a Principal Transition Experience

• In Event: 51.079 - MTCC Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: 51.079-9 - The Dynamic Role of Principals and Staff in School Climate and Culture

Abstract

This paper presents findings from one portion of a larger qualitative study examining the first year of a principal transition within a school and its impact on organizational culture and the transitioning principal, administration, faculty, and staff. Findings reveal that individual understandings of a school culture as it changes impact perceptions of the changes, which in turn impact morale. The transition experience may also result in identity evolution, as one’s place within the organization shifts. These findings highlight the need for a greater understanding of the impact that a principal transition experience has on the individuals experiencing the transition and the culture of the school itself.

Author

• Amy Lynn Varo-Haub, Pine Crest School