The hidden cost of school leadership: The problem

I love the role of school leadership. I have such a deep appreciation for the role, and I hope that more decide to get into school leaders; I hope that more thrive, but more importantly, I want more to stay. I know school leaders must navigate the ever-changing and evolving education landscape. I know firsthand how challenging and unsustainable the work can be at times. In this three-part series, I’ll explore these issues, drawing on both my own experiences and insights from peers. This series also supports my preparation for an upcoming March presentation at the SXSW EDU Conference. Part 1 will define the challenges, part 2 will delve deeper into specific challenges and part 3 will present what I hope are some actionable solutions to help. During those early years as principal, I remember going to work, and it was dark, and leaving work, and it was dark. I remember weekends up there early Saturday morning and returning Sunday after church. The job felt like it was 24/7/365. It was manageable then, at least I thought, because in those first four years, I did not have a child, so my role was my child, and in many situations, it...