ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8724-4842

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Administrative and Instructional Leadership

First Advisor

Anthony Annunziato

Second Advisor

Richard Bernato

Third Advisor

James Campbell

Abstract

In this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study, the researcher explored the shared lived experiences of elementary building principals as they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aimed to extrapolate themes and common threads of the impact on elementary building-level principal leadership in the areas of leadership challenges, leadership adaptations, and leadership changes. The timeframes for these shifts in these areas were before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The following research questions guided the study: 1. What were the perceived difficulties/challenges of leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of elementary principals? 2. How did elementary principals’ leadership change, adjust, and adapt their leadership to what they were confronted with due to the pandemic? 3. How has elementary principal leadership changed in the post-pandemic academic world? Information around these research questions was gathered through one-on-one interviews with elementary principals who all led their respective buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic. These interviews sought to gain insights into their professional experiences navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent influences on their leadership. The findings suggest that principals encountered significant challenges in several areas, including communication with families, students, and staff, mental health and well-being of various stakeholders and academic stability. Principals throughout this period had to navigate rapidly shifting health protocols, technological barriers, and exacerbated emotional stress among staff, students, and parents. The study highlights that principals adopted more collaborative and servant leadership approaches, prioritizing the mental health and well-being of the learning communities over what had to date been the emphasis on academic outcomes and performance. As a result of the pandemic, elementary principals' leadership priorities have shifted significantly. They have turned toward proactive planning, with principals focusing on preparing for future crises. Social-emotional learning (SEL) and mental health have moved to the forefront of building-level leadership priorities. Principals reported a reinvigorated and reprioritized focus on supporting the needs of students, families, and staff in these areas. Additionally, the pandemic has accelerated technology integration into administrative tasks and classroom instruction, transforming how education is delivered. The study points to the pandemic as a catalyst for accelerated leadership growth, fostering more resilient and empathetic leadership practices post-pandemic. This research contributes to the broader conversation on educational leadership by highlighting how crises can transform leadership paradigms. Emphasizing the need for flexibility, emotional intelligence, and collaborative approaches in the face of uncertainty is imperative as leaders navigate ahead.

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