NARRATIVES OF LONGEVITY AMONG
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS IN NORTH
AMERICA: A MULTIPLE
CASE STUDY
NAD Teacher’s Convention
Janet Ledesma, Ph.D.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
(9:45 – 11:00 am)
Session ID: 697
Location: Delta Island C
Problem
Adventist principals in North America
stay an average of 2.5 at the
elementary level, 3.6 years at day
secondary schools and 4.0 years at
secondary boarding schools yet
there are some who have stayed for
many years beyond the average.
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to
describe the experiences of school
principals who have remained in
leadership at the same school
building for 10 consecutive years in
the Adventist system of education in
North America and to discover why
they stay.
Research Question
How do principals in the Adventist
system of education in North
America describe their role and the
experiences that helped them stay in
one location for 10 or more
consecutive years?
Research Design
A qualitative multiple case study
design using narrative inquiry was
utilized to describe the experiences of
Adventist principals in North America
who stayed a minimum of 10 years in
one location.
Demographics of Participants
Nine Unions in NAD
School Types
Ethnicity
Gender
2 – Did not meet criteria
7 – Qualified
3 – Small Elementary
5 – Elementary
2 – Junior Academies
4 – Secondary
1 – Hispanic
5 – Black
8 – Caucasian
7 – Female
7 – Male
Conceptual Framework
Resiliency Theory
There is a direct relationship between
the stress of the principal’s job and
their capability to maintain resilience
in the face of prolonged contact with
adversity (Ackerman & MaslinOstrowski, 2002; Cash, 2001;
Copland, 2001, Greene, 2003; Heifetz
& Linsky 2004; Patterson, Patterson &
Collins, 2002).
Spiritual Leadership Theory
The values, attitudes, and behaviors
necessary to intrinsically motivate
one’s self and others so that they
have a sense of spiritual survival
through calling and membership (Fry,
2003; Reave, 2005).
Findings
Five Themes Emerged:
• The role and expectation of the
principal
• The complexities associated with the
principalship
• The support the principals receive
• The balance between the principal’s
personal and professional life
• Why principals stay
The Role and Expectation of the
Principal
• Not clearly defined
• “Self Taught”
• Spiritual Intuition
The Complexities Associated
with the Principalship
• Political pressures and demands
from constituency churches
• School finance
• Staffing
• Lack of support
• Lack of time to accomplish goals
• Worshipping with parents and others
within school community
Principal Support
• Families
• Relationships with:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
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Faculty and Staff
Parents
Students
Boards
Mentors
Networking with other colleagues
Union and Conference Leadership
Pastors and Church Members
Professional Growth
• Advanced Education
• Membership in National
Organizations
The Balance between Principal's
Personal and Professional Life
• Struggle to maintain balance
• Rationalizing the Lack of Balance
• Strategies for Maintaining Balance
– Seek God’s guidance
– Depend on their relationships
– Hobbies
– Travel
– Vacations
– Seek Professional Help/Life Coaches
Why Principals Stay
•
•
•
•
Passion for Students
Commitment to God’s calling
Their passion for ministry
Their passion to serve others.
Recommendations
• Facilitate the process of engaging Adventist universities in
a dialog focused on developing and implementing
collaboration for internship, preparation and mentoring
programs for school administrators built on the foundations
and principles of supporting the educational leader.
• Develop and implement a mentoring program for school
administrators in order to nurture and train aspiring, current
and future school principals.
• Encourage principals to develop attributes of spirituality
and resiliency through deliberate practice.
Activity
Why Do YOU Stay
Share & Debrief
Meaning and Final Thoughts
• Adventist Principals are Spiritual resilient
leaders
• They recognize someone bigger than
themselves sustains them.
• They rely on their relationships for
support
• The lived experiences of the fourteen
principals impacted my life deeply.
• Appreciation for the journey