The Well-Being of Principals and Superintendents Matter Too

In this series, we have been looking closely at the people load of leadership in schools. We have explored staffing shortages, retention, and the daily demands that shape the work of principals and superintendents. Those pressures are not theoretical. They are lived realities in schools every day. AASA’s 2025 American Superintendent Study found that leaders are navigating intense pressures related to finance, staffing, safety, and politics, and that staffing issues remain one of the most commonly named problems facing schools. The same study also found that 62% of superintendents reported feeling considerable or tremendous stress in their role.

That matters because leadership well-being is not separate from school success. When principals and superintendents are stretched beyond capacity for long periods of time, the effects can show up in decision making, communication, relationships, retention, and the overall health of the school system. RAND (2022) found that teachers and principals reported lower levels of well-being than other working adults. The study also concluded that supportive working conditions were associated with stronger well-being and a reduced likelihood of leaving the profession. In addition, staffing challenges were identified as a significant source of stress for principals.

Why leader well-being deserves attention

School leaders are often expected to be the steady presence in the middle of everyone else’s needs. They support teachers, respond to families, address student behavior, manage conflict, carry the weight of staffing decisions, and navigate community expectations. At the same time, they are still expected to lead improvement, inspire confidence, and remain composed under pressure. That combination creates a level of emotional and operational load that is easy to underestimate. AASA’s superintendent study notes that superintendents are balancing limited resources with unlimited expectations, while RAND describes school leadership jobs as increasingly stressful and complex.

This is one reason leader well-being should not be treated as a personal side issue. It is a leadership condition issue. When the people leading schools are depleted, everyone feels it. NAESP has made this point clearly, arguing that educator well-being begins with support systems, shared leadership, compassion for the fact that strong leaders are allowed to have limits, and access to mental health resources. NAESP also notes that the benefits of that support ripple through every aspect of education.

Why the school community has a role to play

The well-being of school leaders is not solely the responsibility of the leader. Boards, central office teams, leadership teams, staff, and the broader school community all contribute to the conditions in which leaders work. AASA’s 2025 study describes community support as a vital measure of superintendent legitimacy and effectiveness, and found that 91% of superintendents reported feeling somewhat or very supported by their communities. Even so, the report also shows that support is not experienced equally across settings, and that some leaders face greater isolation, scrutiny, or pressure than others.

Support for leaders does not mean removing accountability. It means recognizing that school leadership is human work. It means building cultures where leaders are not expected to absorb every burden silently. It means giving principals and superintendents room to delegate, to ask for help, to name limits, and to lead within systems that are sustainable rather than constantly reactive. March 20, 2026 issue of Education Week recently highlighted that teacher morale improves when leaders address student discipline concerns, provide professional respect, and create opportunities for staff voice. That kind of support-oriented culture helps teachers, but it also reduces the isolation and overload leaders often carry.

A few ways leaders can protect their own well-being

There is no simple formula for leadership well-being, especially in school systems where the needs are real and constant. Even so, there are practical habits that can help. One important step is to name what belongs to the role and what has slowly become extra weight. Not every problem can be carried personally. Clear priorities matter.

Another important practice is boundary setting. That may look like protecting a consistent stopping point in the evening when possible, avoiding the habit of responding to every message immediately, or deciding which matters truly require after-hours attention and which can wait until the next workday. Boundaries are not a sign of low commitment. They are a way to preserve sound judgment and long-term effectiveness. Recent Education Week reporting on principals’ own goals for the year reflected this directly, including a focus on maintaining boundaries in order to protect peace and mental health. It also helps to build routines that restore rather than simply distract. That might include walking, reflection time, prayer, exercise, journaling, trusted conversation, or time with family that is intentionally protected. Restoration is not selfish. It is part of staying steady enough to lead well.

Leaders also benefit from shared leadership. NAESP emphasizes support systems and shared leadership as part of principal wellness, and RAND recommends strengthening adult relationships and reducing avoidable sources of stress rather than treating wellness as a superficial or short-term fix.

Why leadership coaching can matter

One of the most important supports for leader well-being can be a trusted leadership coach. Not because coaching removes the hard parts of the role, but because it gives leaders a protected space to think, process, reflect, and regain clarity.

A coach can help a principal or superintendent sort through competing demands, identify where people load is becoming unsustainable, clarify decision making, strengthen boundaries, and respond to stress without carrying it alone. Coaching can also reduce the sense of isolation that many leaders experience, especially when they are the person everyone else turns to for answers.

This aligns with what NAESP continues to advocate. The organization states that all principals, regardless of years of experience, should receive mentoring or coaching and professional learning opportunities.

NAESP also emphasizes that principal mentoring should be sustained over time, ideally for at least a year and preferably longer, so leaders can develop the confidence, skill, and courage needed for the work.

Leadership coaching is not just about improvement. It is also about sustainability. Sometimes the most valuable outcome of coaching is not a new strategy, but a healthier leader who can think more clearly, communicate more calmly, and stay grounded in purpose.

A healthier view of leadership

If schools want stable leadership, stronger retention, and healthier systems, then the well-being of principals and superintendents has to be part of the conversation. Leaders are not simply the support system for everyone else. They need support too.

The goal is not to make leadership easy. The goal is to make it sustainable. That requires attention to workload, culture, relationships, boundaries, and meaningful support. When the adults leading schools are healthier, the school community is better positioned to thrive.

Looking ahead

In the next post, I will turn to another part of the people load of leadership: how student behavior, attendance, and teacher support continue to shape the daily work of principals and superintendents, and why these challenges are as much about systems and support as they are about individual students or staff.