Education Publications
Inconvenient, but essential: Impact and influence of school–community involvement on principals’ work and workload.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2017
Journal
The School Community Journal
Volume
27
Issue
1
First Page
83
Last Page
105
Abstract
The work of contemporary school principals is intensifying in terms of complexity and volume. Many factors moderate and drive such work intensification. More than ever before, school principals are expected to build relationships with organizations and agencies connected to the student and school community. Using findings generated from a large-scale survey of 1,400 Ontario principals, this paper reports on the influence of opportunities for school–community involvement on the work principals do on a daily basis and details how involvement in such activities influences and impacts their workloads. Survey findings indicate that principals are engaged in an average of 4.4 community involvement opportunities at the school level. Almost two-thirds of principals reported that school–community involvement increases their workload. Four ways in which work intensification influences principals’ ventures in school– community involvement are also identified, including how school–community involvement leaves less time for direct instructional leadership practices.
