Introduction: Staying in the Work

Leader burnout is a national problem that results in principals leaving their positions at alarming rates. Continual changes in leadership make it difficult, if not impossible, for schools to realize sustained, equity-focused improvement. Leader stress levels have been exacerbated by both the global health pandemic and increasing racial and social unrest across our nation. Now more than ever, we need to amplify the voices of our school leaders in an effort to better understand their realities and the factors that contribute to their stress. This collection of leader narratives, written by graduates of the Principal Leadership Institute and the Leadership Support Program at University of California, Berkeley, describe stories of burnout and resilience. Models of raw honesty and persistent hope, these stories demonstrate how leaders can find ways to build resilience while also maintaining a critical stance regarding the education system, which often does not contribute to their long-term sustainability.