Abstract
This article presents a study on principal retention in New South Wales, Australia. Factors in job retention included economic security, role enjoyment, and the opportunity to contribute. Disincentives to the principalship included lack of support from the employing authority, inadequate pay, isolation, growing responsibilities, difficult parents, and interfering pastors. Findings suggested that the ideal principal role would include greater remuneration, a more supportive employing authority, clearly defined role expectations, and job recognition.
Highlights
It is not difficult to find persons who are leaders
Participants echoed the findings of Durow and Brock (2004) and d' Arbon and colleagues (2001) in their strong belief in Catholic education and desire to contribute to the mission of the Church
None of the participants suggested a desire to return to a non-administrative role or to leave Catholic education
Summary
It is not difficult to find persons who are leaders. It is quite another matter to place persons in different situations where they will be able to function as leaders. (Stogdill, 1948, p. 65)What job factors attract and retain Catholic school principals? In past years, a strong commitment to Catholic education was the primary incentive to become a principal. It is not difficult to find persons who are leaders. What job factors attract and retain Catholic school principals? A strong commitment to Catholic education was the primary incentive to become a principal. Largely unsolicited, from a cadre of dedicated teachers and embraced the principalship more as a vocation than a job. This sense of vocation was demonstrated by veteran principals in the study who attributed lengthy tenures to their “commitment to Catholic education, commitment to teaching and learning, and commitment to the mission of the church.”. The demands of the job have become less appealing to the cadre of teachers from whom principal positions are filled.
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