Coping with Educational Crises

Walter S. Polka is professor of leadership and coordinator of the PhD program at Niagara University with over fifty-five years in education, including thirteen years as superintendent of schools.John E. McKenna is an award-winning educator and adjunct professor with over thirty-five years of public education experience as a teacher, building principal, and district-level administrator.Monica J. VanHusen has been an educator for the past eighteen years and currently is the educational technology coordinator for Stafford County Virginia Public Schools.

Coping with Educational Crises: Approaches from School Leaders Who Did It is an important read for practitioners and academics alike as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. The insights provided by the authors are incredibly relevant as they share lessons learned. They encourage us to explore how we, as educators, have a critically important role to play in navigating the turbulent forces of change during crisis. Dr. Polka and his colleagues do an exceptional job of exploring the full spectrum of leadership challenges during a global crisis from the perspective of school leaders. Their stories help us to understand how they seized the opportunity to pivot during the most difficult of times and to marshal in a new era of school leadership post-pandemic through creativity, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to students.

• ForewordPeter DeWittPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter 1. School Leadership in a Global Crisis: A Study of Initial Reactions and Future PerspectivesCarol S. Cash, Jodie L. Brinkmann, and Ted S. PriceChapter 2. A Practicing Superintendent’s Experiences Duringa Global Crisis: Recommendations for Preparing for the Next One!Jeffrey Robert RabeyChapter 3. Constructing a Comprehensive Crisis Management Framework: Sunflower Unified School District Case StudyJohn E. McKenna and Walter S. PolkaChapter 4. Instructional Leadership: The Critical Spark to Lead Meaningful Educational ChangeMonica J. VanHusen and Walter S. PolkaChapter 5. Managing the Auxiliary School Services: Budget, Finances, Facilities, Transportation, and Food Services in Crisis SituationsRubie HarrisChapter 6. Human Resources During Crises: Emphasize the HUMAN in Human ResourcesJohn E. McKenna and Moira H. CooperChapter 7. Commencing New Leadership Positions During Crises: Finding an Appropriate Leadership Conceptual Framework to Address Unexpected Personal and Professional ChallengesMichelle GrimesChapter 8. The Next Era is Up to Us: Seizing Opportunities and Creating a New FutureJohn E. McKenna, Monica J. VanHusen, and Walter S. PolkaAfterwordThomas PaytonAbout the Editors and Contributors