Few are talking about superintendent mental health. Leaders want that to change
February 28, 2024
Even amidst high turnover, superintendent mental health is often left out of wider conversations about student and staff wellness in K12 schools. The good news is that leaders are sharing their strategies for remaining energized and in touch with the reasons they became educators.
School board meetings, even when they go smoothly, are a source of stress for many superintendents. That’s why Superintendent Quintin Shepherd of Victoria ISD in Texas schedules elementary school visits for the morning after meeting days. He spends his time reading to kindergarteners and serving as a teaching assistant.
“A lot of superintendents fall into the mindset that there’s never time for self-care and stress management,” says Shepherd, a regular contributor to District Administration’s Leadership Institute. “‘I don’t have time’ is code for ‘I don’t care.’ It’s not OK to say you don’t care bout your wellness, whether that’s physical, emotional or spiritual wellness.”