TY  - GEN
N2  - School culture and climate as well as teacher retention are two topics that are often found in the same sentence.  With many teachers leaving the profession, it is imperative to understand the phenomenon of how the principal can impact school culture and climate.  Research has shown that principal characteristics and leadership styles have an impact on teacher happiness, school culture and climate, and teacher retention.  This research was different than most other research as it focused on elementary teachers, as opposed to past research that has focused on K-12 teachers.  The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a better understanding of how the principal can impact school culture and climate and retention through the lens of transformational leadership theory.  A virtual focus group was held with 15 elementary school teachers in one school district in north central Indiana that met criteria of having three or more years of teaching experience and experience teaching in more than one district. These teachers were asked questions regarding transformational leadership, principal leadership characteristics, and teacher retention and attrition. The results of this study identify that transformational leadership qualities are desired by teachers.  Teachers want mentorship, development, teamwork and an approachable leader.  These findings are consistent with past research on transformational leadership and how it correlates with teacher retention. The findings from this study should assist principals in understanding leadership characteristics that teachers see as preferable.  The research should also be used to provide professional development to principals on transformational leadership, and school culture and climate. 
DO  - 10.58090/usi.1557177
DO  - doi
AB  - School culture and climate as well as teacher retention are two topics that are often found in the same sentence.  With many teachers leaving the profession, it is imperative to understand the phenomenon of how the principal can impact school culture and climate.  Research has shown that principal characteristics and leadership styles have an impact on teacher happiness, school culture and climate, and teacher retention.  This research was different than most other research as it focused on elementary teachers, as opposed to past research that has focused on K-12 teachers.  The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a better understanding of how the principal can impact school culture and climate and retention through the lens of transformational leadership theory.  A virtual focus group was held with 15 elementary school teachers in one school district in north central Indiana that met criteria of having three or more years of teaching experience and experience teaching in more than one district. These teachers were asked questions regarding transformational leadership, principal leadership characteristics, and teacher retention and attrition. The results of this study identify that transformational leadership qualities are desired by teachers.  Teachers want mentorship, development, teamwork and an approachable leader.  These findings are consistent with past research on transformational leadership and how it correlates with teacher retention. The findings from this study should assist principals in understanding leadership characteristics that teachers see as preferable.  The research should also be used to provide professional development to principals on transformational leadership, and school culture and climate. 
AD  - University of Southern Indiana
T1  - The Impact of the Principal on School Culture and Climate
DA  - 2024-08-17
AU  - Simmons, Ryan M.
L1  - https://library.usi.edu/record/1557177/files/Simmons-%20Final%20Dissertation-%20August%202024%20Submission.docx
LA  - eng
PY  - 2024-08-17
ID  - 1557177
L4  - https://library.usi.edu/record/1557177/files/Simmons-%20Final%20Dissertation-%20August%202024%20Submission.docx
KW  - Elementary school principals
KW  - Teacher turnover
KW  - Educational leadership
KW  - Transformational leadership theory
KW  - teacher retention
KW  - attrition
KW  - school culture and climate
KW  - professional development
KW  - discipline
KW  - mentorship
KW  - stress
KW  - burnout
TI  - The Impact of the Principal on School Culture and Climate
Y1  - 2024-08-17
L2  - https://library.usi.edu/record/1557177/files/Simmons-%20Final%20Dissertation-%20August%202024%20Submission.docx
LK  - https://library.usi.edu/record/1557177/files/Simmons-%20Final%20Dissertation-%20August%202024%20Submission.docx
UR  - https://library.usi.edu/record/1557177/files/Simmons-%20Final%20Dissertation-%20August%202024%20Submission.docx
ER  -