This case study of a first-year woman principal in a small, rural school district describes succession effects from the perspectives of the female principal, some faculty members, a parent, and another administrator in the district. Open-ended interviews with the participants revealed a number of conflicting perceptions. The new principal perceived that she was successful in bringing about changes in the school on behalf of children. However, most of the faculty members considered the principal to be unsuccessful because she did not value their expertise or listen to their point of view. Some members of the community and the school board adopted the teachers’ perceptions. In the middle of her second year, the principal was terminated. Implications drawn from this case study may be of value to school leaders.
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