This grounded theory study identified and described eight leadership phases of the school consolidation process from the perspective of receiving school principals. The study was conducted during the 2023-2024 academic year in a large suburban district that was undergoing wide-ranging consolidation of elementary schools due to declining enrollment. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five receiving school principals and one district liaison. The findings included leadership strategies and emotional responses within each of the eight phases. Key implications were that consolidation is a multi-year process, leaders and staff members in receiving schools experienced emotional grieving, and merging two communities involved creating a new culture in the receiving school.
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