This case examines the challenges facing a high school principal in a struggling suburban district in the Rust Belt. This school is faced with declining achievement of entering students and a loss of both teaching and support staff. In this context, the principal struggles with the assignment of non-professional duties, which do not fall under the work of either teachers or counselors but are critical to the successful operation of the school. Educators should engage in dialogue not only about how to address accountability pressures in light of diminished resources but also about the role of counselors, a topic that is rarely addressed in educational leadership programs but one that is important as counselors, teachers, and administrators are increasingly asked to engage systemically in school improvement.
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