By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – School principals make decisions every day that impact hundreds of students, and some Tucson business leaders are getting a firsthand look at what that job entails at Sunnyside Unified School District.
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Principal Elda Peña of Santa Clara Elementary School said she loves her job, but some days are hard. She recalled learning that a student’s father died. He was the student’s only guardian.
“The dad was very involved. He came to all our events. He was probably one of the first parents that I remember seeing him and thinking, ‘this is this students father,’” Peña said.
She said it hurt thinking about the student, but as principal she must put others first.
“There’s a lot of emotion that happens throughout the day, and that could be with students, it could be with parents, or staff,” Peña said.
Burnout affects nearly half of principals
A 2022 RAND study found nearly half of principals nationwide say they’re burned out. Tucson Values Teachers wants community leaders to understand why.
The nonprofit hosts the Principal for a Day program. In the last three years, nearly 50 business leaders have participated, visiting schools in Vail, Sahuarita, and now Sunnyside.
The program gives principals a chance to show community leaders the reality of their day-to-day responsibilities and to be honest about the challenges they face.
“Yes, you visit classrooms, yes you meet with counselors, yes you meet with the front office staff, yes you meet with parents, oh now there’s a discipline thing, I got to deal with that discipline situation,” said Dr. Teresa Hill, Tucson Values Teachers CEO.
Michael Guymon from the Chamber of Southern Arizona shadowed a principal for the second time.
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“Under this roof, between these walls, from a business perspective is the future workforce of our community,” Guymon said.
He said both business leaders and parents need to understand what happens after the bell rings.
“I think it would lead to better situations in the home, in the parents’ attitude, to really have a better understanding of what goes on in a school,” Guymon said.
For Peña, the program is about understanding her priorities as principal.
“Understanding that we’re here for students, and we a lot of times sacrifice our own families, so that we can be there for our students. And this is our family,” Peña said.
Tucson Values Teachers is looking for community leaders who would like to participate in the Principal for a Day program next year. You can signup here.
You can watch more on this story as Isabela discussed it with Tucson Now host Devyn Shea in the video player below.
Isabela Lisco is a Report for America corpsmember covering education solutions for 13 News. Her position is made possible through funding from Report for America and the Arizona Local News Foundation’s Arizona Community Collaborative Fund.
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