It is the middle of February; we are tired of being cold. We are yearning for longer, sunnier days and anxiously awaiting spring. Schools are the same way. Both students and teachers are hanging on until spring. Morale tends to be low with everyone feeling a bit grumpy.

There is still one person, however, who consistently shines light and reminds people of the school’s beauty and worth: the head. They serve as a beacon most days.

In addition, whenever a crisis arises, the head needs to keep a cool head (or at least appear to) and make the hard decisions while supporting employees, students, and often parents. Being the leader, even when you feel like crying in the corner, is exhausting.

One of the major roles of the board is to recognize the loneliness and exhaustion that affects heads and work intentionally to offer support. The support can take many forms. Some of the more obvious include board members making calls, sending cards, or arranging a coffee with the head to express appreciation. Adding additional time off to the head’s contract or identifying other ways to help the head decompress are other ideas a board might consider.

Ironically, heads appreciate a clear and helpful feedback process. Many lament the lack of meaningful feedback and feel that impedes their professional growth. Setting goals for the head each year and regularly updating progress is critical. Along with feedback, the board should ensure it is renewing the head’s contract in a timely fashion. When the head distributes employment contracts for the following year, the board should think of doing the same for the head.

Perhaps it goes without saying, but ensuring that the board does its job and does not interfere with the operational aspect of the school is a great form of head support. The head has enough to do without dealing with the board’s suggestions about how to improve the recess schedule or the like.

The board can also support the head by giving due deference in meetings and decisions. The head is an educational expert, and most board members are not. As a result, boards should listen carefully to the head’s perspective and consider it deeply in decision making. This is not a plea for the board to rubber stamp every suggestion but to make its own decisions based on the school’s mission and strategic plan while acknowledging the expertise, experience, and informed opinion of the head.

Changing heads disrupts a school community; the board should support a head doing a good job. It is worthwhile to create an intentional plan to do so.