Page 12 - Leadership Matters March 2013 issue.pub

12
Stress and Illinois superintendents
Challenges facing
superintendents today
are numerous,
complicated, and
potenƟally debilitaƟng.
In 2000,
superintendents
reported that their
jobs were more
complex and difficult
than a decade earlier.
Superintendents cited
the increased
complexiƟes of No
Child LeŌ Behind,
shrinking federal
dollars, special
educaƟon, state
funding issues, state
test scores, and state
standards as areas that
inhibited
superintendent
performance. Due to
the stressors that
resulted from these
challenges, quesƟons were raised of the effect on a
superintendent’s life, health, and job performance.
At an Illinois AssociaƟon of School Administrators
(IASA) division meeƟng in Spring 2010, IASA ExecuƟve
Director Dr. Brent Clark stated, “There is no job worth your
life.” He suggested that, “In these Ɵmes you need to reach
out and network, share your concerns, thoughts, and
observaƟons with your peers.” Illinois superintendents had
seen three suicides and three fatal heart aƩacks from July
through April of that school year. AddiƟonally, research
showed that high levels of debilitaƟng stress were criƟcal to
superintendent personal and professional success, and
even their survival.
In the summer of 2012, a study Ɵtled “The RelaƟonship
of Stress and the Physical Wellness of Illinois
Superintendents” was conducted. The results of this study
showed a definite link between superintendent stress and
physical wellness. Data from this study indicated that an
overwhelming majority of responding superintendents
(94.3%) believed that their job was extremely stressful.
Research on stress proved that leŌ unchecked, stress
resulted in heart disease, high blood pressure, heart aƩack,
cancer, obesity, and stroke.
Illinois superintendents also were asked to idenƟfy the
factors that caused stress in their lives. The following table
reflects the
percepƟons of
Illinois
superintendents
toward these
factors.
When taken
in context with
the survey
quesƟon: my job
as
superintendent
is stressful, an
unmistakable
picture of the
factors that
cause stress for
superintendents is presented, as well as the overwhelming
response (94.3 percent) that the job is stressful.
Illinois superintendents were also asked the methods
that they uƟlized to manage stress. The top five methods of
managing stress were: family acƟviƟes (88.7%), walking
(68.9%), prayer (68.5%),watching television (64.0%), and
eaƟng (53.7%).
The methods in bold print are acƟve methods of
managing stress and the others are passive methods of
managing stress.
In short, those
that used acƟve
methods of stress
management had
far fewer concerns
for the above
menƟoned health
issues, while those
using passive
methods of stress
management had
greater concern for
the same health
issues. One of the
key findings from
this study reflected
that the most
effecƟve way of
managing stress in
the workplace was
through acƟve
methods of stress
management.
Dr. Curt
Simonson is the
Superintendent
of Tri‐Valley
CUSD 3 in
Downs. He was
previously the Superintendent of
Liberty CUSD 2 in Liberty and was
the Principal of Pikeland
Community School in PiƩsfield for
10 years. His career started in
PiƩsfield, where he also taught
American History and coached for
17 years. He has spent 36 years as
an educator in three school
districts.
This arƟcle is a brief summary
of his December 2012 doctoral
dissertaƟon Ɵtled “The
RelaƟonship of Stress and the
Physical Wellness of Illinois
Superintendents.” The full
dissertaƟon can be accessed by
clicking here.
Changing state and
federal regulaƟons
(WC)
92.0%
Inadequate school
finance (WC)
86.6%
Time required by the
job (WC)
82.0%
Insignificant demands
(WC)
77.0%
RelaƟons with the
union during collecƟve
bargaining (PR)
71.7%
NCLB/Race to the Top/
ESEA (WC)
71.0%
RelaƟons with the
board of educaƟon (PR)
68.4%
Student test scores
(WC)
67.4%
Demands of special
interest groups (WC)
66.0%
*WC = Working condiƟons; PR = Professional
RelaƟons; EC = EvaluaƟon and Contract
Causes of Stress