ABSTRACT
School leaders are called to attend to the holistic well-being of students, families, staff, and community members (Rogers, 2019). This is demanding work, particularly during school crises. School crises disrupt the core functioning of schools and serve as a direct threat to individual and organizational well-being (Pepper et al., 2010). Attending to others’ well-being during crises requires school leadership grounded in compassion and care, and responsiveness to the developmental changes spurred by the crisis. In the following case, Smithville School District superintendent, Mr. Ramey, works to enact compassionate leadership in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. By examining this case, current and future school leaders are challenged to consider how compassionate care might be enacted in ways that support individual and organizational growth and well-being in the aftermath of school crises.
