The purpose of this study was to identify middle level leaders' perceptions of their responsiveness to students' developmental needs and their support of staff and structures related to meeting those needs. This study also sought a broader understanding of how transition programs aligned with the developmental needs of young adolescents. A mixed-methods approach was used to address the study's research questions. Participants in the study included middle school principals and assistant principals in two Virginia school divisions. Participants completed an online questionnaire reporting their self-perceptions about their responsiveness to their students' developmental needs and their support of staff and structures related to meeting those needs. Participants rated their responsiveness to their students' developmental needs as fairly often and their responsiveness to supporting staff and structures related to those needs as falling between frequently, if not always, and fairly often. Middle school leaders also shared how their schools' transition programs aligned to their students' developmental needs in focus group interviews. Participants identified that young adolescents need additional emotional, social-emotional and organizational support during the transition to middle school. They also shared the need and desire for training to best serve young adolescents. Overall, the findings aligned with existing research underscoring the critical role middle level leaders play in meeting the developmental needs of young adolescents when transitioning to middle school. This study provided implications for middle level and school division leaders and principal prep programs to emphasize strategic, on-going, and collaborative learning opportunities to prepare middle level leaders. / Doctor of Education / The purpose of this mixed method study was to identify middle level leaders' perceptions of their responsiveness to students' developmental needs and their support of staff and structures related to meeting those needs. This study also sought a broader understanding of how schools' transition programs aligned with the developmental needs of young adolescents. Middle school principals and assistant principals from two Virginia school divisions shared their levels of responsiveness to the needs of their students and how their school sites' programs aligned with their students' needs. Middle level leaders rated their responsiveness to their students' developmental needs as fairly often and rated their responsiveness to supporting the staff and structures related to those needs as falling between frequently, if not always, and fairly often. Middle level leaders identified that during the transition to middle school, young adolescents need additional emotional, social-emotional and organizational support. They also shared the need and desire for additional training and development to best serve young adolescents. Overall, the findings aligned with existing research underscoring the critical role of the middle level leader in meeting the developmental needs of young adolescents, particularly during the transition to middle school. This study provided implications for middle level and division leaders and principal prep programs to emphasize strategic, on-going, and collaborative learning opportunities to prepare middle level leaders.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/113667 |
| Date | 03 February 2023 |
| Creators | Smith, Natia Keem |
| Contributors | Counselor Education, Cash, Carol S., Price, Ted S., Brinkmann, Jodie Lynn, Gratto, John Robert |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
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