An exploration of organizational climate in Greek high schools

In the theoretical and research literature about school administration, organizational climate receives considerable attention. A major reason is that school climate is often represented as the heart and soul of the school and the essence of the school that causes teachers and students to love the school and to want to be a part of it (Freiberg & Stein, 1999). Another reason is that climate is often seen to be associated with school effectiveness. Furthermore, research has shown consistently that the principal of a school does not affect student achievement directly but does so indirectly by fostering a healthy climate in the school (e.g., Leithwood and Jantzi, 1990; Sergiovanni, 2001; Pellicer, 2003; Witziers, Bosker, & Kruger, 2003; Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004; Hoy, Tarter, & Hoy, 2006 ). Therefore, it is essential that school principals understand the nature of school climate and the climatic conditions that support student achievement