The principal-counselor relationship as school leaders within a freshman academy

The principal-counselor relationship is an important component to serving families in a comprehensive manner in schools. Collaboration of principals and school counselors supports students while simultaneously meeting the requirements of school reform and student accountability required by the law (Rock et al. 2017). Previous research has shown a lack of collaboration between principals and counselors while other research also suggests that when principals and counselors combine their knowledge, skills and expertise, this combination can lead to an increase in school success, a more positive school climate and increased support of staff needs. This study was conducted in order to examine the lived experiences of the principal and school counselor relationship in the concentrated freshman academy setting. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study is to investigate the principal-counselor working relationship as school leaders working in a freshman academy setting. This study primarily serves as an educational tool by sharing the lived experiences of principals and counselors working in freshman academies. A review of the literature takes a closer look at the existing research on the principal-counselor relationship and current trends in education including the freshman academy and trauma informed practices. These initiatives provide concentrated environments and opportunities for the specialized skills of a school counselor to be best utilized in a shared leadership relationship. The researcher conducted a hermeneutical phenomenology study conducting interviews to explore the lived experiences of the participants. Max van Manen’s (2014) Phenomenology of Practice provided the methodological framework for this study. van Manen’s existential lifeworlds: temporality (lived time), corporeality (lived body), relationality (lived self-other), spatiality (lived space), materiality (lived things) and technology (lived cyborg relations) were used to examine how school counselors and principals describe their lived experiences working as school leaders in a freshman academy. The findings indicate that when a relationship exists between the principal and school counselor shared leadership results. When care is given to defining the role of the school counselor, and that role is protected, programs such as the Freshman Academy thrive in serving their students and families as well as in supporting teachers. Stakeholders continue to misunderstand and misuse school counselors requiring continuous advocacy for their role and benefits. The conclusion of the study calls for future research to explore the benefits of the principal-counselor relationship on the school environment and in settings other than the freshman academy