Biggest Challenges Faced by a Principal at SEED School of LA County
Natale, a Principal at The SEED School, cites staffing shortages as the biggest challenge, stating that "capacity right now" is a major issue impacting their ability to maintain adequate adult supervision for students. The difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, exacerbated by post-pandemic remote work options, necessitate Natale's juggling of multiple roles, leaving the school feeling "very thin" on certain days.
Capacity Building, Staffing and Retention, Teamwork and Collaboration, Leadership in Education, Work-Life Balance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Natale Mejia
Principal
The SEED School of Los Angeles County
UCLA Class 2010
The Johns Hopkins University, Class of 2013, MsEd. in Urban Education; USC, Class of 2020, Ed.D in Educational Leadership
Ethnic & Related Studies
Education
Education
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. The biggest challenge is capacity and staffing shortages, impacting the ability to fulfill all roles and maintain adequate support for students.
2. The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing challenges in education, leading to difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.
3. The ability to maintain a calm and peaceful environment for students is directly impacted by staffing levels; more adults provide greater support and stability for students
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
The biggest challenge I face is probably capacity right now. Education overall, especially post-pandemic, has been struggling to find and retain staff.
Now there's a window to work from home, make good money, and it's more socially acceptable. This creates a challenge in filling all positions with people in the building.
I'm currently holding multiple roles because of multiple vacancies. Having the capacity and energy to do it all is definitely a challenge.
I try to navigate this by partnering with my team and ensuring we offer collective support. But some days, people call out sick. Tomorrow, I have four people out.
When things like that happen, myself included because I'm going on a field trip, the team feels very thin. When you're working with children, the more adults you can have is usually a win. It helps maintain calmness and peace throughout the building all day.
So, capacity is a challenge right now.