Principals and the fragile balance between organizational, educational, and vocational training: Insights for an impactful post-pandemic school

Since the COVID‍-‍19 pandemic, educational institutions have implemented measures to balance traditional teaching, educational, and organizational needs with the extraordinary demands posed by the emergency. The focus of the research is to understand whether, several years later, the Italian school system has managed to transform itself, drawing reflections and best practices from the pandemic experience. The role of the school principal is crucial in maintaining a balance by addressing the concerns of both the school staff and students and their families. The article focuses on a qualitative analysis of 14 interviews with school principals in the regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Emilia-Romagna. This analysis has underlined a necessary reflection to review and redesign a new model for understanding and evaluating the role of school principals and, consequently, the organizational and educational system.