Taking Leave

There are many ways for independent school leaders to leave schools. Some leave too soon, fired for no fault of their own. Some leave too abruptly, abandoning a trusting community. Some leave too late, retiring-in-place to the point where people are happy to see them go. And some leave, yet refuse to actually go. They stay attached to school constituents, ginning up unhappiness with the new administration and, sometimes, in the sickest cases, fomenting revolt.Such has always been the risk with a departing founding head of school or one who feels unjustly fired. When one's stint at a school is up, for whatever reason, it's best to go, get on with your life, and let the community do the same. Anything else damages and diminishes you and the school.