As we close National Principals’ Month, I have been reflecting on what it truly means to serve as a school leader. Over the past year and a half, I have had the privilege of speaking — provincially, nationally, and internationally — about the role of the Principal and your work, work that encompasses strategy and systems, but also heart and humanity.
Many organizations have been asking for a clearer picture of what Principals actually do. And I respond with the very visual metaphor of an iceberg. Floating strong above the surface are the visible managerial tasks — timetables, supervision schedules, staff meetings, and community events — while beneath the waterline lies everything else, the “other duties as assigned” that truly keep the system afloat.
So much of our work is relational — work that can’t always be measured through data, yet is vital to the health of a successful school, district, and community.
In recent national conversations, we have been reflecting on the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) framework as it relates to the role of the Principal, a construction that captures the instructional, organizational, relational, and moral layers of leadership. This reminds us that Principals are both architects and anchors of their communities, shaping the conditions where students, staff, and families thrive. As leaders, we flourish in both the chaos and the order of our work, and take pride in knowing that our guidance and influence reach far beyond the school day.
Much like the mass of an iceberg that lies beneath the surface of the ocean, much of our work goes unseen. Above the waterline are the visible moments: greeting families and students at the door, managing new school builds, bringing the team together to organize assemblies that mark important events and celebrations, ensuring staff meetings build collective capacity, and preparing schools to serve as hubs for community connection. But below the surface lies the true depth of leadership: the courageous conversations that hold teams together, the thoughtful decisions that advance inclusion, the quiet reflection that fuels improvement, and the constant learning, listening, and leading that define our profession.
It is in that unseen space where the real depth of leadership lives, and where Principals act as connectors of systems, builders of culture, and guardians of purpose. The success of a school can rest on what lies below the surface: trust, relationships, and moral purpose.
That is why the BCPVPA invests in programs that strengthen the foundation of that iceberg — the professional learning, collegial networks, and well-being supports that sustain our leaders.
Recent gatherings such as the Connecting Leaders Conference in Whistler, where Dr. Simon Breakspear reminded us to prune what no longer serves, and our Compass Leadership Academy in Vancouver, supporting new-to-role leaders as they set out on a new leadership path, exemplify our shared commitment to continuous growth.
All of this work is aligned with our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, which is the foundation of who we are as an Association and a community of leaders.
As October comes to a close, I want to take this moment to acknowledge and celebrate each of you — from Port Alberni to Fort Nelson, Stikine to Cranbrook, Haida Gwaii to McBride, and all the communities in between, we see the work you do, both above and beneath the surface.
Thank you for leading with courage, conviction, and compassion — often unseen, but always in service of others.