Walk into any Nevada school, and you’ll feel it immediately. Some campuses hum with energy, curiosity, and collaboration. Others feel tense, heavy, like everyone is walking on eggshells. The difference doesn’t come from test scores or budgets—it comes from leadership.
Educational leaders—principals, assistant principals, and administrators—are trained to manage schools, enforce policies, and improve metrics. They learn about budgeting, staffing, curriculum, and compliance. They are experts at evaluating teachers, tracking test scores, and ensuring regulations are followed.
But here’s the problem: while administrators are taught how to control, they’re rarely trained how to connect. Leadership programs often overlook emotional intelligence, team-centric, relationship-driven strategies and approaches that prioritize the well-being of students and educators. These skills aren’t optional—they determine whether a school feels safe and thriving—or toxic.
A toxic environment doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It grows when fear, micromanagement, and punitive evaluation replace trust and collaboration. Teachers who feel watched, criticized, or undervalued lose creativity and morale. Students pick up on that tension, which undermines their sense of safety and engagement. When adults are stressed and unsupported, students feel it too.
Escalating incidents of bullying are a stark example. When students face repeated harassment, exclusion, or intimidation, their sense of safety is shattered. Chronic stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and, tragically, suicidal thoughts. Schools that lack supportive leadership inadvertently allow these pressures to mount. Conversely, leaders who prioritize student and educator well-being—through relationship-based, cohesion-focused practices—can prevent harm, foster belonging, and help students develop the social-emotional skills they need to thrive.
What truly effective leaders understand is that their role isn’t just administrative—it’s relational. Military leaders and other high-stakes professions know this: success depends on calm, clear communication, trust, and the well-being of everyone on the team. Similarly, schools thrive when administrators lead with respect, empathy, and collaboration.
Effective leadership looks like this: listening before judging, coaching instead of punishing, and celebrating progress as well as correcting mistakes. It means creating a school culture where teachers can take professional risks, students can express themselves safely, and everyone feels valued. Accountability still matters—but when implemented with trust and care, it strengthens relationships rather than erodes them.
Our schools—and our educators—deserve leaders who balance authority with empathy. When leadership models calm, clear communication, and genuine care, schools transform from places of survival into places of growth. Teachers flourish, students flourish, and communities flourish.
We can no longer leave school culture to chance. If we want thriving, safe learning environments, we must invest in leaders who understand that how they lead matters as much as what they manage. Leadership isn’t about control—it’s about connection.
Citizen’s Forum Contribution by Taylor L. Fleming
Taylor L. Fleming is a military veteran and educator, and an advocate for transformative and collaborative leadership in public education, writing about school culture, thriving learning environments, and student and educator well-being.