Superintendents’ Work (Intensification) in a Shifting Policy Climate - Enacting a Student Discipline Strategy

Oct 15, 2026

A case narrative follows senior superintendents as they confront implementing a revised student discipline policy within an intensified work environment. It highlights four implementation pressures: delivering leadership learning on regulatory requirements, addressing leaders’ tendency to avoid long-term suspensions, confronting disproportionate suspension and expulsion rates for minoritized students, and obtaining resources for both punitive and preventative components. The case concludes with exercises for case framing, reflective practice, and an action plan suitable for graduate courses and professional development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Case Narrative

Exercises

Superintendents’Work (Intensification) in a Shifting Policy Climate: Enacting a Student Discipline Strategy Brenton Fauberta, Katina Pollocka, & Cameron HausemanbaWestern University, bUniversity of Manitoba Abstract In this case narrative, senior superintendents reckon with the challenges of implementing a revised strategic policy for student discipline in an intensified work environment. Challenges include: (a) providing professional learning to familiarize leaders and educators with regulatory requirements; (b) a problematic trend of school and district leaders avoiding long-term suspensions; (c) the disproportionate number of minoritized students who are suspended/expelled; and (d) securing the resources needed to realize the punitive and preventative elements of the strategy. The case description is followed by three exercises—case framing, reflective practice, and action plan—that instructors can use in graduate-level courses and professional development workshops. Keywords: leadership, school district, work intesification, case study, organiztional improvement Case Narrative Ding! It was 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning when Linda accepted an impromptu meeting invitation from her school district’s Director of Education. The goal of the meeting was for her to meet fellow superintendent colleagues and learn more about her role and portfolio as Superintendent of Safe Schools and Well-Being. It also happened to be her first day. “Yes, absolutely, I can be ready for 11:00 a.m.” Linda had transferred to SunnySide School Board (SSSB), a medium-sized school district in a Canadian provincial K–12 public education system that serves approximately 40,000 students. The school district’s service area was geographically large, including one major urban centre and several smaller, mostly rural, villages. The large urban centre was demographically diverse for the region, with multiple racial, religious, and ethnic groups represented—although the rural communities were considerably less diverse. Her previous school board, which neighboured her new district, was much smaller (serving approximately 10,000 students) with a catchment area serving mostly rural communities. The residents in her previous board were mostly Caucasian, of similar faith, and of European ancestry. Prior to starting her new role, Linda had been widely regarded by her board and regional education colleagues, as well local community members, for her work leading the implementation of the provincial government’s “revised” Safe and Accepting Schools Policy, which had been introduced only a couple of years before. Under her two-year leadership, the total number of suspension and expulsions in her catchment decreased by 3% each year. Her colleagues attributed her success—though not proven by any formal research or evaluation study—to her work spearheading the provision of new school-level programs and services that were consistent with the philosophy of progressive discipline. Broadly understood as a holistic approach to student discipline in schools, progressive discipline addresses inappropriate student conduct while also trying to prevent such conduct in the first place by providing a range school-level interventions aimed at encouraging positive student behaviour. Importantly, progressive discipline is the guiding philosophy of the revised Safe Schools Policy: the provincial government’s vision is to shift all school boards away from using only “traditional” punitive methods of discipline toward more “progressive” proactive approaches, which include prevention. However, she had heard rumours that educatorsand school leaders in the SSSB interpreted progressive discipline as “going easy” on the students. Linda figured that she was hired, in part, to help make changes to the climate in the schools and board office. Even though Linda was familiar with the provincial Safe Schools Policy, she thought it prudent to review the relevant provincial policy and

FAQs

What challenges do superintendents face when implementing the revised student discipline policy?

They must provide professional learning on regulatory requirements, respond to leaders avoiding long-term suspensions, address disproportionate impacts on minoritized students, and secure resources to implement punitive and preventative elements of the strategy.

How does the case describe progressive discipline and its intended purpose?

Progressive discipline is presented as a holistic approach that both addresses inappropriate conduct and prevents future misconduct through school-level interventions that encourage positive behaviour.

What learning activities are included after the case narrative?

The document provides three exercises: case framing, reflective practice, and an action plan for use in graduate-level courses and professional development workshops.

Oct 15, 2026

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