Structures and Processes of a Flourishing School

Educator attrition is a critical challenge in American schools, with principals and teachers leaving their positions at increasingly higher rates. Stress and burnout are commonly linked to decreased resilience and educator wellbeing, which threatens the effectiveness of schools. This study explored how one flourishing school in Alabama established structures and processes that supported the wellbeing of the faculty and the principal, contributing to the flourishing of the individuals and the organization. Using Seligman’s (2011) PERMA framework as a lens, the study focused on positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment to examine both the formal structures and the lived processes that promoted flourishing. Through a qualitative case study design, data were triangulated through semi-structured interviews, observations over a two-year partnership, and an analysis of school documents. The study suggests that flourishing occurs when schools align organizational structures with relational and meaning-making processes that strengthen educator resilience.