Managing in a Storm of Chaos: The Ecology of School Principals' Crisis Management.

This study examines how school principals in North Carolina managed crises while serving as emergency evacuation shelter managers during Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018). Using an ecological framework that integrates Structuration Theory and the Four Essentials of Management (planning, staffing, organizing, controlling), the research highlights principals’ ability to address micro-level crises—such as organizing resources and controlling shelter residents’ behavior—through their managerial skills and experience. However, principals faced significant challenges with meso-level crises involving county-level planning and staffing, due to unclear policies, poor communication, and limited involvement in disaster preparedness planning. The findings underscore the need for improved alignment and communication between school principals and county emergency management agencies, clearer role definitions, and enhanced policy support to better equip principals for their expanded civic responsibilities during crises, particularly as climate disasters increasingly impact vulnerable communities.