Abstract
This study aimed to explore the experiences of quadragenarian school heads of public schools in Malapatan 2 District for the school year 2023-2024. It utilized a qualitative multiple case study approach and used in-depth interviews to gather the data. It also employed purposive sampling method, where the five (5) participants were selected intentionally in the study. These participants were the quadragenarian school heads in the public schools in Malapatan 2 District. They were aged 40 to 49 years old and been served as public school heads for a year. The quadragenarian school heads are assigned in these schools: Akbual IP School, Calay IP School, Libi Integrated School, Rancho Primary School, and Tocablao Elementary School. The study had overarching components: experiences, coping, and insights. Under their experiences, twelve (12) distinct emergent themes were developed. These included: poor communication, armed conflict, transportation, technology use, inadequate classrooms, financial support, work-life balance, handling a diverse student body, upholding a clean environment, enticing parent involvement, implementing a program, and relationships within the school community. Additionally, eight (8) distinct emergent themes were developed under their coping mechanisms. These themes included setting boundaries, cultivating trust, valuing the perspectives of others, culture awareness, stakeholders' involvement, appropriate communication, self-care, and servant leadership with teamwork. Six (6) distinct themes emerged from their insights, which included the value of independence, how to become a better leader, how to learn from experience, how to grow personally, how to establish strong relationships, and how to be open and honest in order to win people over and win their trust. This study on the experiences of public-school heads may be beneficial to offering valuable insights into the complexities of teacher empowerment and informing initiatives for educators, policymakers, and stakeholders.
