In the current climate of accountability and calls for school improvement, principals are dealing with unceasing demands to implement new educational reforms. Yet do school leaders feel equipped to implement these mandates? This study investigated the perceptions of experienced elementary principals on whether they felt prepared to be effective change agents. Findings showed that principals felt they had received very little professional development on how to be a leader of change. Instead, their professional learning as change agents occurred through on the job experience and networking with trusted colleagues. This resulted in knowledge gaps in principals’ understanding of the change process. School leaders bear the responsibility of implementing change, yet principals suggest that reforms would see increased success if they were a shared responsibility with district leaders. Insights from experienced principals may help guide improved professional learning practices to provide educational leaders with the necessary skills to lead effective school improvement.

Education plays a vital role in addressing the issues associated with the global climate crisis. This paper provides a brief background of the inception of environmental education and reveals that the literature shows that environmental curriculum is not being uniformly implemented in schools. In the interview that follows, Dr Dianne Saxe, former Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, outlines what needs to be done to help our youth understand the complexities of environmental issues. She urges education systems to provide young people with the facts, tempered with clear actions that can be taken to mitigate the effects of climate change. This includes a drastic reduction in the use of fossil fuels by changing the ways we use transportation, produce our food and manage our overconsumption of goods. Dr Saxe believes that students have more influence than they realise and taking action is a critical piece to lessening feelings of eco-anxiety. The climate crisis is most likely our most defining challenge. We do our youth an immense disservice if policymakers and educators do not make environmental education a priority and make sure students are equipped with the knowledge and tools to act.

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