Leading through COVID-19: New Zealand secondary principals describe their reality

School principals were required to engage in crisis leadership throughout New Zealand’s first seven-week COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020. Eighteen school principals from a range of secondary schools were interviewed about their experiences. The challenges they faced included preparing students and teachers for online teaching and learning for an unknown length of time, supporting student and staff wellbeing, and communicating clearly and compassionately to all stakeholder groups. Their opportunities related to strengthening digital teaching and learning, distributing leadership and resetting direction. This study identifies a number of implications for future crisis leadership practice including: preparing, attending to wellbeing, communicating effectively, leading collaboratively and taking opportunities.