In the paper the attention is paid to following questions: (1) how principals’ work, role and life can be understood in Poland?, and (2) what research is needed to understand the challenges in principal’s work, role and life despite the countries context? The paper is based on the findings presented in the author’s research papers “Poland: Contemporary Research on School Principals and Leadership” (Madalińska-Michalak, 2016) and “Research on Principals in Poland” (Michalak, 2011). Firstly, the brief characteristics of the school system in Poland and its current challenges are presented. Then, the attention is paid to the understanding of principals’ work, role and life in relation to the current national policy and the school system. Secondly, there is a focus on the main aspects of research on school principals in Poland: (i) situation and professional status of school principals; (ii) principal’s role, work, and competences; and (iii) educational leadership and school development. In the third part, the existing strengths in contemporary research on school principals and leadership in Poland are highlighted and the important areas currently not examined in Poland are indicated as well. The overview of the current research on principals and leadership in Poland encourages an extended search and closer interest in the principals as agents of leadership action and in the everyday problems they face. The debate about the role of a principal in a contemporary school should be centered on the possibilities that are at a principal’s disposal for creating a school's organizational culture. These possibilities become particularly visible, especially when we concentrate not so much on what can be observed at school but on what is difficult to “touch,” “hear,” “see,” and “feel” directly, i.e., on everything that cannot be directly revealed. The analyses concerning schools should be especially focused on the norms and values that are important for teachers, parents, pupils, and various premises lying at the foundations of a school. The important areas that are not currently examined in Poland but have a huge importance in research on school principals despite countries context beyond 2020 are indicated in the paper. Among these areas the following issues emerges: (i) Professionalisation of school principal; (ii) Principals and their work, and the context of the system of education; (ii) Ethics and leadership; and (iv) Emotional lives of principals - emotions of leadership.

Arlestig, H., Day, C., Johansson, O. (Eds.), A Decade of Research on School Principals. Cases from 24 Countries, Series: Studies in Educational Leadership, Vol. 21, Springer International Publishing AG. Madalińska-Michalak, J. (2016) Poland: Contemporary Research on School Principals and Leadership, In: Helene Arlestig, Christopher Day, Olof Johansson (Eds.), A Decade of Research on School Principals. Cases from 24 Countries, Series: Studies in Educational Leadership, Vol. 21, Springer International Publishing AG, pp. 161-184. Michalak, J.M. (2011). Research on Principals in Poland. In O. Johansson (ed.). Rektor − En Forskningsöversikt 2000-2010. Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet, pp. 255-278.