Teachers desire to work in a growing, positive, and supportive school community where they build healthy, strong professional relationships. Retaining qualified teachers is crucial to ensure quality education. While extensive research has been conducted on school climate in general, minimal research attention has been directed toward the impact of the professional relationships dimension of school climate on teacher retention in public middle schools. This qualitative study explored the role of the 14th dimension of school climate, professional relationships, as described by the National School Climate Center, in middle school teacher retention and the reasons teachers stay in their schools. This study also sought to identify the actions and strategies that contribute to healthy professional relationships that have a positive effect on teacher retention. Themes from semistructured interviews and document reviews found teachers from public middle schools perceived professional relationships as having a significant role in teacher retention. Teachers' perceptions of school climate are crucial because their actions are explained as the result of their perceptions. Building healthy relationships is critical because there is a connection between the professional relationships dimension of school climate and teacher retention, where building healthy professional relationships results in higher retention. The following actions and strategies were found critical for building healthy professional relationships: principal being caring and encouraging self-care; principal providing differentiated support and opportunities for learning; using open, effective communication and trusting relationships; openness for encouraging and assisting others; being led by vision and values. Middle school teachers identified the following reasons for staying in their schools: students and love of the teaching profession, staff and overall positive perception of professional relationships, and feeling respected and supported by the leadership team. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]