The job of a school principal is complex, broad, and challenging. We often focus on the notion that students need to be at the center of everything we do. While I am not disputing this, I do believe that principals need to focus a lot of their energy on the teachers at their sites. Happy … More 5 Ways Principals Can Brighten a Teacher’s Day
Becoming a principal for the first time, or moving to a new school, is an exciting venture for any educator. Principals must do everything in their power to set themselves up for success. According to the 2012-13 principal staffing survey from the US Department of Education, over 20 percent of principals left their schools and over 70 … More 5 Things New Principals (and principals that are new to their school) Should Never Do Their First Year On The Job
A school’s vision statement is often overlooked, hidden, or inexplicitly non-existent. It can be found on most school’s websites, hidden among bells schedules, lunch options, teacher websites, and PTA pages. Teachers, administrators often don’t know what is written in their school’s vision statement. Parents don’t either. Students … well, you get the picture. However, shouldn’t … More 5 Ways to Reimagine Your School’s Vision Statement
Wellness is a hot topic these days. Educators are under more stress than ever before. It seems like every time we turn around, schools are in the news for all the wrong reasons: abuse, poor performance, scandals, violence, and crime. This list goes on and on. Working under these conditions can be very stressful on … More 5 Ways to Increase The Wellness of Teachers
The bedrock of a great school is shared leadership. All stakeholders must have a seat at the decision-making table. This ensures that the vision and direction of the school is decided upon collectively and in the best interest of all parties. Teachers are key players in the process and need to be encouraged to step … More 5 Ways to Foster Teacher Leadership
One of the most important books that I have read in my career is The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. In his book, Lencioni outlines the elements needed to build strong, cohesive teams. Here is a link to the book: Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Trust is the foundation in which productive teams are … More 5 Ways Principals Can Build Trust
This post was written in conjunction with ParentSquare. Based in Santa Barbara, ParentSquare is an award winning company focused on connecting schools with families to improve student outcomes and school success. ParentSquare simplifies communication by bringing together all communication solutions and features under one platform. You can learn more about ParentSquare by visiting their website here: https://www.parentsquare.com/ Did … More 5 Ways You Can Be a More Involved Parent
Winter is coming! With the return of Game of Thrones to the airwaves, I was inspired to write an article based on this tremendous series. As I prepared for the new season, I thought about the history of the series and began to draw some parallels to the world of education, specifically working in the … More 5 Ways Education is Like Game of Thrones
Being a leader is not easy. Leaders must be steadfast during the storm and be able to remain standing through thick and thin. I was lucky enough to spend some time this summer on a beach building sandcastles with my children. As we built our castle, I was reflected upon my own work as an … More 5 Ways Leadership is Like Building a Sandcastle
