If you’re leading a school today, you’re probably living in two worlds at once. You’re listening closely to teachers, hearing their exhaustion, their ideas, their very real needs. And then you’re meeting with district leadership navigating mandates, initiatives, timelines, and platforms that often come faster than anyone can implement. We hear this from school leadersContinueContinue reading “Stuck in the Middle: What Principals Wish Everyone Understood”
Tag Archives: Leadership
Stop Asking Teachers to “Remember Their Why”
Every time teachers express exhaustion or frustration, someone inevitably tells them to “remember their why.” It’s meant to be uplifting, but more often, it lands like another demand—another way of saying, your purpose should outweigh your reality. Here’s the problem: teachers never forgot their why. They still care deeply about students. They still believe inContinueContinue reading “Stop Asking Teachers to “Remember Their Why””
Stop Building Programs and Start Building Systems
Across the country, school leaders are navigating one of the most unpredictable budget years in recent memory. The spreadsheets may look familiar, but the ground beneath them is anything but steady. Between the expiration of federal relief funds, fluctuating state revenues, and growing questions about the future direction of the U.S. Department of Education, theContinueContinue reading “Stop Building Programs and Start Building Systems”
NAEP Scores Hit New Lows: It’s Time to Put Academics First
The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are sobering. Reading and math scores for high school seniors have dropped to their lowest levels in more than 20 years. In 2024, only 22% of twelfth graders were proficient in math, and just 35% in reading—both down from 2019. Nearly half of seniorsContinueContinue reading “NAEP Scores Hit New Lows: It’s Time to Put Academics First”
Why Excellent Schools Must Move From Maslow to Deep Learning
In education, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has become almost a mantra. We remind ourselves—rightly—that students cannot learn if they are hungry, unsafe, or unseen. Meeting those foundational needs is the moral obligation of every school. But here’s the danger: if we anchor our vision of schooling solely in Maslow, we risk building systems that comfort,ContinueContinue reading “Why Excellent Schools Must Move From Maslow to Deep Learning”
5 Ways School Administrators Can Best Partner with the Teachers Union
In many districts, the relationship between school administrators and the teacher’s union is often portrayed as adversarial. Negotiations over contracts, compensation, and working conditions can create tension, and it’s easy to fall into an “us versus them” mindset. Yet, at its core, both administrators and unions share the same mission: supporting teachers so that studentsContinueContinue reading “5 Ways School Administrators Can Best Partner with the Teachers Union”
When Edu-Celebrities Get It Wrong: Stop Taking Soundbites as Strategy
Let’s be honest—education has its own celebrity culture. Scroll through LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, X, or the latest conference program, and you’ll see the same faces: dynamic, high-energy presenters with big ideas and even bigger followings. They’ve got book deals, branded hashtags, media agents, and quotes that rack up hundreds of shares. Some of these quotesContinueContinue reading “When Edu-Celebrities Get It Wrong: Stop Taking Soundbites as Strategy”
Beyond the Game: Why Athletes Should Show Up for the Arts
As educators, we talk often about the value of a well-rounded education. We champion the importance of both STEM and the humanities, push for collaboration between academic departments, and strive to build school cultures where every student feels seen. But there’s an opportunity we often overlook—one that has the power to strengthen our entire community:ContinueContinue reading “Beyond the Game: Why Athletes Should Show Up for the Arts”
From Candidate to Leader: 5 Ways to Shine in Your Principal Interview”
The principal’s leadership is vital for a school’s success. Candidates should emphasize their vision for student achievement, strong decision-making, commitment to teacher support, community engagement, and resource management during interviews. Demonstrating these competencies showcases passion and readiness to lead effectively in fostering a thriving educational environment.
5 Education Concepts To Eliminate in 2025
This article is the 9th installment of the “5 Educational Concepts to Eliminate” series. This series began in 2016 and has been read hundreds of thousands of times by educators across the world. As we enter the dawn of 2025, we must re-evaluate our current positions and pivot as needed to ensure we are meetingContinueContinue reading “5 Education Concepts To Eliminate in 2025”
THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK 