You know that your educators need support. You also know that professional development (PD) is the best way to help your teachers and leaders perform at the highest level for your students. However, you ALSO need social-emotional support for your students, AND technology AND a...
As a young turnaround principal in East Palo Alto, California, I struggled with nerves. In my first two years, I woke up every morning with butterflies in my stomach, nervous about the challenges that I would encounter that day: another deadline missed to the state...
School culture impacts everything we do as educators, and reflects our ability to meaningfully engage students. How is the school culture in your building? Below are questions to help you reflect. Think about the first person people see when they enter one of your schools. Does...
You know your school needs coaching to raise expectations and increase teacher effectiveness, but how do you get teachers and school staff on board? In education, coaching is often viewed as a necessary evil, aimed at new or struggling teachers. It shouldn’t be! You owe it...
This post originally appeared in ASCD Inservice on February 27, 2017. As a turnaround principal of a high school in Washington, D.C, I lost more students to violence than I ever would have imagined. After losing five students in one year, I made a vow that I...
It’s no secret that principals set the tone for an entire school community, driving the goals, culture, and practices of every staff member. I’ve had the opportunity to work with principals across the country, supporting their school growth, culture, and student achievement goals, and I've seen...
A healthy culture is the essential foundation for any high-performing organization. While it is the collective responsibility of all adults in the school to develop, share, and protect it, the process of building this foundation is anchored heavily in the behaviors, habits, and mindsets of...
In my office, to the right of my desk, is a bookshelf. The first four shelves are filled with books about topics that you might expect: being an effective principal, promoting instructional improvement, and supporting students with special needs, to name a few. The bottom...
Head coaches of our national professional and collegiate sports teams are responsible for bringing some of the best and brightest together in order to make it to the championship. While each athlete is a star in their own right, these coaches are tasked with setting...
As a former principal, I learned that one of the keys to successful leadership is not to prioritize your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. One of those priorities must be focusing on the morale of teachers and staff in the school building. It’s no...