I still remember the shock on March 13, 2020, when we sent students home to complete the year online. Looking back, these last 16 months have been beyond stormy—just one wave after another as we battled to support teachers, support our school community, support our students, and somehow find something that supported ourselves. Throughout this challenging time, […]
Category: Guest Blogs
Four Ways to Anchor Yourself as a Leader
Inclusion Beyond the Classroom
Establishing a culture of inclusion across the building and beyond the classroom not only benefits the students being included, it also helps build a positive culture for everyone in the school community. As is typical in most schools, we’ve worked to maximize the inclusion opportunities for our students with developmental disabilities. Over the last several […]
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center Executive Director Doug Shapiro and NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe Discuss the Impact of COVID-19 on Students
Listen to Their Conversation and Attend the Clearinghouse’s Session at the 2021 NASSP National Principals Conference During a webinar earlier this year, Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, and Ronn Nozoe, CEO of NASSP, shared their thoughts about two important Research Center reports: The early look at fall enrollment as it pertains […]
Building Community, Camaraderie, and Leadership Through Student Mentorship
Young adults are amazing. I am inspired every day by their love of learning, their energy, and their ability to make the most out of any situation. As a middle level educator, I get the joy of watching students blossom in many ways. During these formative years, I watch students transform from awkward ducklings into […]
Lessons in Virtual Hiring for School Leaders
Deputy chief of talent development at D.C. Public Schools offers an inside look at how the district has restructured its principal hiring This article first appeared on The Wallace Foundation’s blog. It has been republished with permission. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended a great number of systems and processes in the K–12 education system, including the […]
Performance-Based Grading: Changing the Way We See Grades
Each leader comes to the table with their unique set of experiences that mold their platform, style, and passion. Many of these experiences are small, almost unrecognizable in the grand scheme of life, but they represent significant cogs in the wheels of our processing. As a teacher, leader, and student, for me it was always […]
Connections, Connections, Connections: We All Need Them
We have seen more than ever this year that connections are necessary. We need to be purposeful in giving our students the tools to make sure these connections are meaningful and lasting. The Connections program at Lowery Freshman Center is more than “just a class.” With its focus on building supportive relationships, it is making […]
Virtual Clubs: Connecting Students During a Challenging Year
“I finally feel like I’m a part of something.” —Seventh grade student in Anime Club When those words were uttered extemporaneously following an interview with members of the Downingtown Middle School Anime Club, both the club sponsor, Todd Shirley, and I did a double take. That seventh grade student had struggled to make friends and […]
Marketing Your School
When I was in elementary school, my father was a troubleshooter for his company. If there was an issue in a plant in another state, off he would go, and we knew that we would soon be moving to follow. As soon as my parents knew which city we would be relocating to, my mother […]
Being Accessible as a School Leader
I had an impromptu meeting one recent morning that was just what I needed. Around 7:50 a.m., I received a call from our receptionist to let me know a young man needed to see me. I quickly responded and asked her to send him to my office.