In the 17 years I’ve been an administrator in the Derry, NH, school district, we’ve had plenty of controversies. We’ve had school board meetings where members of the public come and share their opinions and disagree. But I’ve never seen people at those meetings being disrespectful—until now.
Category: Principal Expert of the Week
Mask Mandate Brings an Unfortunate Level of Anger and Disrespect
Expect the Unexpected as Schools Navigate the New Normal
At my school in Florida, we’re in our second year of being back in person. Things are very different this year—masks are not required for students and staff, we can hold more athletic events and school activities, and we don’t have to worry about students staying six feet apart; they can now work together in […]
Empowering Students with Instructional Rounds
Several years ago, our superintendent introduced the practice of monthly instructional rounds, during which teams visit a school and provide feedback on a problem of practice following classroom observation and notetaking. As I facilitated rounds at Bunnell High School four years ago, I realized that the greater part of the feedback and experience of rounds […]
An Angry Encounter with a Parent over Masks Left Me Shaken
I’ve been the principal of my school for 15 years, so I think I have a pretty good pulse on this community. But I recently had an experience with a parent over masks that shook me because it was so extreme and out of character.
Building Community Partnerships Begins with Relationships
When I became the leader of Northwest Rankin High School (NWRHS), I inherited a very positive school culture, characterized by strong relationships with students, staff, and the community. But one thing was missing: partnerships between the school and local businesses and other organizations. Developing a formal relationship with the local Chamber of Commerce helped. It […]
Before the Bell Rings: Four Ways to Stay Balanced
August. The month for educators of excitement, anticipation, and the start of a new (school) year. Many of us left our classrooms and schools in June with a list of books to read, conferences to go to, and big ideas for the next school year. If you are like me, June, July, and August are months […]
Onboarding Students and Forming Personal Connections
As a new school year begins, it feels good to reconnect with students and meet new families in our community. As the assistant principal at Vail Academy and High School, a K–12 public school of approximately 475 students in Tucson, AZ, one of my responsibilities is to focus on onboarding new students and guiding them […]
‘Monday Musings’: Building Communication, Inclusion, and Cohesion With Parents
At Pewamo-Westphalia Middle/High School, we believe our three stakeholder groups—students, educators, and parents—determine the overall success of our educational experience. We use the analogy that successful education is a strong, solid, weight-bearing “three-legged stool,” with each leg representing one of the stakeholder groups. We have confidence in and rely upon each leg of the stool […]
Four Ways to Anchor Yourself as a Leader
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, […]
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 […]