At the end of 2021, Beth Houf wrote about the extremely challenging school year she and her school leader colleagues faced across the country. Her reflections were posted on the blog of the Albert Shanker Institute, and we are sharing them here. Besides reminding principals and assistant principals that they are not alone in this […]
Category: School Leadership
Pausing to Reflect on a Stressful School Year
10 NHS and NatStuCo Chapters Giving Back to Their Communities
National Honor Society and NatStuCo Chapters gave back this year through food drives. Check out some of their work!
NJHS and NHS Chapters Give Back
This holiday season, students from across the country are coming together to spread festive cheer through service! Get inspired by:
10 NHS & NJHS Chapters Giving Back to Their Communities
This holiday, NHS and NJHS students across the country are finding innovative and unique ways to give back to their communities. Check out their great work and be inspired:
Mask Mandate Brings an Unfortunate Level of Anger and Disrespect
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.
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 […]
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.
How Oakland’s Teachers Secured $9.6M in Donated Resources
Last year, I became principal of Oakland High School, a diverse community of just over 1,500 scholars. I’m proud to say that we responded quickly to meeting students’ needs in the wake of COVID-19—Oakland High was the first school in the district to start distributing Chromebooks when the pandemic hit. And with the help of […]
‘No Apologies’: 5 Examples of Disruptive Leadership
There’s an important reason school leaders should be unapologetic about shaking things up, according to NASSP Digital Principal Brian McCann. “If we’re not going to be risk-takers, how can we expect our students to be?” McCann asked during a session at the 2021 National Principals Conference.
Meet the 2022 Principal of the Year Finalists
School leaders faced extraordinary challenges in the 2020–21 school year. Principals found themselves navigating not only the halls of their buildings but also virtual environments in their mission to provide high-quality learning opportunities for all their students. For their exemplary work, the following school leaders have been selected as finalists for the NASSP 2022 National […]