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As an NASSP board member, I am often asked by principals and assistant principals, “How can I be more involved in my state affiliate and NASSP so that I can make a difference?” I sincerely appreciate this question because it shows that not only does that person want to be a great administrator for kids […]

I’ve been married for more than 30 years. My husband and I are both educators and school leaders, currently serving as principals. But during much of our time together, we suffered silently through something that is still hard for educators to talk about: a mental health crisis. Our challenges started when my husband had a […]

“See the game through all sets of your teammates’ eyes” is one of the lifelong leadership lessons I learned in high school from Mark Ritter, my varsity basketball coach. Simple words with a profound influence. To me, the lesson has always centered on the importance of empathy, perspective-taking, focus, collaboration, shared vision, and goals and […]

When I was a high school principal, I always tried to listen to students and their ideas for activities, events, and ways to build school pride. However, it was not until a school-related tragedy that I focused on student voice and youth-adult partnerships. I will never forget May 22, 2016—the day one of our beloved […]

For high school students playing football under the lights on Friday night, or basketball in a crowded gym on Saturday, the spotlight is a constant presence. But for many of their classmates cheering them on from the stands, the chance to be celebrated for their achievements is less common. For more than 50 years now, […]

At the start of each school year, school leaders are faced with the challenge of engaging students in creating positive school climates and cultures. As a result, finding ways to develop and sustain student leadership becomes a necessity. Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to identify emerging student leaders and encourage them to participate in […]

An extraordinary thing is taking place at New York City’s High School of Fashion Industries (HSFI). It’s not just that the school is making progress in focusing on belonging and equity for all students—other schools address racism or support social emotional learning. The difference is HSFI is doing this work with their students, not to […]

When collaborating with school leaders nationally, I’ve often heard—especially in small-to-medium urban school districts—the issues with teacher recruitment and retention. The thought is typically: (1) We don’t have enough teachers, and (2) The teachers we do have, we can’t keep because a neighboring school district offers better pay and more opportunities than our district. This […]

The Enduring Classroom: Teaching Then and Now In his latest book, The Enduring Classroom: Teaching Then and Now (The University of Chicago Press), Larry Cuban provides a historical journey through education. The professor emeritus at the Stanford Graduate School of Education writes of the changes in education over many years, and how they may not […]

Over the years, courts have grappled with the legal dimensions of social media, including delineating the bounds of school district authority to regulate or institute consequences for student or employee postings on social media (e.g., Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L., 2021). Currently, the U.S. Supreme Court is deliberating a case involving a different but […]