School of Thought Blog
Reflecting on AAPI Heritage Month
In recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, NASSP CEO Ronn Nozoe and Managing Director of Leadership Development Robyn Hamasaki—both born and raised in Hawaii—talk about their backgrounds and issues related to Asian American educators and students in our schools.
(more…)Improving School Climate and Culture at Ignite 2023
A supportive school environment starts with strong relationships between staff, faculty, families, and students. Promoting trust and a sense of inclusion leads to successful teaching and learning. As a school leader, you’ll want to attend Ignite 2023—NASSP’s National School Leader Conference—July 12–15, in Denver, CO. The conference will offer dozens of sessions that will help you improve school climate and culture. To get you fired up, we spotlight three sessions here.
(more…)Quick Tips to Ensure Graduation Runs Smoothly
Graduation is one of the most important occasions on a school leader’s calendar. This milestone signifies both an ending and a beginning–a fond farewell to years of student growth and learning at your school, and an exciting introduction to life’s next chapter. Follow the advice below from three school leaders on how to make the most of this moment.
(more…)Ignite 2023: Meet the Headline-Making Speakers
As we draw closer to Ignite 2023, NASSP’s School Leader Conference, taking place July 12–15 in Denver, CO, the buzz is all about the stellar lineup of speakers. This conference, the premier event for secondary school leaders, brings together thought leaders in education, offering a unique platform for shared wisdom and groundbreaking ideas.
(more…)Helping Students to Show What They Know and Be Seen
I was a first-generation college student. I was also a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent. In both my personal and professional lives, I’ve seen how inequitable access to academic resources and opportunities can create gaps for students.
(more…)Honoring Our Humanity with AAPI Heritage Month
It’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. In China, when walking past banners promoting women’s rights and elevating the people’s voice, my father would always comment on the fact that celebration or slogan is only needed when pride or circumstances are lacking. I think the same applies to AAPI Month.
(more…)NHS Students Provide Senior Citizens with Much-Needed Tech Support
When three NHS members realized that their grandparents all struggled with using technology, they decided to help local senior citizens facing similar challenges. Aaron Smolyar, a junior at Canterbury School in Fort Myers, FL, and two of his friends, Christian Laquis and Derrick Hueniken, recently wanted to do a community service project to fulfill their NHS chapter’s service requirements. Helping in this way seemed like a perfect fit. “We all had that shared experience,” Smolyar says. “This was a way to spend our time that not only was meaningful to us, but we would enjoy doing it.”
(more…)500 NJHS Students Earn Outstanding Achievement Awards
NASSP and The Education Plan® are proud to congratulate the recipients of the 2023 National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA)!
(more…)Building Leadership Capacity at Ignite 2023
Leading a school with a set of collaborative systems and structures is essential to empowering teachers and student leaders in your building. As a school leader, you’ll want to attend Ignite 2023—NASSP’s National School Leader Conference—July 12–15, in Denver, CO. The conference will offer dozens of sessions that will help you focus on building leadership capacity. To get you fired up, we spotlight three sessions here.
(more…)Leveraging Connections to Increase Student Motivation
In the wake of the pandemic, both student motivation and engagement in the classroom continue to concern school leaders.
(more…)Reflecting on the Principalship This Mother’s Day
I recently came across another principal’s tweet: “Relationships during the day, and paperwork at night.” As a veteran school leader, the notion of principals being the first to arrive at school and the last to leave, while working well into the evening has caused me much angst.
(more…)Texas Student Wins NSLW Sticker Design Contest
Morgan Go, a junior at Stony Point High School in Round Rock, TX, is the winner of the first-ever sticker design contest for National Student Leadership Week (NSLW) held in April. Go is the secretary of her school’s NHS chapter and will serve as vice president next school year. Here, she talks about the contest and her interest in graphic design.
(more…)The Secret to Sustained Student Council Success
The student council at Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, VA, has been recognized as a National Council of Excellence 15 times, ever since the school first opened. The award recognizes student councils for implementing a strong leadership program that meets council goals; functioning in an ethical and responsible way; and engaging others in leadership, spirit, civic, and service activities. Grassfield Student Council Association adviser Alicia White and SCA president Ethan Clarke share why the school’s student council has been able to maintain such consistent success.
(more…)A Longtime National Council of Excellence Brings a Big School Together
Grassfield High School in Chesapeake, VA, is a large school. We have more than 2,200 students (who come from 10 different middle schools) and 215 staff spread out over multiple quads on a campus the covers more than 100 acres. One group that is key to pulling our entire school community together is our 30-person student council. That’s a lot of school for our student council to cover, but members do a wonderful job of reaching out to all of our student communities.
(more…)A Fundraising Project That Changes Lives
When it comes time for students in the NHS chapter here at Thunder Ridge High School in Idaho Falls, ID, to graduate, just about every one of them would say that a highlight was this year’s project where we raised money to build a house for a Ukrainian family displaced by the war. I started teaching in 1989, so I’ve been around for a while, and I know this is the coolest thing I’ve ever done.
(more…)On Being a Middle Level Student Council Adviser
A basic goal of middle level student councils should be to empower young student leaders to become the driving force in shaping the activities and culture of a developmentally responsive student organization. Reaching that goal means that student councils, like any academic curriculum, must introduce and foster essential skills necessary for students to be successful. For many students, their council experience during the middle grade years will be their first foray into student leadership. Having a qualified adviser who can deliver the proper guidance and instruction over the course of their student council experience will lay the foundation for their leadership journey.
(more…)Inside the Backpacks of NHS Scholarship Winners: Discovering the Essentials of Tomorrow’s Leaders
NASSP recently recognized 25 outstanding National Honor Society members with scholarships for their dedication to the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character. As they embark on a bright future, we explore what essentials they carry with them every day, from textbooks to tech gadgets, and everything in between. Discover the unique personalities and passions of these remarkable scholars through a peek in their backpacks.
(more…)Trailblazing Leadership Week Celebrates Student and School Leaders
NASSP sits at the intersection of student and school leadership. Any progress in our schools must start with those who are a part of them, and the combined effect of these groups working together is greater than each working alone. This power was on full display during NASSP’s Trailblazing Leadership Week, April 22-25, which brought together the State Principals and Assistant Principals of the Year, the National Honor Society Scholarship finalists, and their advisers to recognize their accomplishments and connect with one another in Washington, D.C.
(more…)Award Recognizes International School’s Student Council
The student council at Boston International School (BIS) in Jiangsu, China, is among the 337 winners of this year’s National Council of Excellence. The award recognizes student councils for implementing a strong leadership program that meets council goals; functioning in an ethical and responsible way; and engaging others in leadership, spirit, civic, and service activities. In this post, Brian Rotunno, academic principal of BIS, discusses the council’s success.
(more…)MoneySKILL: A Solution for Personal Finance Education
Personal financial literacy is critical to succeed in today’s world, but study after study shows that many Americans need a deeper understanding of core financial concepts. For instance, among U.S. adults surveyed in the FINRA Foundation National Financial Capability Study published in 2022, 47% lacked a “rainy day” fund for emergencies, 59% of those with credit cards reported paying their balance in full each month, and 19% reported spending more than their income.
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