An email from our amazing counselor today... I never thought I’d feel more vulnerable than being a teacher in a parent-teacher conference until my son started kindergarten. As the teacher, I set the tone for the meeting: warm, always with chocolate, and open – we sat in chairs without a ... [ Read More ]
Avoid those educational extremes!
Last week I decided I would give up carbs. It wasn't a rash decision. It was actually well thought out, prompted in part by the massive amount of snacks I was gifted for my birthday. (Anytime 10 different people are able to buy you fritos, you know you're in a bad snack choosing place!) I have some ... [ Read More ]
Changing the Way We Think About Leadership #EdWriteNow
When I reflect back on the professional opportunities I've been blessed with, I am so thankful to have many that rank way on up there. I can't think of one, however, that had as much of a purpose as the one I experienced this summer. When Jeff Zoul and Joe Mazza initially reached out, about the ... [ Read More ]
How do you know when it’s time to unfriend?
Recently as I was scrolling through Facebook before bed, I came across a video shared by a friend. It had an inflammatory title, and was quite evidently, taken of a group of people committing a crime. It had been shared from a site I'd never heard of, but when I clicked on it to see exactly what ... [ Read More ]
Get the basics right..and let the rest follow! Admin goals for 17-18!
Our Wolves came back to school this week. Ain't no tired like first week of school tired...but ya'll. Today is Wednesday and it was SO smooth. Like kinders could handle lunch today smooth. We spent two days working on names, and hugs, and relationships. We went over the "essentials" of being at ... [ Read More ]
Last #askanadmin! #13: So I’m the principal…but how do I KEEP getting better?
I'm a learner. I LOVE to read. Obsessively. Insanely. Annoyingly. (like in the shower annoying.) Conferences fill my bucket. My voxer conversations with my principal peeps are treasured times of reflection, growth, and PUSH. It's easy for me to operate that way. How do YOU grow? The days are long ... [ Read More ]
Principal Pinterest pressure..it’s a thing!
Have you heard the quote "Comparison is the thief of joy"? I think that may have come out after the invention of Pinterest and/or social media. Maybe its just me. Maybe I'm the one scrolls through the FB or the twitters and thinks man, I am so slacking. My outfits weren't that fun. Each and ... [ Read More ]
#12: What if there is a conflict among my team? #askanadmin
Drama, drama, drama...it happens to the best of us! What do you do when you have a conflict with your teams? How about we let Katie Martin and Jeff Zoul answer this! Both have extensive experience in not only working with education peeps, but have led/managed groups of people, which inevitably? ... [ Read More ]
#11: Uh oh! How do you work with a combative parent? #askanadmin
We've all got parents who are passionate for their students, who want to make sure that they are doing all that they can to ensure their students success. What happens when that passion comes across as combative? This is a situation every administrator has had come up in their career ...also one you ... [ Read More ]
Q10: As the leader, what are you MOST proud of at your school? #askanadmin
One of the challenges in being an administrator is never allowing yourself to forget the passion you had for your building when you first got there. Do you remember how excited you were when finally, after wanting and feeling like you were ready, you were named administrator? It's an incredible ... [ Read More ]