Author: Kristina Gaspar, Secondary Principal, Throckmorton Collegiate ISD School culture is pivotal for the success of its students, but also for the retention of its personnel. When thinking about school culture, the people are who establish the atmosphere. It can be a place to get an education or it can be a dynamic learning environment. Looking over my years as …

Author: Tecka Heaps, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction, Roscoe Collegiate ISD We have all heard the saying “Riding for the Brand.” My grandfather was a cowboy at heart, and growing up I can remember hearing him say this a lot. Obviously I didn’t put much stock in what it meant back then, but I did know that if it …

Author: Nelson Coulter We all influencers others. Except in the rarest of cases most of us desire that our influence has some sort of positive outcomes connected to it. While we don’t have to possess a “title” to influence others, those in recognized leadership positions are afforded disproportional opportunities to affect positive outcomes, and vibes. There are some concrete things …

Dave Plymale Regional Director, Collegiate Edu-Nation The start of school is always a special time of the year. Students and teachers are excited to see each other after the summer,  and fall extra-curricular activities begin. With all the excitement, we tend to focus more on our work than we do on ourselves. We have all been there. I always wanted …

Author: Michael Hatton, Secondary Principal, Spurger ISD We tell our students and personal kids they shouldn’t be scared of change or trying something new, but how many of us walk that walk as an adult when there’s so much risk involved? Most of us operate extremely well in our comfort zone. Let us be…we like it here, but the question …

Author: Robyn Derington, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, Banquete ISD Now that we have settled into a new Post-COVID normal, society and the media have become more and more focused on the negatives of our education system.  Newspapers run stories about overcrowding, underperforming and bus incidents.  People complain on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  The biggest bark gets the bite.  So, how do we proactively tackle …

Author: Dan Boren, CEN STEM Instructional Coordinator The communities that you may find yourself in generally have one common goal—unity. In fact, the word “community” has within it the roots of two words “common” and “unity,” which accurately describe what the organization is striving toward. Although unity is an important goal and necessary component for the success of a group, …

Author: Nelson Coulter Some of the pastors I’ve had over the years stand out prominently in my mind. The fondness of those memories have little — or nothing — to do with their oratory skills or deep biblical knowledge. What drew, and draws, me to them is their spirit. What about their spirit influenced and influences me so? They were/are… …

Author: Nelson Coulter Tackling tough tasks and challenging complex conundra is what leaders do. (The easy stuff is almost always handled down the hall or on another floor of the building.) Consequently, our work disproportionately carries higher risk levels for failure. No prob! Failure is how we learn — to improve, to adapt, to reassess, to re-engage, to re-imagine. Some failure …

Author: Nelson Coulter Clarity and simplicity are NOT one and the same. The consequential problems we deal with, as leaders, are rarely simple. Thus, clarity is elusive. Rarely, if ever, are the solutions to our complex problem(s) clear. While we strive for simplicity and clarity, wise leaders understand that both are illusory. A similar dynamic tension exists between curiosity and knowledge. BOTH …

Author: Nelson Coulter Our impact as leaders — in our families, in our communities, in our workplaces — is the downstream effect of our influence. Our influence as leaders is the downstream effect of the TRUST others have in us. The TRUST others have in us as leaders is the downstream effect of what they conclude from their interactions with …

Author: Juliana Lingo, Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Funding, Lytle ISD Ready or not, summer flew by too fast and another school year is upon us. Each new year starts with new challenges, new roles, and new responsibilities. People who serve in education have various life experiences and paths they have taken, however, they all have a reason or “why” for continuing …