The wisest leaders I know remain hyperfocused on their intended outcomes. They refuse to be distracted by unimportant and tangential stuff that screams for time on their calendar and for their precious attention. Most of these excellent leaders have learned that too...
Thought Leaders
The Power of Positivity
I have learned that sometimes things don’t always work out like you hoped. I never envisioned a career in education, being a teacher, yet alone becoming a principal of a campus. I credit my Associate degree, Bachelor’s degree, and Master’s degree to the people that...
The Right End of the Halter
Creating a “Culture of College”
When I was young, my parents talked incessantly about the need for me to go to college. From an early age, it was repeated at the dinner table, in the car, at family barbecues and church functions. The only problem with my parents’ rugged determination was — they had...
Habits of a Highly Successful P-20 District
One of my favorite books is Stephen Covey’s, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I believe the principles outlined in this amazing book are applicable to just about every situation. As I recently reread some old notes I had on the book, it made me realize just...
Letting things go: Focusing on less, so we can accomplish more.
Fall is upon us. Football, fireplaces, sweater weather, crisp air, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and my favorite part of fall, the changing colors of the leaves. I recently saw a quote that resonated with me. It said, “The trees are about to show us how lovely it...
Rebooting the System
Thesis statement. “The Only Constant in Life Is Change.”- Heraclitus, c.540 BCE—c.480) I hope your morning was as beautiful as mine. Stepping outside into 63°F was a refreshing change, along with a walk and a hint of autumn in the air. Returning to the desktop, I...
ControlFreak(out)
Trying to force others to change is a fool’s game. (Ask me how I know.) I’ve worked for control freaks. They made me, and all the others they were trying to control, freak out. More importantly, those control freaks generated highly committed resistors. So, if change...
All Aboard the Rigor Spectrum
As student-centered advocates, we adhere to the adage, meet students where they are. But in terms of our teaching craft, do we meet ourselves where we are? Do we expect to reach the highest heights of rigor like a caped superhero atop a mountain having conquered the...
Why Become a “Collegiate” School?
If you have spent any time in a small town, you have witnessed firsthand the challenge: rural areas struggle to keep families from moving away in search of economic opportunities. When a large business closes in a city, it is quickly replaced. In a small town,...
