Who Gets to Think? Who Gets to Speak? Who Gets to Lead?
Preparation, Empowerment, and the Equity We Must See in Every Classroom A question I have been repeatedly contemplating seems really simple on the surface but …
The Illusion of Progress
Why Being Busy, Making Changes, and Having a Plan Are Not the Same as Making Things Better There is something very seductive about progress. We …
Empathy Is Not the Opposite of Accountability
Why the Way We See People Must Shape the Way We Lead Them I have been thinking a great deal lately about empathy. Not simply …
Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Our Classrooms
As we recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we take the time to honor the histories, cultures, sovereignty, and enduring contributions of Indigenous peoples. Despite the goal …
We Cannot Wait for Things to Settle Down
Leading Schools When the Conditions for Change Are Anything but Ideal There is a phrase often stated in organizations experiencing significant change: “Once things settle …
How Misalignment at the Top Damages Trust, Focus, and Students
Why the Board-Superintendent Relationship Must Be Strong Enough to Survive the Hardest Days There are few relationships in public education more consequential than the one …
Now the Real Work Begins
What Schools Must Refuse to Lose Sight of Once the School Year Gets Busy The opening weeks of school have a particular kind of energy. …
NEW BOOK RELEASE
Some stories stay with us because they leave room for another story to be told.On September 28, I’m excited to release, my first novel, The …
Do People Know They Matter? The Balance of Need Versus VAlue
The Difference Between Valuing People and Simply Needing What They Bring There is a subtle trap in leadership that I think many of us encounter. …
25 YEARS LATER, I CAN STILL SEE THE SKY
Tuesday, September 11, 2001, began as a beautiful, clear morning. I was in the first week as Principal at Enterprise Elementary, a school approximately 20 …