We are living and working in a world which is becoming increasingly sensational. The news cycle today is so quick that to gain people’s attention the message has oftentimes become some combination of fantastical, loud, or unhinged. News outlets are in such a hurry to be first that the story often lacks thorough vetting or is incomplete. School districts and superintendents are not immune from this reality and thus must think through how to operate in this increasingly challenging environment. How do you combat stories presented by the media, or that are circulating on social platforms, which at a minimum …

The school year is over for some in the U.S. and not far off for others, so now is a good time to reflect on what you can do to rejuvenate your leadership this summer. Today, I want to throw out a few ideas which you may or may not have considered. I am not talking about taking a vacation, finding more time to golf, or spending time with the family (all great ideas!), but rather providing thoughts for individual self-renewal as a leader. I am proposing three specific ideas, with clear recommendations, which I believe will help you “re-center” …

Hiring teachers is becoming more and more difficult. Unfortunately, with the negativism K-12 education is facing and the stress teachers feel, many are leaving the field and fewer candidates are entering preparation programs. It is unlikely, without major change regarding how society respects, compensates, and supports teachers; and K-12 education in general, that this situation will change in the foreseeable future. What will change? A “new” teacher workforce will enter our K-12 classrooms. In part due to the realities of what was discussed above, but also based upon societal changes regarding how people view the workplace. Let me outline below …

Leading school districts today is more challenging than ever. The combination of community unrest, lack of public support for K-12 education, and waves of COVID have led superintendents to become overwhelmed. At these points in time, when we become overwhelmed in our jobs, it can be hard to know which way to go, which decisions to make, and how to address the volume of issues which stand before us. Today, let’s spend some time attempting to understand how operating in an overwhelming environment as leaders can lead to inertia. Also, once in a state of inertia, how to move beyond …

School district leaders are likely facing the toughest time in their careers at this moment. Whether it be handling political division on a variety of current topics, attempting to keep the district afloat due to staffing shortages, or exhaustion from two years of dealing with COVID – it is taking a heavy toll. The question on my mind is how leaders survive right now. What can be done to achieve the resilience to move forward? How can leaders keep from becoming overwhelmed and ultimately burning out? We all have a breaking point; what can we do to keep from going …

Across the U.S. one of the greatest challenges facing school districts is how to hire staff. I am not just talking teachers, but classified workers too, such as bus drivers, food service workers, administrative assistants…etc. The private sector is racing to increase wages (which they can pass on to the customer) which exacerbates the situation as school districts simply don’t have the resources to respond. To address the current situation districts are implementing several creative programs, which is necessary to keep classrooms functioning and systems operating. Many innovative approaches are being pursued, which is both commendable and encouraging. The question …

The increase in political polarization, dissension, arguments over pandemic mitigation strategies, and rude behavior by board members is making it hard for school districts to operate in an effective manner. We are seeing these issues expand across our society which is truly disturbing. I believe these issues are leading school superintendents and administrators to question how they can “right the ship”. Many are struggling with the onslaught of concerns being faced, which seem to be gaining momentum.  Unfortunately, answers are elusive… Today, I want to spend some time discussing based upon my experience and observation how you can analyze the …

We are all on a quest to improve student achievement in our districts, especially right now as COVID has produced unfinished learning.  To do so, districts take several different paths, and it seems like there is a never-ending list of programs and initiatives which can be pursued.  The challenge is that in an effort to improve student achievement, districts can unintentionally create “Initiative Fatigue”, which means they move from promising practice to promising practice while simultaneously burning out their staff. Today I want to discuss the antidote for preventing initiative fatigue and outline a method and for achieving organizational focus.  …

New principals are fun to work with as a district leader, they are upbeat, excited to make a difference, eager to connect and learn. The energy they exude is motivating and their desire to build relationship as they enter school leadership is commendable. So, to help them be successful we must guide them in understanding a few leadership-relationship pitfalls. As a new administrator they need to build relationship, but they also must lead. It is this distinction, between relationship and leadership, which I want to focus on in today’s post. A few years ago, I read an intriguing article on …

It is that time of the year when some of you (or other administrators in your district) will be hiring an administrative assistant. Reasons for the need vary, but it is important to remember this position, likely more than any other, will impact your success on the job. A good administrative assistant can make you more effective and efficient; alternatively, they can drive you to take on an expanded number of duties due to their lack of ability. Regardless of the reason, I want to take time today to discuss three characteristics, based upon experience, which you should consider and …