Principal Matters: The School Leader's Podcast with William D. Parker

In October 2018, William Stubbs, an instructional leadership director at Oklahoma City Public Schools at the time, entered and won the Teach for America’s Shark Tank OKC as a contestant in the city’s Shark Tank competition. Photo by Got Credit – Creative Commons Attribution License  https://www.flickr.com/photos/144008357@N08 He was awarded $10,000 to implement stronger partnerships and mentoring opportunties for the city’s young men of color with educators and community businesses. His idea was borne from a conviction that black males, in particular, need more access to men of color as role models in education and business. A January 29, 2019 post on the website Theundeafeted.com by Chandra Thomas Whitfield explains that only two-percent of teachers are black men. Although student populations are much more diverse, minority students do not always see themselves reflected in their teachers or school leaders.  Recently, I had the privilege to interview William Stubbs, and he shared several takeaways for principals to keep in mind as they consider how to create stronger environments of diversity and equity. William’s Bio William Stubbs is the Middle School Managing Director at UpLift Education in Dallas, Texas. He is a former Instructional Leadership Director for the Oklahoma City Public School District. Before his Oklahoma tenure, he served as the K-12 Principal at Kennedy Charter Public School in Charlotte, NC. Before joining Kennedy Charter Public School, William was the Dean of Students and Upper School Literature Teacher at Kestrel Heights School in Durham, NC. He has also been a Principal Intern at Reedy Creek Middle School – Wake County Public Schools in Cary, NC. William holds an M.S.A. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a B.A. in English from Shaw University. The Life of an Educator William Stubbs has always been passtionate about learning and growing, and he wanted to be an educator from a very young age. As an undergraduate at Shaw Univeristy, he was a part of the Breakthrough Collaborative that allowed college students to teach and mentor middle school students. Later he was a Teach for America educator and taught high school English. Much of his experience has been working between district public schools and charters. He is also a co-moderator for the Twitter chat Black Males Educators or #BMEsTalk, each Tuesday night at 8PM Central Standard Time, where educators from across the U.S. share ideas, research, and feedback on ways to encourage positive outcomes for black male educators. Important Trends in Education In this episode, William shares about how diversity matters, especially in settings where demographics are shifting. An important question for school leaders to consider is: how can you closely allign your student population and your staff represented there? Many black male educators did not have black male educators in early-childhood. More black male educators are seen in high schools but fewer in college settings. Teachers of color can often connect with the learning of students of color. One example addressing the need is the Call Me MISTER (Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) Initiative , which is currently available at 13 universities throughout the U.S. Suggestions for School Leaders District and school leaders must be clear on what diversity means and why it’s important. And conversations on change need to begin with leaders. This includes developing professional learning around critical topics, like implicit bias, and strategizing around hiring practices and how leaders view talent.  William also explains how important it is to understand the need with both head and heart. Then leaders can began to implement policies and practices that reflect that understanding. The implications of bias, for instance, are sometimes seen in the ways leaders view candidates with public versus private university degrees, the strategies they use for recruiting, and even the use of substitute pools. In addition, schools must develop leadership pipelines for building conditions for growth, and recognizing talent so that more black male educators are encouraged to stay in the profession. Practices Affecting Student Popluations:  It is also important to review codes of conduct and analyze how zero tolerance practices may be affecting some populations more than others. This also means adopting restorative  and guidance practices in student discipline. In addition, school leaders need to consider how students are identified in special education or gifted and talented programs. For instance, do we have a clear system for identifying gifted and talented students from among all groups while not over-diagnosing students of color into special education classes? Let’s Wrap This Up At the end of our conversation, William shared six reasons black males typically leave the profession of education. These include: Feeling alone or isolatedBeing counted on for disciplinary or coaching without being viewed as instructional leaderDifficulties in navigating credentialing requirementsLow pay from state to state making it difficult for educators to make a living incomeWanting a supportive school leaderWanting to be in a school or district that encourages growth Now It’s Your Turn What is one step you can take in rethinking practices in hiring, recruiting, and developing pipelines for leadership in your school or district? How can you make sure no one on your team feels isolated? How can you remove barriers and develop teachers as instructional leaders? It is important to ask how all students feel represented by their teachers and school leaders. And as you support teachers and students, consider the six areas above, especially for those on your team who may represent minority populations. Listen to this podcast episode for more details, and follow William Stubbs on Twitter at @WmStubbs. Join the Tuesday night chats via Twitter at #BMEsTalk. Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive Principal Matter posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP176: Leading Through Equity with William Stubbs appeared first on Principal Matters.

Do you remember what is was like to be a middle school student? For many people, memories of those years often bring back stories filled with anxiety and awkward physical, emotional, and social changes. According to Phyllis Fagell, however, those years can be good ones. “Probably what people might be most surprised to know is that I actually had a positive middle school experience, and I was really inspired to write because of my experience as an educator and seeing how dramatically different childhood is today than when I was growing up.” A school counselor and authorPhyllis Fagell has insights for middle school students and their parents. “A lot of people have difficulty anticipating their own child going to middle school because they bring negativity to the table,” she explains. “I like to reassure parents that their own memories actually are inflated because they too were going through puberty. Actually those experiences weren’t probably markedly worse than any negative experiences they had at other times when growing up.” In this week’s podcast episode, Phyllis Fagell, makes a guest appearance and shares about the skills middle school students need to develop. She provides an overview of ten skills, and she unpacks a few key areas where school leaders can provide stronger guidance. Phyllis’s Bio Phyllis Fagell Phyllis Fagell is a lincened clincal professional counselor, certified professional school counselor, author, and journalist. She has worked in both public and private schools with students in grades K-12, focusing on middle school for the several years. She currently works full time as the school counselor for Sheridan School in Washington, D.C. As a journalist, Phyllis writes for a number of national publications and is a frequent contributor for Washington Post on counseling, parenting and education. She is the author of the new book, Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond – and How Parents Can Help.  10 Skills for Middle School Students At the start of our conversation, Phylliss provides an overview of the 10 key skills kids need to know to thrive in middle school and beyond, which include the following: Make good friend choicesNegotiate conflictsManage a student-teacher mismatchCreate homework and organization systemsConsider others’ perspectivesSelf-advocateSelf-regulate emotionsCultivate passions and recognize limitationsMake responsible, healthy, ethical choicesCreate and innovate Responsible and Ethical Choices She also unpacks areas where school leaders can better understand those need areas for their students, including how principals can help students develop responsible/ethical choices. She shares how a veteran principal used meaningful responsibilities as a way for students to build positive identities at school and decrease behavior challenges among his middle school population.  Finding ways to engage students in building their own strategies also helps them own their learning and empowers them to support school practices. With cell phones, for instance, Phyllis argues that most students want a break from technology but want the rules enforced consistently – if everyone is complying, they avoid Fear of Missing Out or FOMO.  The more we treat students with respect, she explains, the more likely they are to participate in fulfilling expectations. Self-Regulating Emotions Phyllis explains how students may not recognize their own emotions. When school leaders validate, not shame students, they have better outcomes in transforming behavior. Ask students if they’ve been their best selves. In another story, she explains how a principal confronted middle school boys who were harrassing an eight grade girl. At first the boys were defensive, but when the principals switched gears asking them if they were being their best selves, they softened and were open to correction – creating an opening for restorative consequences. She explains that when principals help students connect their thoughts to feelings and behaviors, they better they are able to manage their emotions. Other strategies include: Asking kids to choose an emotion, place a name tag by emotion, asking them to assign numbers to their emotions, i.e., 1-10 “I’m in dire straights” to “I’m feeling joyful” and acknowledging both negative and positive emotions. Helping Boys Connect and Girls Feel Empowered Finally, Phyllis shares how leaders can help boys and girls learn to express themselves and push against stereotypes. In her work with boys and girls, she helps them identify emotions others may deem unacceptable for them to express, teaches them not to compete with opposite genders, and helps them understand healthy body image as well as ways to work on building trusting relationships. Let’s Wrap This Up Whether you are working directly with middle school students or supporting parents or others who work with them everyday, the mental health of your students is as important as their academic health. Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond – and How Parents Can Help, is a great resource for caring for their most essential needs. Now It’s Your Turn What are some ways you can help your students engage in owning more responsiblity for schoolwide and classroom practices, procedures and expectations? How can you reframe questions to students by focusing helping them be the best versions of themselves? In what ways can you help boys and girls learn to communicate in ways that are safe and empowering? You can find out more about Phyllis Fagell at her website: http://www.phyllisfagell.com/meet-phyllis/ You can check out her new book here: Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive Principal Matter posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP175: Middle School Matters with Phyllis Fagell appeared first on Principal Matters.

Every person in your school is at a different level of growth. Not just students, but teachers are also at stages of growth. Leadership is not any different. Photo by mikecohen1872 – Creative Commons Attribution License  https://www.flickr.com/photos/143106192@N03 Some educators are just beginning the journey. Others are finishing their first few years, and some are experiencing years of mastery in certain strategies or subjects. Over time, you find some areas where you have deep understanding, but you always discover new areas where you need growth. How do you continue to grow with intentionality? This week, veteran principal Chris Legleiter shares ten powerful takeaways from his years of experience as an instructional and building leader. Chris’s Bio Chris Legleiter has been in education for 24 years, including the last 13 years as an administrator. His experience includes teaching and coaching at the high school level and building administrator experience at both the middle school and high school levels. Chris has worked in rural schools and suburban school districts. He currently serves as the Principal for Leawood Middle School of the Blue Valley School District in the Kansas City Metro area. Chris has a “lead-learner focus” that places a priority on continual growth that includes helping others to collectively grow and learn from each other. This work includes growing as a leader in his position and supporting others in our profession. His interests include spending time with his family, reading, exercising and writing. He also blogs at LeadLearnerPerspectives.com where you can read great posts on leadership.  In today’s conversation, Chris shares “10 areas to focus on for growth as a leader,” including: Mindset – Your growth is dependent on importance you place in cultivating a mindset of growth and continuous improvement.Core beliefs – Your non-negotiable drive your decision-making.Challenging status quo – Your leadership is more than putting out fires; it is helping others see where to grow next.Influencing others – Don’t aspire to the best on the team, aspire to be the best for the team; develop the confidence of capacity of others.Be Intentional with your efforts – Build rapport, share your vulnerabilities, model, and be a servant-leader.Reflect on your experience – Have a constant cycle of reflecting on experiences for yourself and your teammates.Broaden you learning – Understand the power of Professional Learning Networks in your own growth.Model your work – Be an example of strong instruction for your teachers, how to handle mistakes, and vulnerability.Know your why – Stay centered in what matters most – helping others.Positivity – Your attitude is contagious; celebrate others and set the right tone for change. Let’s Wrap This Up Chris asks the question, “If everyone in our school had your attitude, what kind of place would it be?” He hangs this sign in his school as a reminder to himself, his staff and his students. Listen-in to the entire conversation to be encouraged in your own leadership goals! Now It’s Your Turn What is one or two of the above areas where you can focus this next week? What goals can you help your staff or teachers set for continuous growth? How can you encourage and celebrate the work of your team members when they show growth? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive Principal Matter posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP174: 10 Areas to Focus on for Growth as a Leader with Chris Legleiter appeared first on Principal Matters.

When I was in college, I had a blue 1981 Toyota Celica that overheated on the long trip to Oklahoma, and the engine burned up. Photo by Mantas Hesthaven – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@mantashesthaven?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit It was my first car. I had bought it with the money I earned over summers as a shell diver in the Kentucky Lake area.  But now it was toast, and I became a car-less college kid. On my next summer break, I talked a friend into driving me back to Tennessee on his way home to North Carolina. Any money I earned that summer I had to save for school. Before long, it was time return to college, and I had planned to catch a Greyhound bus back this time. The morning of my trip, I began packing my bag for the long road between Paris, Tennessee and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shoving in all my belongings, and holding the bag down with my knee, I pulled the zipper closed around it. But as I did, it suddenly broke. The zipper threads spread open like long, jagged lines of opposing soldiers. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t weave them back in line, and the broken metal clasp was now in pieces. I had an idea. I found my dad’s toolbox and retrieved some plastic wire-ties. With a pair of sharp scissors, I started cutting holes along the edges of the zipper hemming, and inserting the plastic ties, then pulling them tight. It worked. I had found a makeshift solution.  But as I dug the scissors into the next hole with my right hand, I didn’t think about my left hand as I was clenching the fabric beneath, and I quickly sliced through my left index finger. As I stared at the oozing blood, I knew I’d need stiches. Not only did I have a long bus ride ahead of, but now I’d be traveling with the fresh sting and throb of a sewed-up finger. Mom gave me a ride to the ER. This was 1989, and 21-year-olds were not covered by their parents’ insurance in those days. And I hadn’t bothered to look for any other coverage. So mom talked to hospital staff, and they agreed to break the cost into a series of small payments. She wrote them a check for the first installment.  A few hours later, I was standing at the truck stop where Greyhound buses boarded passengers. Mom gave me a hug and kiss, and as she drove off, I wondered how long the 500 miles ahead would feel with my wire-tied traveling bag and my throbbing finger I had to keep elevated to prevent swelling. A bus schedule was posted on the side of building. The next pick up time was 6PM, and I had a couple of hours. So I sat on my bag, ackwardly pointed my wrapped finger in the air, and waited. One hour turned into two, then three. No bus came. No one inside the truck stop had any explanation. As the evening darkened, I found a pay phone (yes, they had those back then too) and clumsily dialed the number to my grandmother. My parents didn’t have a phone at their house (I know, you can’t believe that either), so Grandma told me she’d drive down to tell them I needed help. As the evening darkened, I waited, and finally, one of my older brothers pulled up in his pick-up truck.  “Man, you’ve had a hell of day, haven’t you,” he said as he threw my bag in the truck bed. “You sure you don’t want to stay back this semester and farm with me?”  It was midnight by the time we made it to the house, and mom and dad already were in bed. I knew Dad would be the first one up in the morning, and I needed him to drive me back to the bus station before he headed to work. I’d lost a day of travel, and I couldn’t afford to another day, or I’d miss the start of the semester. I was so tired I could barely think. The house was quiet, and I couldn’t decide how to make sure dad would drive me. So I dropped my bag by the front door and just lay down on the floor beside it and fell asleep. It was early morning and still dark outside when I felt my dad’s toes prodding me awake. “Get up and wash your face,” he said. “Let’s eat some breakfast, and then I’m driving you to the Nashville airport.” I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and said, “I don’t have money for a plane ticket, Daddy.”  “Well, I’ll take care of it, just get ready,” he said. Like most families I knew, we lived on a tight budget, and my parents never used credit cards. I knew my parents would be sacrificing to get me back to school –just like they had sacrificed yesterday to mend my finger. But I also knew from the tone of Dad’s voice, the decision was made. The first time he had sent me off to school as a college freshman, he had taken my car to the tire shop and bought me four new tires. “Those roads get icy in the winter,” he had said, “so you’re going to need good ones.” Of course, he was right, and I was thankful. As we drove the two hours to Nashville in the family Oldsmobile, I looked out the window at the passing fields and trees. It was late summer, and Tennessee always boasts tall pines and thick patches of oaks and cedars. Soybean fields and corn were bursting with growth with not many weeks till harvest. Even though it was a work day, I noticed Daddy wasn’t wearing his mechanic’s work clothes. Instead he had put on his “goin’ to town” clothes: a collared dress shirt, slacks, and a pair of black dress shoes. I don’t remember what we talked about as we drove, but it was a pleasant ride. I felt so relieved that I’d be flying instead of spending the entire day on the road. As we I pulled into the airport entrance, I rolled down the window all the way for a good look. My elbow was hanging out the window, and we passed flower beds lined with rows of yellow petunias. The lanes of road semmed confusing but led us to a series of signs pointing to departing flights and parking areas. I didn’t have much experience with airports so I trusted Dad to navigate. Before long, we had parked, dragged my bag to the ticket counter, checked it and bought a one-way ticket to Tulsa. In those days, you could still walk to the gate and wait together without any security lines or screenings. As we made our way down the long, carpeted hallway to my gate, my dad stopped and looked down at his shoes.   The sole of his left shoe was separating around his toes. You could see his sock-covered foot sticking out in front. “Well,” he said, “I guess we’ll have to walk a little slower.” So we walked along, the plop, plop of Daddy’s shoe smacking on the carpet. He just smiled till we reached my gate. He stood there as I boarded the plane, and before long, the plane lifted up. Above the airstrip now, Nashville was quickly shrinking below me. Somewhere down there, my dad was plop-plopping his way back to the car for the long ride home. All these thoughts came back to me last week when I was in Nashville for a conference with the Association for Middle Level Education. It was a great conference, and I learned a lot connecting with other educators. It was fun seeing the city again. It has changed a lot over the years — more skyscrapers and more places to listen to music. My last night there, my little brother drove into the city to have dinner with me. And the next morning, I boarded the hotel shuttle for the Nashville airport. As I was scrolling through my phone and occasionally glancing out the windows, I noticed autumn was visiting the trees with hints of yellow and orange. And as we pulled into the entrance to the Nashville Airport, I was surprised to see the beds full with long yellow rows of blooming flowers.  And that’s when I remembered: In my imagination, I was sitting back in the car with my dad. My elbow hanging out the old station wagon. He was sitting beside me – 50 years old, the same age I am today, peering through his dark rimmed glasses at the unfamiliar signs, looking for a place to park. He was unloading my bag, and before long, he was looking down with a grin at his broken shoe. As he dug into his wallet for the cash to buy the ticket, what was he thinking? Was he calculating the months it would take to cover the expenses of the last two days of hospital bills and airfare for his college boy? If he was, he never mentioned it. He just stood there like always, taking care of me. One day a few years ago, I was driving my daughter, Mattie, home from school. She was in her junior year of high school where I was her principal.  I was telling her about a conference I was planning to attend as the keynote speaker. As we talked about the upcoming trip, I said, “Sometimes it’s uncomfortable when people introduce me. It feels like odd to share stories about myself or tell feel like it’s bragging to be announced with a list of your accomplishments.”  She didn’t speak for a moment, and then she said with quiet resolve, “Well, if you give the credit to those who have helped you life, then it shouldn’t be embarrassing, right?” Let’s Wrap This Up This week I’ve been thinking about how much has happened since my dad walked me through the airport almost thirty years ago. Since then, I’ve taught thousands of students, raised a family, and now I’m watching my own kids go off to school. My oldest daughter turned 21 this week.  As I think about what I’d still like to change about my life, I also feel grateful. Grateful for parents willing to sacrifice. Grateful for friends and family. Grateful to connect with school leaders in my state and around the world. Grateful for shoes. Happy for luggage with zippers that work.  A few years ago, I was talking to my mother about the scar on my left index finger. “You know what?” she said. “It took us about three years to pay off that finger one month at a time, but we got it paid off.” I had no idea. I had completely forgotten that she had set up payments for my stitches. And like a typical college kid, I didn’t bother to ask about it again. So as I’m walking down memory lane today, I’m even thankful for the scar on my left finger. It not only reminds me of one bad day back in college; it’s also a reminder of the many small ways that others have loved me – even when I didn’t recognize or appreciate it at the time. This week you will be serving and leading others, whether it involves your school or family. It’s likely you’ll be taking actions that others may never see. But my guess is that there is someone – whether it’s a student, a teacher, a fellow-leader, or a family member – who will benefit because you’re there. You may even be mending hurts, resolving conflicts, or cleaning up the messes that others are making. Wherever you find yourself this week, take a moment to remember the sacrifices others made for you to reach your goals. And then pay it forward by helping those around you with no expectations or strings attached. When you do, you’ll be doing what matters. Now It’s Your Turn Is there someone in your life you may need to reach out to with a thank you for the ways you’ve been helped recently or in the past? Pay attention today for the small ways you can add service or assistance – even in a small way – to someone in your life or your school. When you see someone else serving, how can you celebrate them and show them gratitude. Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive Principal Matter posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP173: Lessons in Leadership from Your Scars appeared first on Principal Matters.

Whenever you think about your best teachers, I’m sure you think about the ones who make learning engaging, meaningful and memorable. Photo by Mervyn Chan – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@mervynckw?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit I often call these “magic teachers” because it seems they can hold the attention of any group of students. But when you unpack what makes an effective teacher, you discover a mix of procedures, expectations, relationships, creativity and levels of learning. These master teachers understand that consistent practices can be taught and implemented for stronger student learning. John Wink is a veteran teacher and school leader and the author of A Teacher’s Guide to Excellence in Every Classroom: Creating Support Systems for Student Success (Creating support systems to increase academic achievement and maximize student success) (Nov 15, 2019 Solution Tree Press). In this week’s episode, John and I discuss ways that teachers and leaders can optimize student learning with strong processes, meaningful engagement, and understanding mastery in learning. John Wink Bio John Wink currently serves as the superintendent of Carthage ISD in Carthage, Texas. Prior to that, John served as the director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment for the Tatum Independent School District in Tatum, Texas, and principal at Gilmer Elementary School (2011–2014). With over 20 years experience in education, John has served as a choir teacher at Longview High School, principal at the Gilmer Elementary School, Hallsville Middle School, and Hallsville High School, and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment at Tatum ISD in Tatum, Texas, and superintendent of Blue Ridge ISD in Blue Ridge, Texas. You can also check out his first book: A Leader’s Guide to Excellence in Every Classroom: Creating Support Systems for Teacher Success – explore what it means to be a self-actualized education … and how to inspire leadership in others (Oct 31, 2016). This week we discuss his newest book for teachers… Questions & Answers with John Wink: In his new book, John cover several topics, including classroom management, relationships, student engagement, and rigor/mastery. In a lot of the professional development I’m attending, it is refreshing to see educators embracing the importance of positive relationships on culture and learning environments. But positivity doesn’t replace procedures and routines. John explains why routines and procedures are such an essential foundation for learning: Teachers have more demands than ever – which is why we often talk about rigor. That can difficult for new teachers or ones with challenging students. I ask teacher to think about this: If you focus on everthing, you focus on nothing… You can’t have a home until you have a house first: putting up the structures, routines, procedures… they must be done regularly. Students thrive on consistency…The goal? Independent learners, not just good behaviorParents need to be able to anticipate what to expect. Learn to be “boringly” predictable… How can a school leader use the lessons in John’s books to help guide his or her teachers in increasing student engagement? The fatal error: we think engagement is something we do or for students. If our marriage goal was engagement, we would stay married! The goal is not about teaching, it’s about active LEARNING. This requires the teacher to be observant. Building relationship is key to engagement. What you consider engagement may not be what someone else considers engagement. Fisher and Fry’s work define the stages of engagement: warmups, focused learning, guided learning, collaborative learning, independent learning, assessments w/exit tickets. I have 10 five-minute chunks of time. Define engagement! And model it!  Some educators have a love/hate relationship with the word ‘rigor’. What are the benefits of rigor when you talk about mastery in student learning?  You have two choices with rigor: 1. Vigorous learning or 2. Rigormortus 🙂 Rigor should not just mean “work, work, work…” How do reach levels of proficiency in learning? This means we know exactly where learners are starting. Then our goal is guide them to the next level. Design your assessments so that students can see what level they are on… When they know what skill they are missing, they can improve. When they don’t know, they only see learning as work… Rigor is not about the top step; it’s next step.Principals: expect this of yourself and teachers. What steps are your teachers? Some just need resources. Others need relationships. Some are ready for mastery!  One final topic in John’s book is teacher leadership. Why is teacher leadership important for excellence in classrooms? School leaders need to be dealing with the new problems…that is how your school and districts grow to the next level. We need people and systems of leadership for addressing OLD problems. Everyone should be a leadership of something. Someone should be a leader of copiers, Google classroom, note-taking, relationships… Ultimately, all of our teachers should also be leaders. A school leader’s job is to create a system of leadership to get the job done: monitor and adjust…this happens when we share leadership with everyone. Let’s Wrap This Up A Teacher’s Guide to Excellence in Every Classroom: Creating Support Systems for Student Success is not a book to go read, it’s a book to go live. Use it solve old problems and build support systems. You can stay connected with John Wink at his website or via Twitter @JohnWink90. Now It’s Your Turn What is one step you can take this week to better engage your teachers or staff in the kind of learning you want to see them practicing in classrooms? What “old lesson” responsibilities can you ask others to manage so that you can have space to manage “new lessons” as a leader? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive Principal Matter posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP172: Learning and Leading with John Wink appeared first on Principal Matters.

Six years ago, on October 31, 2013, my son Jack was eight years old. Photo by Will Montague – Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License  https://www.flickr.com/photos/36607441@N05 We had just finished an amazing day of trick-or-treating, and he asked if he could change back into his normal clothes. This was a big deal because he had been wearing a hosptial gown for almost ten days. On this Halloween, we did not go door-to-door as we normally did each year. In 2013, Jack was dressed up in his Star Wars Jedi costume and enjoyed trick-or-treating in a wheelchair as we pushed him through the St. Francis Children’s Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When bad things happen, it is sometimes hard to see the good in our difficulties. My son’s battle and recovery from an infectious disease known as Kawasaki, was one of those times. In addition to the amazing support of our friends, church and community, during those days, I was also astounded at the phenomenal care he received from his nurses, techs, doctors, and interns that literally saved his life. Each year at Halloween, I think back to that time with gratitude. The medical team who cared for him was an excellent example of teamwork. In fact, I’ve often thought how their actions apply to the work we do in school — or anyone interested in developing a team, organization or even as family. I’ve shared about Jack’s story in a previous podcast episode. But in honor of this special anniversary, I wanted to reflect on the our experience with my son’s medical team again and share four takeaways that may help you in your own service to others: 1. A common goal unites a group of diverse people. To give you some context, when our son was first admitted, he was in terrible shape: high fever, rash, swelling, etc. When they diagnosed him with Kawasaki and began treatments, his condition worsened. Then he went into shock. His treatments had to stop while they stabilized him for the next twenty four hours. Then they began treatments again, and this time the symptoms began to disappear and he began to heal. It was obvious during the entire time that his medical team had one goal in mind: to save our son. No matter their backgrounds, gender, differences in job titles or compensation, each team member was focused on that one outcome. Every decision was weighed against its effect on him, his condition, and well-being. In Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great, he studies the most effective businesses in America–ones with the longest track record of success. And one of many contributing factors was the ability of great companies to focus on a specific area where they can be most effective and work toward that goal. Lesson learned? When we focus on a common goal, not allowing ourselves to be distracted by secondary ones, we are more strategic and effective. What is the common goal you are working toward with your team? A common goal can unify the most diverse of people into positive action. 2. Great team members know their roles and execute them well. Whether it was the nurse tech assigned to check my son’s vitals, his RN who was determined to bring his fever under control, his physicians prescribing treatments or the pharmacists or lab techs we never met but who were prescribing or analyzing–each one played a pivotal role in his healing. And each one performed the role assigned. The nurse did not attempt diagnose. That was the doctor’s role. The tech did not administer meds. That was the nurse’s role. Instead, each person performed the role he or she had been assigned. At an athletic event, you sometimes see a team playing “in the zone”. Everything seems to flow effortlessly. But in reality you are observing the skills of individuals who understand their roles and have played them long enough, practiced enough, and been together enough to make a complicated event look like play. The result is something beautiful to observe. Lesson learned? Fulfilling specific roles means each team member understands his or her key responsibility areas. When each of us performs our specific role on a team, the effect and outcome can often be breath-taking. 3. Caring for people and reaching outcomes must go hand in hand. Not only did his medical team accomplish the goal of curing our son, but also they truly cared for him. Whether it was regulating his meds, whispering soothing words, or finding creative ways to relieve fever, they were consistently showing the sincerest care for him. Most educators are familiar with the research done by the Gates Foundation on the three R’s that are present in all great schools: rigor, relevance, and relationship. In school, an educator may be an expert in curriculum and instruction. But the intangible element of caring for and loving students always separates a good “instructor” from a great “teacher”. Lesson learned? When trust and care are present, not only is a goal accomplished but a meaningful relationship is established at the same time. And usually more learning, productivity and positive outcomes occur in the process. 4. Great teams remain teach-able. Another of the reason I think my son’s medical team was so effective was that he was in a teaching hospital. Resident doctors interning there were being asked to participate and lead in decision making. At the same time, the older doctors were mentoring, coaching, and teaching them. It was an atmosphere of mutual respect where continuous learning, research, and practice were valued. Not only do you flourish when you work in a culture of learning but also those whom you are serving will flourish too. Lesson learned? When people value the importance of constantly learning from one another, relying on research-based methodology, and growing through experienced practice, then you have created a culture of learning and growth. Great things happen in places where people are flexible, open, and teachable. Let’s Wrap This Up Today Jack is healthy, happy 14-year old. It wasn’t only his medical team who contributed to his care so many years ago. Our school friends, church friends, and family were also amazing. In fact, on Halloween morning in 2013, a local pastor in Tulsa placed this post on his Facebook page: “Hey, friends. There is a little boy in room 123 at St. Francis Hospital who needs to enjoy a great Halloween. Don’t let him down!” Before we knew what was happening, visitors (many of them complete strangers) began stopping by the room with candy, treats and games. By that afternoon, every surface, counter and windowsill was overflowing with gifts. Great commmunities work for common goals, execute individual roles, care for others, and remain teach-able. In my son’s case, the actions of a great community quite literally saved his life. Think about what we can accomplish in our lives, schools or organizations when we do the same. Now It’s Your Turn What are some other examples of great teamwork you have observed? What would you add to the list of qualities it takes to build a great team? What are some resources on team-work that you recommend? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive Principal Matter posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP:170 Four Lessons in Teamwork from my Son’s Hospital Stay appeared first on Principal Matters.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to spend a few hours sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with Dave Sandowich. Photo by Bobby Burch – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions  https://unsplash.com/@bobbyburchphotography?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit He commanded his 42-foot sailboat, Charis, with the skill of a man who has spent the past forty years on the water anytime when he wasn’t leading his school or his family. Dave, a 65-year old father of three and grandfather of eight, had relocated to Kent Island, Maryland seven years earlier, renovating a 120-year old farm house – a house with a very important accessory – access to a pier for a permanent home for  Charis. Although he still consults younger principals, he spends his spare time with his boat or entertaining guests and family members who visit through the sailing season May through October. With sleeves rolled up, he showed me how to handle the jib sheet, trim the main sail , navigate through changing depths  and mark distant points for reference. His graying hair blowing in the wind, Dave’s deep voice rattled like a coach patiently giving orders. “Keep the wind at 30 degrees and head for the red buoy ahead.”  “Sailing is a lot like leadership,” he explains. “On a sailboat your destination may be directly from where the wind is coming from. A sailboat can’t sail directly into the wind but it can work its way up wind by sailing at angles off the wind and working its  way up wind to the destination. It is more work and will take more time but you will get there if you stay the course, apply your sailing knowledge and get the feedback from your instruments and instincts and adjust along the way.” Dave’s Bio David Sandowich is a retired principal from Kent Island, Maryland. For 21 years, he was the principal of Haddon Heights High School in Haddon Heights, NJ.  Although he still consults younger principals, he spends a lot of time focused on his favorite hobby – sailing. His experience as a teacher, coach, principal, father, mentor and as a sailing-enthusiast has given him a unique perspective on leadership. During our time together, Dave was a great listener and a teacher. I’m honored to share the lessons and metaphors we discussed about sailing, and how they nay help you rethink the way you lead. In this conversation, we talk about the following: Physics in sailing and leadershipFirst order changes, vs second order changesBackwards designAdvice for new leaders and experienced leadersBook and leadership recommendations I thought about Dave’s words a day later when I was attending the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Joann Bartoletti, NASSP’s Executive Director, was introducing State Principals of the Year in a ceremony recognizing principals from across the country.  First of all, Bartoletti pointed out recent research from the Pew Research Center showing 84% of respondents trust principals over every other public servant-leadership role for caring about others and working ethically on behalf of their communities. “If we want great schools,” she said, “we need great principals. And the consensus is clear that principals matter.” Schools can only grow to the capacity of their leaders, she went on to explain, And research shows what qualities effective principals possess for effectively leading schools. Using the Wallace Foundation’s research into effective principals, Bartoletti highlighted five qualities all great principals hold in common: 1. They shape a vision of academic success for all students. 2. They create a climate hospitable to education. 3. They cultivate leadership in others. 4. They improve classroom instruction. 5. They manage people, data and processes with the goal of school improvement (Wallace Foundation). Lets’ Wrap This Up Standing on the prow of  Charis, I watched as the water cascaded below me. The jib and main sail had both been taken in, and I was holding the long pole for pulling the dock lines as we came into the slip. Dave stood in stern of the boat, steering and guiding us in. Soon we had snagged the lines and tied up. It had been a great day for sailing. The winds had been brisk and pushed us along the Chesapeake while the weather was moderate enough for long sleeves and bare feet. As we wrapped up the excursion, Dave told me: “Some sailors will not want to do all that work and never sail to a destination that is up wind. Leadership is like that. It would be nice to just set a worthy objective point the organization  in that direction and arrive in a reasonable amount of time. Rarely happens …you have to commit to the end destination and work your way toward it often headed in what seems away from your mark. You realize that it will take more time but you will see progress  made. Feedback will be essential as you adjust , regroup and keep moving. As in sailing…it takes a skill set and the more experience you have and the more often you do it the results come easier.”  Now It’s Your Turn What are some obstacles or “up-wind” moments you are facing? What are some strategies that can help you push toward goals instead of avoiding resistance? What is one step you can take this week to analyze your obstacles and strategize ways to use them as leverage toward your goals? Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive new posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP169: Leading into the Wind – Lessons from Dave Sandowich appeared first on Principal Matters.

If you are like most school leaders, time management can be one of the most difficult parts of your work. Most new school leaders I meet explain how overwhelming the list of to-do’s can be. What are the solutions? Well, Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang provide a wealth of information on resources and practices that work in managing your time. Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang are the authors of the new book: The Best of the Marshall Memo, Book One: Ideas and Action Steps to Energize Leadership, Teaching, and Learning. In this week’s podcast episode, we discuss their chapter on Time Management with valuable takeaways, tips, and strategies. Kim & Jenn Bios: Kim Marshall Kim was a teacher, central-office administrator, and principal in the Boston Public Schools for more than 30 years. He now leads workshops and courses, coaches school leaders, consults with schools and districts, and produces the weekly Marshall Memo, summarizing ideas and research from over 60 publications. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including Rethinking Teacher Supervision and Evaluation. Jenn David-Lang Jenn has worked in education for more than 25 years as a teacher, administrator, and consultant. She now designs and provides workshops for principals and teachers, coaches leaders, and conducts school evaluations. Since 2007, Jenn has published The Main Idea, a service for busy school leaders that provides summaries of compelling education books, accompanied by suggestions for professional learning. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang are best know as “designated readers” for busy front-line educators, curating the best ideas and research from scores of magazines and books. In their new book, they identify the most thought-provoking and helpful article summaries from the Marshall Memo archive and add professional learning suggestions. The book aims to help principals, teachers, superintendents, consultants, and researchers address the most pressing issues they face every day. Check out the new book here! Time Management Takeaways In this episode, we explore one area of their research and practice: How Leaders Can Grow in Time Management. Principals and school leaders share a common frustration with time management. How can you accomplish so many responsibilities and tasks? Kim and Jenn share lessons they’ve learned from your research and practice, including: Understanding your time while knowing you’ll never check off all the blanks Studying the “rock analogy“: Big rocks first, then gravel, then sand, then water… (When you prioritize important tasks first, you can add much more that matters to your day.)Examining Stephen Covey’s 4 Quadrants: Important/UrgentImportant/Not UrgentNot Important/UrgentNot Important/Not Urgent Avoiding the useless: useless feedback, useless meetings, useless evaluation processes, and time-consuming emailsUtilizing Justin Baeder’s fire analogy: Fire fighters who work on prevention fight fewer fires so delegate, create committees, and train others to do tasksUsing whatever tool works for you to document and keep various ideas and requests in one placeMaking a rainy-day list of ideas that don’t need to be worked on immediatelyReviewing your list at a scheduled time each weekSetting goals for each day, week, month and year Staying Connected & Free Resources Listen-in the full podcast of this conversation (or watch the video version) for in-depth feedback! Also, Kim can be found at the MarshallMemo.com or at Kim.Marshall48@gmail.com. If you email him there, he will send you a free chapter on time management from the new book! You can reach Jenn at TheMainIdea.Net for a free resource of David Allen’s tips for time management! Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive new posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP168: Managing Your Day with Kim Marshall and Jenn David-Lang appeared first on Principal Matters.

Last week was the first time (except for a rare Christmas holiday) that I have not shared a blog post or podcast episode update in almost five years. Photo by Josh Calabrese – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@joshcala?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit At first, I thought it was because I’ve been so busy. Last weekend I flew to Florida for my nephew’s wedding. Then on Monday, I flew from there to Washington, D.C. for a national meeting. When I was back home late Wednesday night in Oklahoma, I had one day in my office on Thursday before traveling to a university on Friday to sit on a panel discussion for education interns. Throughout my flights and driving, I kept rummaging through my mind for what I wanted to share next. I have some interviews scheduled but not recorded. So maybe I should talk about takeaways from my advocacy visits. Or maybe I could share about common struggles I see in education students trying to find their first school positions? I just finished listening to the audiobook No Ordinary Time by Doris Kearns Goodman. Perhaps I should share leadership lessons from the remarkable lives of Franklin and Eleonore Roosevelt. But frankly, I didn’t feel inspired to write about any of that. And I think I may have discovered why. For one, I had some lagging doubts: What if what I have to share isn’t really that valuable? What will people think?  In fact, I found myself becoming more and more concerned about the process of posting and my self-imposed deadlines for posting something, and my concern of not having something meaningful to say. The result? I just decided to not share. Why am I telling you this?  Why I Blog and Podcast Let me back up a few years. Whenever I began blogging in 2012, I had one goal: to write a weekly reflection on something I was learning that might also help others in their own lives and leadership. When I turned that weekly content into podcast episodes three years ago, I had the same idea. From the beginning, my desire has been to capture the stories of school leadership and apply lessons from the stories.  Stories are the ways we rehearse, interpret and understand the meaning of our lives. Storytelling is an act of metacognition. For instance, I could talk to you about the importance of being a good listener. However, a better idea may be to tell you the story of Kristin: As an 8thgrader, she had lost both her parents in one year, moved into a foster home, and came to high school the following year having failed every class the previous year. When we surrounded her with a mentor team, including a caring teacher an older student, she found an accountability group who followed her grades and provided feedback. Although Kristin resisted help at every turn, eventually she began to listen and pass her classes. But she still struggled. One day, when she skipped school, I brought her back to my office and assigned her to the in-school placement room. She wasn’t happy about it, but she finished her work so quickly, she soon sent me a note that said, “I’m done. Now what?” I laughed at her ability to say so much in a few words, and I sent her a copy of Chicken Soup for the Teenagers Soul.  Later, she sent me another note, saying, “I finished the book.”  I couldn’t believe it so I sent for her, and when she came to my office, I quizzed her on the book, and she had read every page.  “What motivated you to read this book so fast?” I asked.  “Every story in that book spoke to me about my own story,” she said. “Do you have anything else like it?”  I called our school librarian and she sent down a copy of Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul. When I handed it to Kristen, she clutched it to her chest like a Christmas present. “You mean, I can take it home?” she asked.  “Of course,” I said, “And you can take home any other books you think you’d like.”  When she left my office after school, I sat at my desk for a moment and thought: This is why we do it. When you see the light in a student’s eye – when he or she discovers something they love about learning, it’s worth all the hard work of doing school. You see, I could have told you to seek first to understand, but telling you a story illustrates the point so much better, I believe. My Lagging Doubts Even though I now serve school leaders, instead of directly serving students as my full-time work, I’m still surrounded by inspiring moments. So, why didn’t I just make a post this week about a captivating story and lesson I observed in my recent work? Here’s my best attempt to answer that question: In my own work (perhaps like you), I can become so pre-occupied with my own performance, that I lose focus on what really matters. And when that happens, even the practice of sharing ideas with others can become more about me than about helping you. In other words, I decided not to post this past week because I thought you deserve better. Reflect on this for a moment: Do you ever become so focused on your leadership performance, for instance, that you turn the focus on the work itself instead of the growth of the school community for whom you work? In other words, does your own leadership become a bigger focus than actually leading others? This irony in leadership happens all the time, and it’s a common mistake I’ve seen in many other settings. Take student athletes for example. Perhaps a basketball player realizes she is on a trajectory for a 1,000-point scoring career. This is a phenomenal record to set, and one to be proud of. But I’ve watched coaches and players become so focused on helping that player to score more points to reach that goal, that a team-sport (or even winning games for that matter) becomes secondary to one student’s personal record. The focus is no longer on the game when it’s turned on to the superstar’s performance. And normally, teams start losing when that happens. A family vacation can quickly disintegrate from a moment of rest into a frenzied race to create the best memories ever.  Or your most important relationship can lose its zest when you start spending time together out of obligation rather than out of a longing to just be together.  Or how about when schools become so focused on raising test scores? Improving performance is important, but when raising scores somehow removes the joy of learning, discovery, or curiosity, the joy of learning somehow is lost in the strategy for improvement. And, yes, this happens in school leadership too. You can become so focused on process, you forget culture. Or you can become so concerned with what others think about your leadership, that you forget it’s your service to them that really matters most. It’s not about you. Recently, I was trying to explain this phenomenon to a fellow-leader when I said, school leaders would do themselves a favor by realizing they are not as important as they think. At the same time, they would do their schools a favor by realizing they are way more important than they think.  How can this be true? When you accept leadership with a posture of humility, you do your schools a favor by realizing that your leadership is all about service. And even writing a blog about school leadership fails to be an act of service if I lose sight of whom I’m serving, of if fall into the trap of wanting listeners and downloads more than I want to help, inspire, or influence others. Changing My Focus This weekend I woke up early to go for a run. Oklahoma is experiencing the first hints of autumn. Cooler weather and bits of yellow and orange are appearing in the mums. Mornings are also a good time to walk the dog, and as I was tying my running shoes, Ivy, our rescue-dog who is part Husky, looked at me with her sweet golden eyes, silently asking to go with me. I decided to combine my tasks. I put on her collar and leash, and stepped out into the morning. As we jogged along the street and sidewalk, I had to pause often to adjust the leash. Ivy loves to run, but she can also drag me along if I don’t keep her in check.  I was determined to teach her to stay by my side. This meant stopping and having her sit to refocus, and then beginning again. It meant readjusting the leash over time. A few times, a flitting bird or another dog would draw her attention, and we’d have to stop and start again. It took about two miles before she really had the hang of it, and we were finally jogging together. When I ended, I looked at my watch. My time had been much slower than normal. I guess that’s the price you pay for combining tasks or training your dog to run. As I’ve gone through the following days, I have felt my muscles sore in different places than normal – another price for running with a dog that doesn’t seem to tire. At the same time, Ivy was so peaceful and quiet after the long-run that morning. I also discovered something else during the run. Because my focus was on training Ivy, I thought a lot less about myself during the run.  Focusing on others is a great way to escape the trap of over-analyzing and self-doubt that can often paralyze you from just taking the next step.  Let’s Wrap This Up Do you ever find yourself paralyzed by your own motivations? If so, let me encourage you to take perspective. Look around at the students, teachers, and communities you serve. Look at those in your own home who need your focus and attention. Take a moment to ask yourself: Where I can I be the most help today? And then step that direction and start helping. When you do, you may find yourself forgetting about whether or not you’re doing it right, and find yourself instead just doing something worthwhile.  Now It’s Your Turn With all those thoughts in mind, I’d like to ask you some challenging questions about your own work:  How often do you find yourself hesitant to take action because of your concern of what others think of you? When is the last time you had an inspiring idea to try something new only to pause because you’re not sure if you’ll experience failure by trying it? Are you measuring success by how other respond to your work or by how your work is actually helping others?  Shift your focus today onto those whom you serving. When you do, you will have perspective to take the next step in being a servant-leader. And you will have stories to tell that remind you that what you do matters. Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive new posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP167: Keeping Your Leadership Focused on Service, Not Self appeared first on Principal Matters.

This week I’m sharing another episode from the road as I have been traveling across my state, Oklahoma, visiting principals at schools or in regional meetings. Photo by Karsten Würth (@karsten.wuerth) – Creative Commons No known copyright restrictions https://unsplash.com/@karsten_wuerth?utm_source=haikudeck&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=api-credit Recently, I visited Texhoma, Oklahoma, with High School Principal Connie Miller. After touring her school that serves students grades 5-12, she drove me one mile across the community to see the elementary school, which sits on the Texas side of town. Although both school buildings serve the same community of students, the funding these schools receive is based on the allocations provided by their respective states. In fact, in Oklahoma’s Panhandle schools, competition for high quality teachers is intense. From Guymon, Oklahoma, for instance, you can drive thirty minutes in any direction and find yourself in Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, or Texas. As I’ve spent time with rural principals, in particular, I’ve been reflecting on some of their unique challenges: Challenges Rural Principals Face: Many rural schools still face teacher shortages in specialized classes or advanced coursework. Across the nation, and especially in rural areas, principals are finding it difficult to fill specialized positions like art, music, foreign language, and advanced mathematics or  sciences. Teachers with these specialized areas are heavily recruited into other career options.Many rural schools often have limited resources for students seeking career technology, concurrent or Advanced Placement coursework. Although Oklahoma has more opportunies than many other states for career technology courses, some rural schools in western Oklahoma, for instance, have no technology center classes. Offering Advanced Placement courses also requires teachers who have been trained in AP coursework, and these classes tend to be offered less often in rural settings.Some rural principals have increased student populations of second language speakers. Agriculture and oil and gas industries tend to attract immigrant families for work, and their children need additional supports as English language learners. For instance, Guymon High School, a school with 800 students in the western Panhandle of Oklahoma, currently has more than 30 languages spoken by English language learners at the school. Advantages for some Rural Schools: At the same time, many of these rural schools have strengths that give them advantages in serving students: Strong culture and shared values. Connie Miller, Principal of Texhoma High School, shared with me how her teachers and staff focus on shared values that they teach throughout the school year so they are focusing on academic and character growth with students. These shared values build a positive environment for learning.Positive student behavior and safe learning environments. One of the advantages of a smaller school is the ability to manage student behavior with high expectations on safety and participation. Principal Miller, for instance, shared that she remembers only one long term suspension situation in her school in the past four years.Innovation and blended learning opportunities. Technology does provide opportunities to connect with resources and information. And many school are introducing Chromebooks or other devices that provide students access to online options, including blended learning options.Teachers and staff committed to a family atmosphere. Finally, the most important element is the committment of teachers and staff to giving students an atmosphere where they feel supported and loved while learning. Rural schools have a unique advantage of being able to keep close tabs on their students which often leads to higher accountability and involvement. Oklahoma has had a unique story as the past two years have seen signficant increases to state funding for schools. But these increases come after a decade of cuts and declines. Our state is not alone in this challenge, and rural schools have especially felt the consequences of long term cuts. Although the recent changes have been positive in providing more support for schools, it sometimes takes longer for rural schools to see the benefits of stronger recruitment and retention of high quality teachers. How does your story influence the support your school receives? Every school has a unique story, and like it or not, how you tell that story often results in the kind of support (or lack of support) your school receives. How can you help build awareness for the importance of your own school? October is National Principals Month, and this is a good time to bring elected officials to your school.  Be a member of your state association. Whether you serve at the elementary or secondary level, your state associations provide opportunities to network with other principals so that your collective voices add weight to your calls for support for your schools.Be involved in knowing and communicating with your state and federal represenatives. Principals do not have the luxury of letting others advocate for your school. Reach out to your elected officials so that they are aware of the unique needs and challenges in your school. You often have a much deeper knowledge of the implications of any education bills being considered.Tell your story.  You rally support from your students, teachers, and community members when they are consistently aware of the positive outcomes happening in your school.Understand the legislative cycle. In most states there is a predictable cycle that happens each year. These includes times for interim studies, proposed bills, committee hearings, and bills that make it the floor for debate and votes. Being aware of the cycle helps you undertand when to lend your voice to an issue – whether it is one just being discussed in a study or one that may become debated a proposed bill. Let’s Wrap This Up Whether you serve in an urban, suburban or rural setting, all principals share similar struggles. Your students need high quality teachers. Students need safe learning environments. Students need opportunities and resources for learning. And they need principals who are advocating for them at every level. As you reflect on the stories of your own school, how can you consistently share that story with others to increase and rally support for your school community? Now It’s Your Turn What is one way you can spread the good news of what’s happening in your school while also highlighting areas where you may need more support? Think of how you can increase communication about your school during October Principal Month. Check out the this website for helpful resources. Reach out to an elected official and invite him or her to visit your school. Highlight and showcase the positive opportunities your school provides, and point out the areas where you want to grow. Sign-Up For Free Updates and Ebook You can automatically receive new posts and a free Ebook, 8 Hats: Essential Roles for School Leaders. Let’s keep learning together! The post PMP166: Unique Challenges of Rural Principals and Why Your Story Matters appeared first on Principal Matters.