How to build a positive classroom in the first 5 days of school
There’s a wise quote that says, “Kids don’t care about your expectations until they know you care about them. Connection is the foundation everything else stands on.”
school
4 things new principals can do to strengthen school culture
Over the last 15 years, I have observed a recurring pattern. A new principal, whether brand new to the role or a veteran principal arriving at a new…
The grading paradox: Better data is key to understanding real subject mastery
There’s a confusing trend going on in the nation’s classrooms: While national test scores have dropped to levels not seen in decades, average high school GPAs are actually…
In a school emergency, 911 is still flying blind
School safety emergencies are inherently chaotic, frightening, and made even more perilous by a lack of real-time visibility once an emergency is underway. In an active shooter incident,…
Does school design help or hinder adolescent learning?
Adolescence is one of the most consequential periods of human development, yet the environments designed to support it often fail to reflect its complexity. Spanning ages 10 to…
The grade gap: Helping parents understand students’ academic progress
For as long as school has existed, so has the parental question: How are my kids doing? For nearly two centuries, educators have used some type of report…
Don’t forget nature’s classroom
Outdoor education has been shown to improve academic outcomes across subjects, including science, reading, and math, while also strengthening motivation, well-being, and school engagement. Studies also link outdoor…
Digital detox: Reducing screen time creates space to build literacy skills
Walk into almost any elementary classroom today and you will likely hear the same concern from teachers across grade levels: Many students can swipe, tap, and navigate a…
Teacher training needs more community and less compliance
Professional development is one of a school district's most powerful strategies for improving student outcomes. Yet, educators often leave workshops feeling inspired in the moment, but take little…
Chronic absenteeism isn’t the problem–it’s the signal
Every school leader I know has a version of the same moment: You pull up a student's attendance record expecting to find a discipline problem, and instead you…
PD for innovation: Reimagining solutions for engagement, burnout, and achievement gaps
Do you think you’re creative? Try this: List as many uses for a paperclip as you can in two minutes. Most people imagine a standard size metal or…
WorkKeys is lowering the bar on student proficiency
School accountability systems measure whether students are mastering the academic standards states expect them to teach and signal where additional support is needed. Education is one of the largest budget…
5 ways to rest, reflect, and recharge this summer
Summer break has finally arrived, and if you're like most educators, you're probably feeling a lot of conflicting emotions. There's relief that the school year is behind you,…
We need accessible data and greater student agency
Students are more than letter grades and test scores. They are unique individuals with their own goals, skills, and needs--deserving an educational journey that supports all three.
Career-connected learning and life skills development in the middle grades
The future of high-quality middle level engagement will include career exposure and exploration with a focus on transferable skills and the development of career goals.
Don’t wait for September: Reach students now, when it matters most
Here is a lesson for you: If you wait until the first day of school to address attendance, you've already lost the battle.
Leading in the in-between: A multi-track approach to leadership growth
There is a period in the school leadership journey that we do not talk about enough: the time between earning an administrative license and actually becoming a school…
Engaging K-12 families over the summer
It’s easy to connect with the families who show up in September already invested: responding to messages, attending events, kids showing up on time. In most cases, building…
Building math skills by designing backpacks: How PBL shifted the way students see math
Building a strong foundation in math during elementary and middle school is essential for success in the later grades. Because each concept builds on the last, students must…
Data alone doesn’t determine school success–leaders who know how to use it do
Educators often see recommendations, dashboards, and strategic plans labeled as “data-backed,” as if the numbers themselves drive outcomes. The truth is that data alone cannot make decisions or…
Beyond Audit Season – A Checklist for Finance
For K–12 school districts, audit readiness isn’t built during audit season. It’s built one transaction at a time—through consistent, controlled, ... Read more
When it comes to absenteeism, the real work begins in summer
Every June, once the last bus leaves and the halls go quiet, I get the strong desire to take a deep breath and to allow the pressure of…
Apple’s MacBook Neo has entered the K-12 debate–are IT teams ready for it?
The MacBook Neo may narrow a pricing gap, but it also exposes a management gap. A lower-cost Mac may be enough to spark fresh interest. However, it alone…
Summer isn’t just a season, it’s a strategy
Summer is full of learning opportunities that many children miss. When back-to-school season begins, some kids are already starting behind. That's all due to a lack of access…
Demonstrating impact with data: How librarians can make the case for increased funding
Libraries are more than a quiet corner of school where students can pick up a book now and then--they are vibrant learning environments that support classroom curriculum, spark…
Despite concerns, Gen Z students are optimistic about AI
There’s never been a more turbulent time for young people to plan for and embark on their futures, and a new survey gives insights on their feelings and…
We can’t punish our way out of the attendance crisis
In the Ithaca City School District, we have long understood that relationships are not peripheral to the work; they are the work. A culture of love is not…
This elementary school banned screens in the middle of the year. Will it solve their reading crisis?
Last month, Mesick Consolidated Schools banned digital devices in its elementary school of about 250 students. The decision wasn’t an agonizing one. The ban came at astonishing speed,…
Oracy is the missing link for multilingual learners
For multilingual learners, language is not just a subject to be learned--it is the very medium through which they access the curriculum.
From innovation to impact: Three ways school districts can build a sustainable AI framework
AI is here, and it’s moving fast. For schools, that speed is both an opportunity and a risk: The right tools can transform learning, but the wrong ones…
5 ways to make reading click for teens
Reading is competing for attention in a world built for scrolling. A recent University of Florida study found that the share of Americans who read for pleasure on…
It’s time to rewrite math standards for the future–and to stop expecting AI to do it for us
While nearly every industry is racing to integrate artificial intelligence, most schools are still teaching high school math the way it’s been done for decades--rooted in instructional material…
District leaders must adapt to meet changing student mental health and behavioral needs
District leaders across the country are grappling with a deepening crisis: Student mental and behavioral health needs are growing more complex. In a recent national survey, 58 percent…
Sustainable change starts with educator voice
School leaders everywhere are working to implement change--new initiatives, new instructional frameworks, new technologies, new approaches to student support.
A viral case against screens in schools is winning converts. Does the evidence hold up?
Schools have been struggling for nearly a decade with stagnant or declining test scores. Some have blamed external factors like the pandemic or children’s screen use outside of…
5 secrets to stronger high school connections
I’ve been a principal for 14 years, during which time I served as the leader of an alternative school, an early college, and a large middle school. Through…
Prepare Your District – Five Challenges To Solve For Today
K-12 SCHOOLS HAVE WEATHERED SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. Although many districts have already made great strides, they ... Read more
Student use of AI for homework rises as concerns grow about critical thinking skills
Student use of AI for homework increased in 2025, even as more students are worried the technology may be harming their ability to think critically, according to a…
Boosting student engagement on World Math Day
If you’re feeling a bit sluggish (rightly so), most likely your students are. It may not feel like they are the prime audience for learning about multiplication, division,…
From fragmentation to fidelity: How Wayne-Westland built a literacy system that works
On the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, only about one in four fourth graders in Michigan scored at or above proficiency in reading--a stark reminder that too…