First impressions matter. Whereas good first impressions can serve as the foundation for a strong relationship, bad first impressions are...

This past week I had the opportunity to join more than 4,000 superintendents and educational leaders in San Antonio for AASA’s National...

“Treat teachers as professionals.” Very often, this phrase is used in education. Treating teachers as professionals means faculty are...

When I began my administrative career, I was required to attend an orientation for new assistant principals. As part of the two-day...

As a lifelong learner, I believe it’s important that we take time to reflect on new learning. So as 2022 comes to an end, I'd like to...

Among all the things leaders are expected to do, one duty has risen to the top in terms of most difficult to accomplish with great...

In The Four Disciplines of Execution, Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling suggest, "The real enemy of execution is your day job!...

One of my favorite professional practices is to handwrite birthday postcards to students. I started this habit as a high school principal...

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get back up.” -FROM Run to Daylight By Vince Lombardi “You’re just not ready.”...

When I was growing up, my mom had a tradition where she asked my siblings and I to share our "highlights and lowlights" during dinner....

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of The Year” Those are the words that begin Andy Williams’ famous 1963 song. Regardless of what you...

Whereas my previous blog outlined ten general principles for healthy living, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the diet...

One day in 2013, my buddy Monterio and I were lifting weights at the gym. During this particular workout, Monterio and I had low energy...

Walk into any bookstore and you'll find countless personal finance books promoting specialized budgets. In these texts, authors provide...

Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. In his 15 seasons in the NBA, Jordan won six NBA titles...

“The person who stops studying merely because they have finished school is forever hopelessly doomed to mediocrity, no matter what their...

As a beginning school administrator, I thought I had everything figured out. Rather than commit to lifelong learning and implement “best...

During my first day of work as a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools in 2007, all 60 faculty members gathered in the auditorium. As is...

“When I have a car, I’ll finally be happy!” “When I go to college, I’ll finally be happy!” “When I get a girlfriend, I’ll finally be...

Ahhhhh ... the last day of work. Kids are gone, grades are submitted, rooms are packed, and summer break is imminent. On this final day,...

One of a school leader’s most important responsibilities is guiding the community through a process of asking money for building...

Today’s school leaders are dealing with more bureaucracy and political pressure than ever before. For example, during the COVID-19...

Amazing things happen in schools every day. Each building is full of support staff, teachers, and administrators who pour energy into the...

We all have those special music playlists we turn to during life's events. Whether we are planning a weekend road trip, recovering from a...