Monday Moanin Thoughts #205 Last Weeks Of School Signal Time For Principals To Lead

Happy Monday Moanin to all of you. This time of year begins the home stretch for bringing the 2015-16 school year to a close. Being a leader during the final weeks of a school year can be filled with many challenges. Your ability to help everyone navigate this time is critical to a positive end of the year. Your effort is needed and it is your time to LEAD! Listed below are some helpful reminders. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #204 Be Respectful, Listen

Happy beautiful Michigan Monday Moanin to all of you. Wow do I love Michigan weather. Last Sunday I used my snow blower and this Sunday it was 70 degrees and I used tons of sunblock. For school districts in Michigan, April signals the beginning of the stretch drive to the end of the  2015-16 school year. For the past several years the focus of  this mid April blog was about the critical focus of finishing strong. Though important, I believe you can’t shortchange the importance of  being a good listener.  During the last weeks of school there are many demands on all staff and students. From testing, final evaluation meetings, assessments, classroom interruptions, to end of the year celebrations , demands can  turn into distractions. For all of us in education, these distractions can be unsettling and may cause a lack of patience and understanding as we deal with them and one another. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #203 It Is Not Too Late For A Spring Message

Welcome to this edition of Monday Moanin Thoughts. I am assuming that many of you are just returning from a much needed spring break. My mentor always encouraged me to write a welcome back message to staff as they return from their break. The goal is to set the stage for the final weeks of  the school year. Below are two prompts from other leaders that they sent to their staffs. Read more