Monday Moanin Thoughts #112 Finish Strong, Good Reminders

The end of the school year 2014 is drawing to a close for many of you. Listed below are some important reminders and suggestions that may help you navigate the last few important days. Oh, and have a great Monday Moanin.

Being a leader during the final days 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 for the end of the year. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts # 111 Celebrate Memorial Day By Practicing Gratitude

Happy Memorial Day 2014 Monday Moanin to all of you. When I think of Memorial Days celebrated in the past, I am reminded of  two common themes. One is service and the other is gratitude. For today’s thoughts, I will focus on gratitude. As I reflect on this day , I am filled with gratitude and awe for all of the men and women that serve on our behalf to ensure the freedom we enjoy. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts # 110 What Is Your Role – Sidekick Or The Lead?

Happy Monday Moanin to all of you. This is a good time of the year for messages and  preparing for closure. My wife, Dr. Mary Jo Hickey  is a Clinical Psychologist and has taught high school students for 28 years. Every year she writes her seniors a message. She shared her 2014 message with me this morning and I thought it would be beneficial to share it with all of you. Regardless of your position consider writing something to your staff, students, or community. This is a great time to reach out and share. I hope you enjoy Mary Jo’s message: Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts # 109 Happy Mothers Day 2014, Be Like Mom

Happy Monday Moanin! Today/ yesterday was a beautiful day in Michigan as we celebrated a wonderful Mother’s day. I can’t help but think on this Monday Moanin that we need to lead like our Mom’s. Every one of us can think of how our mom’s have influenced us as people and leaders. When I think of my mom, I am filled with many examples of  how she  shaped my life. Luckily, she still influences me  to this day. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #108 The Month Of May Signals #finishstrong

Wow we did it. We made it to the first Monday Moanin of May 2014. For many of us educators,  the month of May signals the school year will be ending soon. With that comes many invitations to focus more on management issues and end of the year activities than to focus on good teaching and learning. As a young teacher , my principal always reminded and in some cases demanded that our staff be well planned and intentional for the final weeks of school. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #107 Make Your Week Great

Welcome to the  final Monday Moanin of April 2014. Hopefully you are enjoying the sunshine and  some outdoor activities in your area. As I was preparing to write this , I was inspired by a column that Kevin Duam wrote for Inc. magazine.  He wrote about seven things that people could do to make their Monday awesome. As a result, I thought about writing three things that can make your  week great. How about not lamenting about the challenges you face and address things you have control over ? Here are three ways: Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #106 5 Quotes To Guide Your Week

I hope all of you find good energy  on this April 2014 Monday Moanin. The content of today’s blog is posting five of my favorite quotes that  may guide you as you begin your week. Consider using them as a reminder or help provide you some direction as you plan for a productive week. Here is hoping one of these will resonate with you. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts # 105 Do You Have A Spring Break Message Ready To Go?

Welcome to this very early 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 few weeks of school. Below are two prompts from other leaders that they sent to their staffs. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts # 104 Takeaways From AdminCampMI2

I am waking up very  refreshed on this wonderful spring Monday Moanin. You may be wondering why  this is happening  on a Monday morning?  it is because I am still excited as I reflect on my participation in the AdminCampMI2 hosted by Birmingham (MI) Why I…Leadership Cohort this past Saturday. It was a real highlight for me. Those that attended were active learners and collaborators. Read more

Monday Moanin Thoughts #103 Try These Affirmations To Guide Your Work

As I was preparing to write my latest Monday Moanin Thoughts for the week, I decided to peruse my archives for some inspiration. Back in September of 2012 I found the perfect blog for this time of year.  I hope that this archived blog will help guide your  work this week. Have a great week and keep finding the good stuff. Read more