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

The other morning, I woke up early in a hotel room in Atlanta, Georgia. For a moment, I couldn’t remember where I was. Then it dawned on me that I was presenting that morning at a Growing Leaders Principal Roundtable event hosted by Dr. Tim Elmore. I dressed, grabbed my laptop bag and headed downstairs for a hot bowl of oatmeal and a cup coffee before walking the short-distance to the conference event center. As I sat my bag down near a table up front, I was excited. Not only do I enjoy presenting to other school leaders but also, I was going to hear from some dynamic speakers and presenters as well as interact with principals during discussion times about their best practices. My own kids tell me I geek-out about principal leadership, and this event was giving me permission to do just that. After playing some fun, interactive introduction games, the lessons began. I could share for hours about lessons from all the presenters, but for Principal Matters readers and listeners, I want to focus on takeaways from three authors who spoke directly about trends and research that are important to any education leader. So, I’m going to break this into three parts: Part 1: Trends Among Gen-Z Students Part 2: Students Require New Leadership Part 3: The Power of Timing, Breaks, and Synchronization Takeaways Part 1: Trends Among Gen-Z Students With his wavy brown hair and dark rimmed glasses, Andrew looks like someone who could host his own nightly talk show. But don’t let his easy-going personality fool you. He is curious and spends a lot of time surveying and interviewing youth across the county. In his highly informative session, Andrew McPeak, co-author with Tim Elmore, of the book, Marching Off the Map: Inspire Students to Navigate a Brand New World, highlighted three trends he has seen in his research among students: 1. Students wrestle with expectations fueled by technology. According to his findings, 96% of high school students now own smartphones, and 41% say social media makes them feel sad, anxious or depressed. Our students face the constant tension of being connected for information while being assaulted with expectations that may be unattainable. They see people online who display lives of happiness, success or wealth that seem unrealistic but make them feel anxious that they are unable to have the same experiences. Many students recognize the paradox but find it difficult to break free from the very influences that also frustrate and depress them. 2. Students think more about identity, diversity, and equality. Whereas the generation before them found environmental issues a predominant area of social or global awareness, today’s youth are concerned about identity. They are very aware of the divides and conflicts involved in discussions around race, gender, and sexual orientation. When surveyed, youth consider these the most pressing problems facing the world today. 3. Students are cautious about their futures. Andrew shared data showing reports that as many as 25% of today’s youth grow up in poverty. And 46% of youth say their biggest personal concern is college debt. They have room to complain. Over the past 35 years, the cost of a college education has increased 1, 120%. Students are also cautious about their safety. In the 15-year span of 1995-2010, sixty-one school shootings took place in U.S. schools, with 7 resulting in at least 5 deaths. In the past eight years, 2010-2018, 70 school shootings have taken place with 8 of them resulting in 5 or more deaths. 72% of students also admit they are distracted by soc...

Balance is a popular word among life coaches and leadership authors. As important as it is to remember to invest in the meaningful areas of your life, too many people place unrealistic expectations upon themselves. Living a life of meaning does not mean being perfect. This is misperception is not only unrealistic, it is also unhealthy. Life is messy. Sometimes you face unexpected challenges in your health, relationships, or finances. When you look at your own condition, not matter how exhilarating or depressing, the first response is to give yourself the kind of grace you would want to extend to someone you love. We all face ups and downs. But sometimes we need reminders to refocus on what matters. It’s a delicate but important tension to be aware of both truths: 1. You need to invest in what matter to keep growing. 2. You need to be patient with yourself (and others) along the journey. As I continue this series on Reflections for Education Leaders, I’d like to add some thoughts for school leaders on how to better manage your time, but I want to offer these as suggestions, not prescriptions. You do not need any more guilt than you already have about the difficulty of balancing your responsibilities. But you may gain some valuable ideas in the following discussion about time: What Are Your Goals For Your Time? Several years ago, I was talking to a friend of mine who was twenty years younger than I am. He and his wife were establishing life after college, they had just become parents, and his small business was beginning to grow. I was reflecting with him about my own memories at his age: how my wife and I had lived on one income to pay off college debts with our second income, and how we had saved up to buy our first home before our first baby was born. As I celebrated his journey and reminisced about my own, he asked an honest but provoking question. “So, what goals have you set for yourself now?” I paused for a moment and then answered as honestly as I could. “Well,” I said, “I think my biggest goal right now is to simply survive!” With a growing family and the demands of being an assistant principal at the time, I couldn’t think of a better answer. It was honest, but over the next several days, those words haunted me. When was the last time I had really thought about the next goals I wanted to reach for myself or my family? During that same time, I came across a podcast interview with Robert Smith, author of 20,000 Days and Counting: The Crash Course for Mastering Your Life Right Now. Robert related how at age fifty-five, he realized he had now lived 20,000 days. When you look at life from that perspective, you realize that if you are blessed with a life of 75 years, you have approximately 27,375 days to live. On my next birthday, I will be fifty years old, which means I will have reached 18,250 days. If I make it to 75 years old, that means I have approximately 9,000 days to go. You may be doing the math in your own head now. No matter where you are on the scale, you realize that we all have a limited number of days, hours and minutes. We can either make the most of them, or we can look back with regret on the moments lost. Without overwhelming you with the guilt that comes from trying to achieve perfect balance, I want to encourage you to think about how to make the most of your time so you still take calculated risks and have fewer regrets. None of us ever does this perfectly. But when we begin to take perspective on our time, we can begin to set sensible goals. School leaders have an especially difficult time managing time. Researchers from the Center for Education Policy Analysis share findings in a helpful report,

Recently, Howard Schultz, the owner and CEO of Starbucks announced he will be retiring as CEO of the company. This news comes after several years of stunning success for a company whose stock price rose from $7 a share during the recession to $56 a share this past week. As a part of my commute, I’ve been listening to the audio-version of Schultz’s book, Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul. In the book, one story that inspired me happened in 2008. This was when Schultz decided to return to the position of CEO at Starbucks. At that time, the economy was in recession, Starbucks had over-expanded, and many of its locations were losing connection with customers and quality in its brewing. One of his first decisions was to shut his stores across the U.S. for a day in order for baristas to be retrained in making exceptional espressos. As the owner of Starbucks, Howard Schultz has enjoyed growing the company from a handful of stores to a global enterprise. And even though he could have remained in retirement and enjoyed his chair on Starbuck’s board of directors, he saw the company beginning to lose focus on its core values. In the book, he explains how he had kept it a secret that he was returning to the helm of the company. On the morning that the news of his return would go public, he woke up before dawn and drove to his Seattle’s Pike Place store where he had worked twenty-five years earlier and still carried the key to the store with him. That morning, he let himself into the empty shop. As he enjoyed the aroma of ground coffee in the air and ran his hands over the wooden counters, he remembered his first years serving customers in that store. He thought about the magic of connecting coffee lovers with a favorite brew. He yearned for a return to his roots while at the same time providing innovative experiences for new customers. Later that day at Starbuck’s corporate headquarters, he announced to his employees and the world that he was returning and that the company was transforming every part of their business, returning to its core values, and committing to innovation. As I listened to the stories from Howard Schulz, I thought about how his lessons are good reminders for school leaders or leaders of any organization. Yes, as school leaders, you are leading organizations committed to an entirely different kind of mission, but at the same time, you share some common similarities. Here are just three takeaways I believe can transform they way anyone leads a school, district or organization: 3 Commitments for Providing Excellence for Your School 1. Are you committed to a quality product? Even as Starbucks faced closing stores across the U.S. and globally, Schultz made it his first priority to focus on the simple process of coffee brewing. He instinctively knew that if customers were not served distinctive, high-quality flavor, they would go elsewhere. As a result, retraining baristas and refining the roasting process were part of the plan. When you think about your schools, no matter how beautiful or simple your building or classrooms, nothing replaces the quality of the learning students experience. And quality teachers are the most important factor in providing quality instruction. I agree that a quality teacher can take an empty classroom and reach students with amazing lessons. Imagine what he or she can do with strong support and resources. Yes, your tasks may include organizing master schedules, creating remediation plans, updating curriculum updates or fixing bus schedules. But at the end of the day, students will benefit most from the rigor, relevance,

In 2010, I had the privilege of traveling to China for ten days on an education tour. One morning in Beijing, I headed outside the hotel before breakfast for a quick run. Later as I showered and dressed, I began to feel sick. I thought perhaps I was catching a cold or was just suffering from jet-lag. Over the next few days, we visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall before heading to another city. As we traveled throughout Beijing, I noticed the skies were never blue. But on our trips outside of the city, the skies cleared. When I mentioned my observation to our tour guide, he told us it had been an especially cloudy season that summer in the city. But when we left Beijing a few days later, the skies cleared again. I’m sure you have heard of China’s problems with smog and pollution in its cities, but I soon realized firsthand why I felt sick when I would go running. When is the last time you thought about the air you are breathing? Not just the physical oxygen your intake, but the emotional, cultural, and relational atmospheres that surround you. Even more importantly, what kind of atmosphere are you creating for those whom you are leading? Are you helping creating an environment of clean, healthy intakes, or are you contributing to an atmosphere of cultural pollution? These are important questions to reflect on as education leaders because every school or organization has a culture. And that culture significantly affects the kinds of outcomes you will have. Spend time in any school or with a team, and you soon get a feel for the positive and negative influences happening there. In 2011, The Wallace Foundation, along with NAESP an NASSP, shared research showing how principal leadership ranked second only to the quality of teachers in significantly affecting school outcomes. According to its findings, principal influence schools in five specific ways: 1. Shaping a vision of academic success for all students, one based on high standards. 2. Creating a climate hospitable to education in order that safety, a cooperative spirit and other foundations of fruitful interaction prevail. 3. Cultivating leadership in others so that teachers and other adults assume their part in realizing the school vision. 4. Improving instruction to enable teachers to teach at their best and students to learn at their utmost. 5. Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement (Source: Wallace Report). Your influence matters. In light of the research and practices that inform school leadership, I want to suggest five ways you can examine the kind of influence you are having –the kind of air you’re providing for others to breath in your school. How’s Your Influence? 5 Questions of Reflection for Education Leaders 1. Are you being a mentor? I’ll never forget my first assignment as an assistant principal. The very first day of school, we encountered a student in possession of drugs on campus. My partner assistant principal at the time was Lydia Wilson. Not only did Lydia model how to interact with students and parents, she also used every opportunity to teach me basic skills like how to conduct a lawful search, to correctly document meetings, and to appropriately follow-through with disciplinary action and educational supports. Lydia was my mentor, and her influence gave me the confidence to manage future disciplinary incidents on my own. Over the years, I’ve had other great mentors in supervising principals and superintendents, but I also had mentors in the years before stepping into school leadership. My college professors, internship supervisors,

Last week I was on the phone with a teacher who will soon be interviewing for an assistant principal opening. Just this past week, I have talked to two superintendents and a principal who have openings for principal or assistant principal positions at their schools. It’s that time of year again for hiring and job searches! Whether you are conducting an interview or being interviewed, I have found some common expectations anyone should have when walking into an education interview. If you are looking for sample questions specific to principal interviews, let me encourage you to check out the post, 30 Questions from Principal Interviews. But if you are in transition or you know someone preparing for their next interview, I want to share some tips to keep in mind for a solid interview experience: 10 Tips for Interviewing for an Education Opening As hard as it is to work through the hiring process, nothing is more important to the success of school than finding quality educators. Although I haven’t kept count, it is safe to say that during the last twelve years, I have interviewed over a hundred individuals for staff or teaching positions. I have also sat on teams interviewing for principal or director positions. In my school leadership roles, I have seen many great and not-so-great interviews. Likewise, I have delivered some of both myself. Because I am a teacher at heart, I sometimes visit with candidates afterwards about ways they could improve their interview skills. Since I find myself coaching the same consistent themes, here are the 10 of them: 1. Write a solid resume. This should go without saying, but a good resume should be neat, concise, and without errors. Display a heading with all your contact information. Skills most pertinent to the position should be prominent and experience should be listed chronologically with most recent experiences first. If possible, limit your resume to one-page. Long resumes are tedious to read and usually unnecessary. 2. Use pre-emptive email or phone call. My advice is to send a short, friendly email to the person(s) you believe will be responsible for the hiring. This is usually pretty easy to figure out by visiting school websites or just calling and asking school staff for contact information. Make sure your inquiry is brief, professional, and without misspellings. If you choose to reach someone by phone or leave a voicemail, rehearse what you will say ahead of time. By all means, do not ramble or give the impression that you are desperate for a job.  School leaders want people who are passionate about teaching or leading, not about just finding a job. 3. Research your prospects. With the ease of finding information via the web, there is no excuse for not understanding in advance the lay-of-the-land in respect to the school or community you have targeted. More helpful still is finding someone you may know who lives or works in that community as a source for information. Coming into an interview knowing a few names and faces helps to put you a step ahead and gives you some context for the discussion you will have. 4. Rehearse your introduction (and deliver with a smile). Almost all interviews begin with the opportunity for you to introduce yourself personally, professionally, and in regards to your education. First, express thanks for the opportunity to interview; then, follow-up with a brief introduction of who you are personally and professionally. Sit up straight, smile, and make good eye contact. Avoid crossed arms, clenched fists, or rambling which usually show signs of anxiety. Appearing cool under pressure is important because that is what you will be expected to do every day in a teaching or school leadership position.

My mother-in-law has Alzheimer’s. The condition began about ten years ago when we thought she was simply becoming more forgetful. But as her short-term memory declined, we realized she wasn’t just suffering from old age. Over the years, she has lost the ability to recognize her own children and grandchildren, and she forgets whether or not her parents are still living–even though they passed away more than thirty years ago. Music and the Brain On Sunday afternoons, we like to take our children to visit Grandma at the memory care center where she now lives. We keep an electronic piano in her room because she has loves playing and singing hymns. When I visit, I sit at the keys and open a hymnal. As soon as my fingers touch the keys, Grandma joins in and doesn’t miss a beat. She remembers the tunes and words of all her favorite songs. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound…” We will sing one song and then another. I’m not a brain scientist, but I have studied learning styles and child development, and memorization is often easiest when combined with music. It works for children, adults, and apparently for my mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s too. Research confirms that it is also good practice for brain engagement. My Daughter’s Playlist Occasionally, my daughter Katie and I will drive over together to see Grandma. Katie is a freshman in high school and she has a great playlist on her iPhone. She tags them with different titles, but one she calls “Dad’s Playlist.” It is a compilation of mostly acoustic or musical numbers. On our drives over, we turn up the volume in my car and sing along. One of my favorite duets is one from the musical Greatest Showman with Zac Efron and Zendaya singing “Rewrite the Stars.” What if we rewrite the stars? Say you were made to be mine Nothing could keep us apart You’d be the one I was meant to find… As fun as it is to connect with my family through music, I would like to ask you a question about your own playlist–not just the songs or music you enjoy, but what is on your mental-playlist? Our brains are powerful organs. And just as digesting nutritious food tends toward better health, what you digest with mind shapes your view of yourself, the world around you and forms life-long habits and memories. In a world of constant access to technology, advertisements, news, and information, our brains encounter stimuli at alarming rates. In an article by FastCompany.com, Daneil J. Levitin, shares the following: “Information scientists have quantified [that in] 2011, Americans took in five times as much information every day as they did in 1986—the equivalent of 174 newspapers. During our leisure time, not counting work, each of us processes 34 gigabytes, or 100,000 words, every day. The world’s 21,274 television stations produce 85,000 hours of original programming every day as we watch an average of five hours of television daily, the equivalent of 20 gigabytes of audio-video images. That’s not counting YouTube, which uploads 6,000 hours of video every hour. And computer gaming? It consumes more bytes than all other media put together, including DVDs, TV, books, magazines, and the Internet (Levitin).” So how do you ensure that the intake for your brain is as healthy as what you digest with your body? Frankly, if you want to keep growing in your own critical thinking ...

When I drove into the parking lot at East Central High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I was greeted by bright yellow arrows on the parking lot, pointing the direction for incoming and outgoing traffic. A beautiful flower bed had been built in front of the school. A friendly security staff person met me at the front door and showed me to the main office. Inside, a secretary asked my name and offered to get me a drink. As I waited, I noticed the clean hallways, the overall sense of order and the sense that this was a place people liked to work. East Central High School is an urban school with a recent history of challenge and struggle. Just 5 years ago, only 50% of students graduated on time. But since that time, East Central has become a turnaround school with new Advanced Placement Programs, increased STEM offerings, and 80% graduation rate. One reason for the changes has been leadership. Mike Crase, Principal of East Central High School, is in his fifth year of leading a movement. Previously, he was an assistant principal at Webster High School and before that a teacher and coach. He is in his 26th year of education with 12 years as a school administrator. But the past five years have been the most rewarding and productive in terms of student outcomes. Looking at the Numbers Since Mike has been serving at East Central, he has seen transformation in at least four ways: 1. A previously failing school has transformed into a culture of positivity. 2. Restorative partnerships with students, teachers and parents have increased good behavior, academic outcomes, and social expectations. 3. Learning to manage difficult conversations has become a learned habit among all members. 4. Personal and professional growth are driven by relationships and data. During the past five years, East Central High School has cut suspensions by 80%, increased Advanced Placement offerings from 7 classes to over 20 offerings, and provided every student an individualized pathway for high school success. Relationships Matter But the data is only evidence of the relationships Mike has built. As I was talking to Mike, Assistant Principal Rex Langley stopped by and said he needed some assistance with a difficult parent conversation and I was invited to walk with them. When we stepped into a school conference room, we were greeted with a shout of “Surprise!” It was Mike’s birthday, and his office and admin staff had filled the room with a buffet of lunch and dessert. The difficult-parent story was a ruse, and you could tell Mike’s staff enjoyed him as much as he was enjoying being with them. Positive school cultures don’t happen by accident. As I walked Mike’s school, met students and teachers, and chatted with members of his admin staff, it was clear that the transformation at his school is the result of implementing purposeful strategy, learning restorative practices, and staying committed to continuous improvement. Even the yellow arrows in front of the school were purposeful. When Mike discovered students were running late to first hour, he realized parents only had one entry and exit point for the front of the school. So he directed a redesign of the front parking lot and opened a new exit lane. He and a team of teachers stood in the parking lot for two weeks to train parents how to enter and exit. And they passed out flyers explaining why good attendance and punctuality improve student outcomes. The result: increased student attendance and punctuality. In Mike’s Own Words Let me encourage you to listen-in to this week’s conversation via our podcast conversation. Mike shares many takeaways and explains how other leaders can connect with him to learn more about ways to improve school outcomes via his email address: crasemi@tulsaschools.

When I was little, I loved to stand in the garden as my grandparents tilled soil and put out spring tomatoes. The smell of freshly tilled dirt, the sun beating down on my back, the brush of the ground with hoes and rakes—all these memories come back to me each spring. My grandparents didn’t just garden for hobby. They would can vegetables to use throughout the whole year. To grow that many vegetables, however, they understood the importance of good soil, watering and sufficient sunlight. I have a question for you about the kind of care you are giving to an important garden in your life. How are currently taking care of your body? If what you reap from a healthy garden requires good soil, seed, and care, how is your body any different if you want strong personal outcomes? As a school leader, you understand a lot about learning styles, school culture, and organizational leadership. But how much do you think your physical health plays into the outcomes happening at your school? In 2009, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shared findings that student physical activity contributes to strong academic performance. Here were just three takeaways from their findings: • Physical activity can help youth improve their concentration, memory, and classroom behavior. • Youth who spend more time in physical education class do not have lower test scores than youth who spend less time in physical education class. • Elementary school girls who participated in more physical education had better math and reading tests scores than girls who had less time in physical education. (cdc.gov) As we encourage our young people to consider the effects of physical activity on their own learning, when is the last time you reflected on how your own personal health may be affecting your own leadership? I’m Going to Die! Over the years, I have learned some hard lessons about neglecting my own physical health. One day I was standing in a meeting with a group of leaders from across my district. I was the newest assistant principal and the youngest one in the room. As we were waiting for a meeting to begin, every person began to share what physical condition they were currently battling. Each one was taking different medications for ailments. They shared concerns about cholesterol and heart conditions. As I looked around the room, I began to panic, and I thought, “If I stay in school administration, I’m going to die!” Of course, I know every job is stressful, and eventually we’re all going to die. But as I began to seriously reflect on my own experience as a young administrator, I realized I had gained twenty pounds. I skipped meals or ate convenience food because school activities were more important than good nutrition. I had stopped exercising because I needed the extra time to catch up on emails or other school projects. Frankly, I was a mess and felt like it most of the time. I knew I had to make time for better priorities. And I as I did, I began to notice a difference in the way I worked. A commitment to better health, nutrition and exercise began to give me more energy, focus and creativity. Let me share five ways I have invested in personal health, not as a prescription, but just as an example of how one school administrator has learned to adopt healthier choices into his busy days. 1. Exercise I have a three-mile route I like to run in my neighborhood. For years, I tried to schedule time at the gym or exercise after school, but it just didn’t work for me. So, when I decided to begin exercising, I bought a pair of running shoes.

I’m a frequent flyer. The more I fly, the harder I find it is to stay focused when flight attendants are reviewing safety procedures. They could be standing right in front of me with the safety cards in hand, but I’ve heard it so many times, I usually think about something else. On the other hand, I seem to pay more attention when the attendant says, “If the cabin loses air pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from above your seat. Place the oxygen mask on yourself first before assisting your child or other passengers.” It’s always at this point, that I think about a hard conversation I had with my wife the second year I was in school administration. One night after the kids were in bed, my wife Missy asked if we could talk. I had just opened my laptop to read some work emails, so I slid it aside and said, “Sure. What’s up?” “The kids and I have decided that you are a dad and husband on the weekends only.” She said without any bitterness or resentment in her voice. Just simple resignation. Then she looked me in the eyes. “Will, I think you are a shell of the man you used to be.” It was difficult to listen because her words so accurately described my state-of-life. After eleven years as a classroom teacher, I had made the transition into the office as an assistant principal in a high school with 1,400 students. One of my goals was to be the kind of administrator I had admired and dreamed of having when I was a classroom teacher. I wanted to be the person who teachers and students could look to for answers, solutions, and support. I woke up early every morning to check emails and plan out my day– hours before school began. I skipped lunches or ate quickly so that I could respond to emails or manage important situations. I supervised, observed, counseled, and evaluated. I attended after-school games and activities. And when I came home late each night, I’d fall asleep while trying to read bedtime stories to our four small children. When everyone was finally asleep, I’d stay up late to answer emails or plan for upcoming events or meetings. In my new role in school leadership, I had stopped exercising. I had gained too much weight. Frankly, I was a shell of the man I had once been. Each day the pressure of serving students, teachers, and parents weighed so much on me that I didn’t think I could sacrifice time by less important to-do’s like eating right, exercising, or spending more time with my family time or in reflection. My Letter of Resignation When my wife went to bed the night of our important talk, I opened my laptop. Instead of working on email, I made a decision. I wrote a letter of resignation. I explained all the reasons I would need to leave my position, how my priorities were no longer correct, and how I had neglected my family and personal health. I printed the letter, put it in a file folder and took it my office the next morning. When I sat down at my desk, I placed the folder on the corner where I could see it at all times. And I made a commitment: I’m either going to find a better way to serve my school while also caring for myself and my family, or I’m resigning and changing professions. That day was a turning point for me. I didn’t discover a silver bullet. My pressures didn’t change either. Instead I found some longer lasting solutions. I began taking small steps toward making time for areas of my life: my family, my mind, my personal budget, my spiritual growth, and my physical health. Over the days and years ahead, I made commitments to leave school earlier so I could be home for dinner. I started running again and working on fitness. I started eating lunch with colleagues and laughing more. And as a result, I discovered something: When you take time to invest in areas of your life outside of work, you find more creativity, inspiration and joy in serving others. In fact, I found my ability to connect with others,

Last year my student council members came to see me about an idea they had for finishing the year with positivity. These student leaders wanted to end the year was by doing something to help others. They designed an amazing idea called “BARK” week. With the school mascot being a Bulldog, the theme fit perfectly. In order to set expectations in advance, the student council sponsor shared out the following announcements with her fellow teachers: Good morning! Student Council and the Leadership class wanted to start a Philanthropy Week this year, where we have events every day during one week, and all proceeds will go to a designated charity. The week we have chosen is May 1st – 5th. The kids came up with the name “BARK Week,” BARK is an acronym for Bulldogs Achieving Real Kindness. We are raising money for Pearl’s Hope in Tulsa, OK. It is a 10-month transition home for homeless women and their children, so they do not have to be separated. While in the home, women take classes on interviewing, teamwork, financial planning, cooking, etc. Pearl’s Hope ensures that the children and mothers have clothing, a car, a job, and a home before they leave. Attached is the t-shirt we will be selling for BARK Week. I was proud of the teachers and students for the positive mindset they had going into the final weeks of school. And the response was amazing. Community members participated in clothing swaps, students bought lots of tacos and ice cream, and in one week, our students raised $1,500 and lots of clothes donations to benefit an additional local shelter. It was another positive way to add to the momentum of the school year, but most importantly, these were learning to help others—lessons some of them will remember for years to come. More Ideas for Celebration This week, I want to share some ideas from a past episode on ending the year with celebration. You can see the original post from episode 065 here. Although it may be difficult to end the year with the same energy and enthusiasm you had at the beginning a school year, it is not unrealistic to dream and prepare for ways to encourage high expectations for the last days of school. In June 2016, blogger Vicki Davis shared a great list of tips for teachers who want to finish the year with celebration on her Eduotopia’s website. Check it out here. Her tips included 8 ideas for teachers to wrap up their last day of classroom time with ideas like: * Coming up with a top-ten list of best moments from the year to share with students * Turning final exams into a celebration time by providing desserts and treats available after testing * Ending the year with water bottle toasts for every student * Designing an entire lesson around sharing compliments * Including surveys for remembering best celebration moments * Writing letters to students so they remember significant ways they contributed throughout the year * Planning an “Oscar event” by inviting students to come in formal wear for a celebration time Parading Seniors Another great moment for seniors included adding new element of celebration into graduation week. Seniors wore their caps and gowns and visited our elementary and middle schools the day before graduation. Students and teachers lined the hallways to applaud them. Younger students were inspired and seniors felt like rock stars. Let’s Wrap This Up Remember the enthusiasm you had as the new school year began? How can you end with some celebration and positivity? Yes, it may be hard to end with high enthusiasm when the list of to-do’s is long,

Last week I was walking back to my car from a visit to Oklahoma’s state capitol, when I saw a line of reporters, police, and education supporters stopped in front of me. I just happened to be on the street where Tulsa Public School Superintendent Deborah Gist and others from her community were arriving from a week-long march from Tulsa to Oklahoma City. Teachers, parents, and children lined the streets with signs that read, “Support Education” or funnier ones like “My textbooks are as old as my grandma.” Police on motor cycles led the procession, followed by a high school band, and hundreds of others who had joined the marchers in their last few miles to the capitol steps. As Deb Gist addressed the crowd of thousands, she said, “This is not a protest. This is a movement.” And she praised supporters for the work they had done, called them to continue advocating for schools, and reminded them to vote in upcoming elections. Oklahoma education has been in the news a lot lately. This past week The New York Times reported “Oklahoma Teachers End Walkout After Winning Raises and Additional Funding.” Dana Goldstein and Elizabeth Dias explained that many teachers across the state would be returning to school after a two-week work stoppage that affected approximately 500,000 students from schools that participated in the rallies. Across the States Oklahoma is not the only state in the news for education rallies. Across the U.S. state legislatures have faced increasing pressure as teachers respond to years of unsustainable cuts to school funding. Just weeks ago, West Virginia teachers rallied for new state laws that have resulted in teacher pay raises. Kansas has been settling a constitutional crisis that required their state supreme court to step in last fall and force the legislature to fund its schools. Just last week, lawmakers there were told their budget is still $80 million short of the funding required, and lawmakers are scrambling to re-do the math and find a solution. Missouri schools face pressures from a court embattled Governor who just months ago removed state board of education members, fired the state education commissioner and cut school funding by $68 million. Now the Governor is facing calls for his resignation from his state’s attorney general and the majority leader in the state senate from his own party for revelations of sexual misconduct. Kentucky teachers have been rallying at their state capitol as their state legislature voted to override their Governor’s veto on a bill to increase funding for Kentucky’s public schools by $480 million. And teachers in other states like Arizona are conducting “walk-in” rallies and threatening walkouts if their state does not increase school funding soon. Thoughtful Analysis Across the U.S. many public-school systems have been facing especially difficult times as state legislatures have cut taxes for years. This week, Mark Wingfield,

Last year I sat across my desk from a student whose father had abandoned him and left the state. A family in our community had taken in the young man, and our school had been in contact with the Department of Human Services on what to do next. That morning I had been watching a video by Josh Shipp called One Caring Adult. On a whim, I asked the student if he would watch the video on my computer with me. In his story, Josh Shipp shared his own story of abandonment, foster-care, abuse, and eventually finding stability and hope. His story was a powerful reminder of how one caring adult can change the life of a young person. After watching the video-clip, I asked the young man if he’d ever had one caring adult on whom he could depend. He said, “Yes, my adopted mom who lives out-of-state. But I left because I didn’t want to follow her rules, and I don’t know if she’d have me back.” After several calls and other conversations, his adopted mom arranged a flight for him, and he flew back to her home to start the next chapter in his life. Josh Shipp has a powerful story that inspires educators and students alike. Earlier this year, Josh spoke at the Oklahoma Middle Level Educators Association annual conference. Later, I was able to sit down with him for an interview. You can listen to our podcast interview or watch the video of our conversation. Who is Josh Shipp? Josh is a best-selling author, global youth empowerment expert, and acclaimed speaker. A former at-risk foster kid turned youth advocate, he is known for his documentary TV series Teen Trouble on A&E, that followed his groundbreaking work with teens. Josh has spoken at universities such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT & UCLA. He is a recognized teen expert for media outlets such as MTV, CNN, FOX, The New York Times, ABC 20/20, & Good Morning America. He’s worked with groups of parents, educators & mental health professionals plus has spoken to more than TWO Million teens and parents live. His ultimate goal is to help as many young people as possible. He trains other speakers through Youth Speaker University and his online mentoring program One Caring Adult has a world-wide reach. Questions for Josh In this interview, Josh answers the following questions: 1. Can you share some of your own story with us, and why you are dedicated to reaching today’s youth? Josh shares about the influence of a foster parent named Rodney, an educator from Yukon, Oklahoma, who provided him with unexpected stability, firmness and fairness. After being arrested for writing hot checks, Josh has an important conversation with Rodney who tell him: “We don’t see you as a problem, we see you as an opportunity.” As Josh shared, “Every kid is one caring adult away from being a success story.” 2. Can you share one or two strategies on ways to have conversations with youth about uncomfortable topics? Some strategies that Josh uses when working through difficult conversations include: A. Be vulnerable. Vulnerability leads to vulnerability. Just like you catch a ball when it’s thrown your way, when you go first in taking risk, students will often reciprocate the appropriate vulnerability you model. With a half million foster kids in the U.S., Josh believed he was the only one. As he has learned to see life from the perspective of others, he has also learned that we must operate from the position of “Heal the wound, reveal the scar.” B. Give them a sense of control. When talking to a young person about a difficult topic, name the topic. Don’t avoid the obvious.

In 2016, a Pew Research report showed 62% of adults receive news via social media – a 49% increase from 2012. 70% of people in western countries use social networks like Facebook or Twitter. Only 30% do not rely on social media in the U.S. and that percentage continues declining. Although access to information does not guarantee accurate information, it is undeniable that schools will not reach communities if they fail to engage them through the use of technology. Simon Mainwaring once said, “Social media is not about the exploitation of technology but service to the community.” Recently, I hosted a final webinar episode from my book Messaging Matters: How School Leaders Can Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities. You can check out the video and slides here. The discussion includes three parts: Part 1: Building a platform with technology Part 2: Launching a school email campaign Part 3: Publicizing celebrations Part 1: Building a Platform with Technology Consider these six ways educators can create platforms for sharing ideas with school communities: * Writing blog posts * Creating podcasts * Hosting webinars * Using LinkedIn * Using Facebook * Using Twitter Writing Blog Posts Think about ways to share topics within and outside your community. Blogs can be informal, conversational ways to share lessons. Here are some sample topics to think about: • How to prepare for the first days of school • Books or articles of best practices in the classroom • How new legislation may affect school practice • What new school services or programs are coming • Ways to stay inspired certain times of the year Want to learn how to blog? Check out Michael Hyatt’s free tutorial How to Launch a Self-hosted WordPress blog in 20 minutes or less. Creating a Podcast Listen to podcasts for learning and think about creating your own. Here are some of my favorites: * 10-Minute Teacher by Vicki Davis www.coolcatteacher.com/podcast * Transformative Principal with Jethro Jones www.tranformativeprincipal.org * Principal Center Radio with Justin Baeder www.principalcenter.com/radio * Better Leaders Better Schools with Daniel Bauer http://betterleadersbetterschools.com Thinking about starting your own? Check out Pat Flynn’s “How to Start a Podcast: Pats Complete Step-by-Step Podcasting Tutorial” (6-part series for free on Youtube). Hosting a Webinar Platforms like Zoom.us or GoToMeeting.com are great for hosing webinars. Other ways some people connect via live video shares include Google Hangouts, FaceTime, Skype, Facebook Live, or Instragram Live. Think about ways to share ideas through these live conversations on topics like the following: • How you have structured or organized a new initiative or program

Can I tell you a secret? You probably already know this. When your students go home after school, they talk about you. I know this because I overhear student conversations about their principals and teachers. Plus, I have four children of my own. And they talk. It’s not always about school-related topics either. They notice what you eat, the shows you mention watching, and the events you attend over the weekend. If you’re on social media, they have looked at your accounts there too. Here’s another question. If you know that your messages will be repeated at home, then how can you make your words and actions as inspiring and encouraging as possible for the benefit of others? With those thoughts in mind, I wanted to share some takeaways on how you can maximize positive communication with parents and communities. In chapter 6 of Messaging Matters: How School Leaders Can Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities, we explore how to cultivate positive messaging with parents and community members. The discussion is in three parts: Part 1: Public Relations Part 2: Building a Platform for Communication Part 3: Partnering with Parents This week’s post is a replay of a webinar I recently hosted for my state principal’s association. If you’d like to see the slides or videos with the summary below, you can check them out here. Part 1: Public Relations–4 Takeaways for School Leaders Nothing drives good public relations as much as listening and responding with wisdom. This involves four commitments: 1. Make solid decisions—the bedrock of all good communication. 2. Give context for more difficult decisions. 3. Communicate with honor. 4. Embrace positive use of social media. If you had to give yourself or your teachers a grade for public relations, what grade would you earn? Part 2: Building a Platform for Communication About five years ago, I read a great book by Michael Hyatt, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World. As a former CEO of a large publishing firm, Hyatt explains that most publishers only work with authors who have built a strong digital platform. I believe the same maxim works in school leadership. Small Platform = Little Influence. Consider how you can build a platform so you are reaching as many parents and community members with your school’s messages. Ask yourself these questions on ways to spread your ideas and positive messages: 1. Do you have ideas or beliefs about education that others can learn from and embrace for better serving students? 2. Do you have lessons to share that help others grow in their effectiveness? 3. Do you wish to share your messages beyond your school community? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, consider how platform building can help you. Whether you choose to share via blogging, podcasting, social media, community newsletters, or face-to-face, you have valuable insights that can benefit others and bring positive publicity to your school at the same time. Part 3: Partnering with Parents The vast majority of parents want to work with educators as allies, not opponents. As soon as we embrace parents as partners, the better we will be on the same team in serving their children. Here are some friendly reminders on working with parents: 1. Be welcoming. 2. Communicate both rewards and consequences. 3. Be fair, firm and consistent. 4. Be polite, even when delivering bad news. 5. Be specific and document everything.

On November 30, 2016, I sat down for a conversation with Oklahoma’s 2016 Teacher of the Year, Shawn Sheehan. That conversation became episode 045 of Principal Matters. In today’s post, I want to replay that conversation. At the time, Shawn had just ended a campaign season in a failed attempt to win a state Senate seat. We talked about lessons in failure, the nobility of teaching, and empowering teachers. This school year, Shawn is a teacher in Lewisville, Texas. The story of his departure for higher pay has been shared on a state and national stage. On March 20, 2018, the New York Times ran the article: Their Pay Has Stood Still. Now Oklahoma Teachers Could Be the Next to Walk. As the nation watches Oklahoma’s response to an impending teacher work-stoppage, I thought it would be helpful to listen to a conversation from the past. Very few people have advocated as much as Shawn Sheehan for support of Oklahoma teachers, and his conversation will remind you of some important takeaways: 1. You cannot let failure define you, and you cannot give up hope on a better tomorrow. 2. You cannot let lack of support keep you from encouraging others to love teaching. 3. You must wear two hats: the hat of the educator and the hat of the advocate. 4. School leaders must empower their teachers by allowing them to take risks and dream big. I hope you enjoy the replay of the conversation. I hope it reminds us all why we must keep fighting to attract and retain quality teachers for our schools. Interview with Shawn Sheehan Shawn is the 2016 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for National Teacher of the Year. He is an Algebra I teacher from Norman High School in Norman, Oklahoma. He is also the founder of the Teach Like Me Campaign, a national movement focused on counteracting negative public perception of teachers and redefining those assumptions through social media campaigns to boost morale among current and future educators. 4 Questions Shawn Answers 1. How has failure pushed you to re-focus on your priorities as an educator and a person? 2. Why “Teach Like Me”? Why are you so passionate about redefining the public perception of teaching? 3. What advice do you have for educators who are struggling during “tougher” political days ahead for schools? 4. What advice do you have for school leaders to better serve their teachers, schools and communities? Teach Like Me Links Teach Like Me –A website celebrating the positives of what teachers do everyday. Teacher Like Me Teacher Showcase Videos Teach Like Me –Shawn’s Intro Video Teach Like Me Video Series 1 Teach Like Me Video Promo Teach Like Me Video Showcase 1 Teach Like Me Video Showcase 2 Shawn’s website and blog Contact: You can find Shawn Sheehan via Twitter at his handle