The Power of Being “Seen” on Campus
The Power of Being “Seen” on Campus My daughter is a young cyclist. She first started racing as a mini miss on a little strider bike with no pedals. She would ride around the grass as her daddy would compete in bike races. Now that she is older, she is able to...
3 Simple Ways to Cultivate a Culture of Gratitude
3 Simple Ways to Cultivate a Culture of Gratitude After 16 years in education I can honestly say that November is my favorite month. It’s not because the weather is perfect, that I made it through the first few months of school alive, or even that winter break is...
3 Strategies to Help Stop Teen Suicide
3 Strategies to Help Stop Teen Suicide The first time I contemplated suicide was in 2004. I was 29 years old. My first marriage had crumbled. I was extremely embarrassed by such a public failure. I felt like I had nothing left to live for. If you’ve read my book,...
3 Ways to Help Students Define Themselves
3 Ways to Help Students Define Themselves Here is a true and personal story about my life. As a kiddo, I LOVED school. It was a safe, stress free place where I found a sense of community. I was successful at school and it made sense to me. I was outgoing and...
3 Strategies for Developing a Suicide Awareness Program
3 Strategies for Developing a Suicide Awareness Program This past week I spoke with a mother who had lost her son to a completed suicide the week before. Her main reason for calling me was to share names of her son’s closest friends that attended his vigil and were...
My Proudest Blog of the Year (With Free Content)
My Proudest Blog of the Year (With Free Content) After the Columbine tragedy, TEEN TRUTH gave students cameras in the hope that it might help students to find their voice. Back then, we had no idea it would grow into a movement so large that it would impact over 9...
The Most Powerful School Culture Idea Ever!
The Most Powerful School Culture Idea Ever! As educational leaders, we are always looking for that edge - that special concept that can turn the tides on school culture and tip our schools toward success. We research about other schools for the best ideas, we...
What Would Happen If… We Focused on Learning Instead of Teaching?
What Would Happen If… We Focused on Learning Instead of Teaching? As a kid, I played on a fairly successful basketball team in middle school. We would pack up and drive to tournaments all over the state. We all had sweet matching sweatsuits (from the early 90’s =...
Extremely Powerful School Culture Activity
Extremely Powerful School Culture Activity Mandatory staff development days are always a little tricky. Administrators do their best to welcome everyone and provide motivation and encouragement, while trying to push the 100+ powerpoint slides full of information that...
How Can You Get It All Done?
How Can You Get It All Done? Your family needs your time. Your staff needs your time. Your students need your time. You're spread so thin! So how can you get it all done? School culture! After visiting 1,000+ schools I can confidently tell you that school culture is...
Ready to Calm Those First Day Jitters?
Ready to Calm Those First Day Jitters? I remember my first varsity football game in high school. I honestly felt like I was going to throw up. I felt like I had no business starting as a sophomore, and I was scared by the sheer size and number of the opposing players....
Building the Foundation for a Trauma-Informed School
What comes to mind when you think about New Year’s Eve??? Is it something like fresh-start, clean-slate, new beginnings, or resolutions? Every December 31 we gather together with family and friends to reflect upon the past 12 months and celebrate the new year we...
First Day Jitters
Overcoming First Day Jitters: Embracing New Beginnings Summer is winding down. School supplies are prominently displayed in the front isles at the store and educators are beginning to shift their mindset from Summer to Fall. Social media memes showcase educators...
9-Steps to Building a Great School Slogan
9-Steps to Building a Great School Slogan This could be the most important blog I write all year!!! After working with over 1,000 schools, I have come to believe that school slogans are the cheapest and most direct way to drive school culture. But even if you have...
How to Be the Influencer You Need to Be
How to Be the Influencer You Need to Be I hear the word “influencer” a lot these days. They have thousands of followers on Facebook and rep big brands on Instagram, but their influence usually tops out at hocking free hotel rooms or promoting product deals at...
Self-Promotion: An Important Skill for Any Educator
Self-Promotion: An Important Skill for Any Educator As you soak in the rays of summer and enjoy your well-deserved time off to rest and rejuvenate, I thought I would throw a concept your way: Self-promotion May not be a term you would immediately associate with...
School Improvement From The Inside Out
School Improvement From The Inside Out I have heard it said that, “There isn’t a problem that cannot be solved by the collective knowledge of the professionals in the room.” I have not tested this theory and I am not sure if it can work with every problem. However, I...
Are You Worried For Your Students?
Are You Worried For Your Students? My dad taught 6th grade for 38 years, he would always joke that there were THREE reasons to be a teacher: Summer Break, Spring Break, and Christmas Break 🙂 I’m sure you have more reasons, but you made it to summer break!...
Can I Get 10-minutes to Help Plan Your School Culture?
Can I Get 10-minutes to Help Plan Your School Culture? I’ve been on 1,000+ campuses, and I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty: your school culture can make or break your success as a leader, educator, and campus! But the odds are stacked against you....
3 Great Ways to Support Students Over Summer
3 Great Ways to Support Students Over Summer Before I begin this blog, let’s take a moment to bask in the glory of another school year in the books. You have no doubt made a difference in the lives of those you support. Kudos to you for providing guidance, advocating...