While others develop shared standards that serve schools across our country, on the ground, schools receive children who are self-starters, well prepared, motivated and present. At the same time, they also receive children who are poor, hungry, ill prepared, unmotivated, troubled, and some, disabled. Our goal is to have them all ready.  We cannot do this alone.  …

BREXIT has just passed in the United Kingdom and the world is rocking today. It is just one more example of the difficult questions this century is presenting to us.  We struggle to understand how as citizens of a nation we can be so impacted by others in the world.  Can we be independent as nations and interconnected simultaneously? If we are given the right to choose, do we retreat into what is autonomy to some and isolation to others or do we attempt to redefine autonomy within a…

Dealing with human resource issues is a challenge for anyone. Most often, they are responsible for the accountability system related to the performance of others.  They must be consummate communicators, balancing human compassion with organizational mission. They are the delivers of professional rewards and accolades and of the hard and tough decisions that disrupt people's lives in significant ways.  They are the eyes and ears, the barometers, of the organizational culture and, as…

In all cases, the recognition that professional development is a career long process is essential.  But, informed examination of alternatives and selection of options is essential to determine what professional development is needed for each individual.  Learning new ways of teaching and learning, or of leading a strategic planning process, or implementing the integration of technology or a shift into a STEM based learning environment, for example, is half the work.  The other half is…

Most schools across the country are on summer vacation. But a few northern schools are in their last week. Those educators will be deciding how to approach this tragedy to help children, faculty, and staff make sense of this horror and of the world as it is and can be. Listen to conversations around you. There are growing fears about air travel and heated debates about second amendment rights and privacy and safety. Cautions about movie theaters, sports events the like build concern,…

It seems we all take for granted that, unless a child is disabled in some way, by the time they are five years old, she or he can both walk and talk. They understand basic language and they can follow simple directions. We expect that there are variations in the capacities of children to accomplish these but also expect that they all can do it in some form. These days in addition to walking, talking, understanding, and following directions, some can read a bit and use technology. They…

This is the time that calls for leadership with a capital "L".  Building leaders cannot be successful as one or the other, managers or instructional leaders, nor can their superintendents. In order to meet the demands of this century, the leaders' success can only be found in becoming a Leader. Those in positions of power, authority and responsibility, who are responsible for safety, making sure rules are followed, records are accurately kept, jobs are done properly, instruction is…