Most often unable to change the stressors that the children bear, we design systems to ameliorate the distraction of those stressors and help refocus the children on to their job as learners. But drug use is not always something one can see or uncover when wondering why a student isn't doing well. Meetings can be held, even tutoring or counseling can be put in place, but unless the fact that drugs are in play is uncovered, time is wasting.  …

There were two recent articles about STEM, one, in the New York Times, A Rising Call to Promote STEM Education and Cut Liberal Arts Funding by Patricia Cohen and, the other, in the Washington Post, entitled, …

If we return to our raison d'être - to prepare children to know how to learn even beyond our reach, and to be ready, when walking across our graduation stages, to go on to college or directly into a career - then we have a responsibility to look at financial literacy as a part of the k-12 curriculum.

As early as the 6th grade, when percentages are taught, the concepts of credit and interest can be spiraled upward into other math classes. The economic…

What does leadership become when compliance rules the day? Is the conversation how to get the job done and make people feel good about it? There is new curriculum, a teacher evaluation process, new standardized tests, new assessments, more data and new technology. None come with new resources to support the work.  All purportedly are intended to improve teacher performance and student achievement. The messages come fast and furious through administration, through teachers, and land on…

Teachers and leaders alike have been calling for students to be seen as more than a number earned on a standardized test. We know that our intention is to prepare them for college and career, but the focus on standardized measurement has pulled attention away from the other measures that count as well. Multiple measures to assess and demonstrate readiness need to be returned as central. The high school diploma holds the potential to help pull attention away from the singular measures…

It is the leader who understands, on a deep personal level, what change asks of a person and who can operate off of that personal understanding who can engender trust. That was the difference between our friend's  failed attempt and the slower but more successful second attempt. He overcame resistance and resentment by becoming a sense maker as he invited the organization to accompany him on the change journey. …

Understanding the needs of 21st century school change, and working with districts that are struggling to do the work set before them on a daily basis while leading forward, takes more than developing, understanding, and leading a shared vision for change. It requires the capacity to understand one's self and to muster up the courage to do the work we were called to do. It calls for moral and ethical behavior. It requires the leader to have the strength to…

We must be careful, as educators, not to allow being 'politically correct' be interpreted as weakness.  In our business, neither strength nor bravery can be associated with demeaning or deriding others. Both in children and adults, labeling and name-calling allows the speaker to express hostility, vitriol, or mockery.  Name-calling is brutal and hurtful and inflammatory.  For some, the shell of defense may be so hard that the receiver does not note the expression as immediately…

A few years ago, we were asked to join Leadership360 to tell Goochland's story about Values-Based Leadership. Since that time, we have seen phenomenal enhancements to and recognitions for our school division; however, we believe it was that initial focus on placing values at the center of our work that has brought us to…