Building staff morale? Invite your team to identify their “principles of practice.”

Leaders like you often lead from your core values – with guiding principles shaping your work. For leader Peg Grafwallner, an important piece of school leadership is inviting teachers to identify and celebrate their own guiding principles.

Her process, carried out over a staff meeting or two, can strengthen your team’s shared foundation.



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Leader tips to create a meaningful Teacher Appreciation Week

by  |  4.8.25

If you think back to your years as a classroom educator, what’s one special thing you loved about Teacher Appreciation Week? It may not have been a big gesture, but it made you feel truly valued as an educator.❤️ The appreciation you and your fellow leaders share can last through all the years of an […]

How we cut chronic absenteeism in half

by  |  2.4.25

When I took the helm as principal of Nathanael Greene Middle School in April 2023, one in every two students was chronically absent. This school boasted a celebrated history, but at the time, it ranked in the bottom 1% of the state – a one-star school.  It was identified for comprehensive support and school improvement.  […]