Will you achieve a breakthrough in the next 90 days? You may have a strategic plan for communicating your vision, but what about your tactical plan? This week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, a group of schools gathered in Atlanta to participate in our Innovation Workshop, developing a tactical plan to achieve remarkable results by September 30th. 

An article in the Washington Post yesterday highlighted the life-changing experience for 1st graders who survived a shooting massacre on their playground in Townville Elementary on September 28, 2016. No child should have to endure such a horrific experience, and the long-term impact is real.

What is your biggest headache as a school leader?
What's keeping your school from growing?
What if you could start fixing that problem immediately?

It was late on a Friday afternoon in southern California. The sky was crystal clear with a light breeze. Under such ideal conditions, going inside a building for a school board retreat is difficult because your mind keeps urging to linger outside a little longer. 

The invitations were sent out to the board members two months ago, followed by reminders every few weeks. Delicious snacks were delivered and setup by the spouse of the chief administrator (including peanut M&M's--the best!). The room was thoughtfully arranged in an effort to foster productive conversation.

St. Anthony High School (Jersey City, NJ) is terminating operations this month. After 65+ years of service to a diverse population, the leadership ran out of money because the economic model of the school was unsustainable. It's a harsh reality that President Bob Hurley, Sr., and his team were unable to overcome. I'm sad for the families of Jersey City and the many students and alumni who will be impacted by the loss of this important community institution.

Prakash Nair is a guru of 21st century school design. He's written two books that expound on his philosophy and share the process used by Fielding Nair (FNI) to fashion cost-effective renovations of current buildings and to create remarkably inspiring new facilities. The latest one is, Blueprint for Tomorrow: Redesigning Schools for Student-Centered Learning.

Read this book before you plan your next building!

March is a frenetic time of year for educators, and I'm not just talking about college basketball's version of March Madness™ with Cinderella upset stories and incessant variations of the tune, "One Shining Moment."  Picking the winners on your Tournament Challenge bracket isn't the real madness that is driving your school crazy. It's far worse than that!

Consider the following statement when thinking about your next board retreat:

"If my school board would _______ we would be 100% more effective.”

The purpose of asking the board to set apart time for a retreat is to reset. It’s a time where the board is setting aside time to rejuvenate and set clear objectives. You need to make sure you’re pursuing a board retreat plan that will allow you to set goals for the whole organization as well as to collect feedback on existing objectives.

The future of American education is will very likely involve a return to its roots: A diverse or plural school system. Did you know that the United States had pluralistic school systems in its first 100 years? 

If you are an education leader, teacher, school board member, legislator, parent, or care at all about schools, I've recently discovered a book that you MUST read. It's Dr. Ashley Berner's book: No One Way to School: Pluralism and American Public Education. Dr. Berner is Deputy Director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and is an historian by training.

Mark Greenberg is one of the chief architects of the remarkable entrepreneurship program at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy in Philadelphia, PA. The Sands Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership was established through an innovative vision that recognizes
the need for schools to produce job creators--not just job-appliers. Very few schools have the combination of curriculum, instruction, and culture that makes this such a successful model for others to emulate.