Selling products and services to schools can be very difficult. In a few weeks I will attend the ISTE Conference in Atlanta, where I will spend most of the time talking with select companies who will be promoting their wares in the Expo Hall to the thousands of educators in attendance. I plan to collect survey information from these for-profit and non-profit companies to see what we can learn from their experiences in working with schools.

Topics: Administration, Current Events

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Topics: Webinar, Administration, School Culture, Enrollment

Washington, DC
June 1, 2014

Topics: Administration, School Design, Board Culture

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Four years ago we loaded up our vehicles to move my oldest daughter into a college dorm. After the three hour trip and the emotions of this major life transition, we weren't exactly ready for the energy required to unload her belongings. Much to our surprise and delight, immediately upon parking in front of her dorm our car was surrounded by smiling upperclassmen who were prepared to do the grunt work. Amazingly all of the boxes, pillows, decor, and other items were carted to her room in less than ten minutes! My daughter was excited to meet some of the students and we were relieved not to have to walk those stairs so many times. That was an awesome first experience that I obviously haven't forgotten.

Topics: Administration, School Culture, Marketing

April showers bring May flowers. After such a long, hard winter we're all ready for spring, but the spring season brings with it some big challenges for school leaders.

Topics: Administration, Leadership, Culture

 

Topics: Communication, Administration

Have you spent any time with a school administrator lately? Stressful isn't it? Too often he or she hurries from place to place, talking to lots of people but connecting with few. Living in a constant state of overload and chaos, the goal is more survival than vision.

Topics: Administration, Personal Reinvention

Spanking is legal for school leaders in Kansas, and in most other states. Is spanking in schools a viable discipline option today?

A Kansas state representative wants to give this discipline option more impact (Spanking Bill in Kansas Sparks Controversy). A bill has been introduced that would give school leaders greater authority to spank, "by allowing teachers and caregivers to spank children up to 10 times, possibly causing redness and bruising."

Topics: Administration, Current Events

Sometimes the biggest threat to your leadership and career is you.

• If you lose your love for your personal mission--which hopefully aligns extremely well with your school's mission--your productivity will decline, impacting the entire community.
• If you fail to adapt to new opportunities for growth because of tradition or fear, you will yield leadership to your competitors.

Topics: Administration, School Culture, Engagement, Personal Reinvention, Leadership

In response to a question about what he thinks has contributed most to Facebook's success, billionaire Mark Zuckerberg said, "When I look back over the last 10 years, one of the questions that I ask myself is, why were we the ones to help do this? And I think a lot of what it comes down to is, we just cared more." (Today Show)

Topics: Administration, School Design, School Culture, Current Events, Faculty