I’m a STEM coach, which puts me in a unique position as an instructional leader. I’m a member of the leadership team, but I’m not a principal or administrator. I’m an educator but not a current classroom teacher. As a result of my role, I am able to see what leaders and teachers each prioritize […]
Many of your fellow leaders have expressed the desire to recruit and retain more educators of color, and Principal Project has partnered with leader Sharif El-Mekki to share his insights on what it means to build a school environment that is inclusive and empowering for all educators. Sharif is a former principal and founder of […]
Every school leader knows the importance of retaining and nurturing new teachers. In fact, research shows that retaining quality educators is one of the most impactful ways leaders can boost student achievement – but many new teachers find their first few years challenging, especially those who’ve entered the classroom during the pandemic. That’s why I […]
I believe that my duty, as a principal and an educator, is to rigorously practice heart-centered, care-centered and belonging-centered engagement with students, staff and families. I’m 100% clear that this is a tall order. In our daily work, we’re up against hundreds of years of inequity and systemic injustices – including in the education space. […]
Happy National Principals Month! You do so much for the school communities you lead – and you deserve to be taken care of, too! We’ve collaborated with your fellow leaders to collect some gifts to make your National Principals Month extra special. Download each of the items below to complete your care package! Phone Backgrounds […]
I lead a high school in a beautiful, vibrant community, with 90% students of color and an active, devoted alumni association. It also happens to be a school in which over 90% of students qualify for free and reduced lunch – and one of the lowest performing schools in the city. In a school balancing […]
Over the past several years, Baltimore City Public Schools has been working to transform schools and communities by fully implementing restorative practices (RP). As leader Karen Webber puts it, RP has been a primary tool in working to end the school-to-prison pipeline, advocating for students in crisis and reducing arrests and suspensions across the city […]
As your school year gets under way, we wanted to share some favorite #PrincipalHacks from your fellow leaders, covering everything from family connections to must-have supplies. Thank you for everything you’re doing to support teachers and students right now – from big undertakings to small, meaningful “hacks.”
I stopped holding staff meetings three years ago. You know, the kinds of meetings where a school leader makes a series of announcements about deadlines, and teachers passively listen (or maybe do a little grading). After some serious self reflection and feedback from my staff, I replaced them with “Faculty Huddles,” where our team gets […]
I hadn’t planned to answer the secretaries’ phones – but I’m so glad I did.