Solving the issue of wavering student engagement is no easy task. But it's an important one. Consider this scenario. You ask a high school student - "What do you want to do after high school?" The answer? "I don't know." As students get closer to graduation, most of us [...]
Chronic absenteeism, referring to a student who is missing more than 10% of the school year, is of rising concern for schools and districts nationwide. Rates have doubled since the pandemic; from pre-pandemic levels of 13% to 26% for the 2022-23 school year. When students aren’t in school, they [...]
As a new principal, I realized that I have a tragic flaw when it comes to leadership. To flip an old cliché, my issue is that I often don't see the trees for the forest. I am a big picture thinker to a fault. As a teacher, focusing on the [...]
Most of us have heard of the terms “first period” or “second period” class when students are describing their high school schedules, but how about Zero Period? Sound familiar? Well, if your answer is “no,” this article is for you. Even if you have heard of a Zero Period, [...]
There are often times in school schedules when there is a planned period of non-academic studies. For example, middle schools and high schools sometimes allow students to have an activity, advisory, flex, or study period. However, there may be questions about how to use this time productively, while giving [...]
I made a few promises to myself when I became an administrator: find opportunities to teach regularly, really listen to teachers to involve them heavily in the decision making process, and remember that education is a relationship business at its core. I had seen too many good teachers go into [...]
Not a new concept, schools have had interventions in place over the years to support their students. However, not all attempts at interventions have resulted in success. While some schools do not have the means to change or update their intervention methods, many interventions of the past offered no [...]
Why is student voice important in schools? Well, you know that feeling when no one seems to be listening to what you’re trying to say? Most of us have experienced that feeling from time to time. And likely, we brush it off. But what if you felt like this [...]
Have you heard of Response to Intervention (RTI) or maybe Multiple Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). How about the term 'flex block'? Many schools have implemented what's called a 'flex block' into their schedule, to make time in the school day for interventions, extra help, and more. But is this [...]
Secondary students face a unique set of challenges. In middle school, it’s the rough transition from the comfort of elementary school to high school. For high-schoolers, as they near closer and closer to graduation, its “What am I going to do with my life?” Secondary students need help through [...]