During this week, Halloween 2019, kids and adults across the country will be putting on masks and costumes and pretending to be someone or something else than who they really are. Young and old love this holiday and the tradition of dressing up and taking on another identity. After the party, or after the trick-or-treating…
I’ve always liked baseball, yet the older I get the less I watch. I’ve also enjoyed coaching my son’s baseball team over the years, but he has now switched to lacrosse, so my exposure to baseball has really been diminished in the last couple of years. My sister Suzanne (Suzy Pinstripe) is a huge Yankees…
For Already Burdened Principals, Budget Control Remains Elusive —Getty and Laura Baker/Education Week By Denisa R. Superville September 24, 2019 Researchers who study school finance have long argued that principals should have more control over how money is spent in their buildings because they are closest to their school, staff, and students and in a better…
I had two amazing opportunities this past weekend, Columbus Day weekend 2019. I was able to be part of two celebrations and recognition ceremonies. In reflection, a couple of days later, I am filled with joy and awe. The first was to be present as part of the receiving party welcoming a group of returning…
There are so many components that make up a great educator leader. One could write 100 blogs about all of the components, yet one thing I think about often is this simple concept: How can I help you? versus What do you want? We have hundreds of requests throughout our work week: communicating with students, parents,…
It was a late Friday afternoon in the fall, and I was running the cross country loop at a local school. One of those beautiful, yet warm afternoons where it still feels like summer. There was a field hockey team finishing up their practice by running laps around the track as I passed by on…
Another story from my excellent trip to Montreal in August 2019: I’m a bit old-fashioned in some ways, and one of those is to send postcards to loved ones from the places I visit. I was on a summer trip to Montreal with my college buddies, and I wanted to send my children and my…
We are so fortunate in our roles as school leaders to be able to have a significant impact on the lives of others each and every day. I had an amazing experience over the weekend of September 13th and 14th, 2019. It was the 50th anniversary of my in-laws Patricia and Eugene Grimes. They are…
Experience can be extremely valuable. I have been at my school, Port Jervis High School now for 15 years. Seven as Assistant Principal, and eight as Principal. I have met tremendous educators who have provided different perspectives, opinions, and certainly advice to me over the years. One of my favorites was from my friend, former…
Blog #77 I got the best students You always want to have the right story at the right time, for the right audience. This is a copy of the story I told on opening day at my school to our staff in Port Jervis, New York. There are several takeaways from the story, and it…