Summer Is The Time To "Sharpen The Saw"

Effective Ways for School Principals to "Sharpen the Saw" This Summer

As school principals, our role as educational leaders demands continuous growth and self-improvement. Just as a saw becomes dull with use and requires sharpening to maintain its effectiveness, you too need to invest in your personal and professional development. The summer break presents a valuable opportunity to reflect, recharge, and enhance your skills. Here are four effective ways to "sharpen the saw" this summer:

1. Reflect and Refine:

Use the summer break to reflect on the previous school year. Take the time to evaluate your successes, challenges, and areas for improvement. Consider gathering feedback from your staff, students, and parents. Reflecting on your experiences will help you identify areas that require attention and provide insights for refining your strategies. Use this knowledge to set goals and plan for the upcoming year.

2. Engage in Targeted Professional Development:

Summer is an ideal time to engage in professional development opportunities that align with your goals and aspirations. Seek out conferences, workshops, and seminars that focus on areas such as instructional leadership, educational technology, curriculum development, or student well-being. Explore online courses or webinars that provide flexibility in terms of scheduling. Continuous learning will equip you with the latest research, trends, and best practices in education.

3. Foster Collaboration and Networking:

Effective school leadership thrives on collaboration and networking. Use the summer break to connect with your peers, both locally and globally. Join professional organizations, educational forums, or social media groups where you can exchange ideas, seek advice, and share experiences. Engaging in meaningful conversations with other principals will broaden your perspective and help you discover innovative approaches to common challenges. Collaborative partnerships can also pave the way for future professional development opportunities or joint projects.

4. Embrace Personal Renewal:

While dedicating time to professional growth is crucial, pay attention to the importance of personal renewal. Take advantage of the summer break to relax, recharge, and engage in activities that bring you joy. Spend quality time with loved ones, pursue hobbies, read books for pleasure, or engage in physical exercise. Prioritizing self-care will replenish your energy levels, enhance your overall well-being, and equip you with the resilience needed to face the demands of the upcoming school year.


As a school principal, investing in your personal and professional development is vital to enhancing your leadership skills. The summer break offers a valuable opportunity to "sharpen the saw" and prepare for the challenges ahead. Reflect on your experiences, engage in targeted professional development, foster collaboration, and embrace personal renewal. By dedicating time to these areas, you will be well-prepared, rejuvenated, and ready to lead your school toward more tremendous success in the upcoming academic year.

Four "Must Do's" For The Summer Of 2023

I shared these four "Must Do's" with my staff on the last day of school.  Consider these for the summer of 2023.

1)  Have Fun!

• Spend time with the people that bring you joy.
• Enjoy special times with family and friends.
• Go places you enjoy!
• Find a variety of activities you enjoy and do them!  Don't wait!

2) Try something NEW!

• Go someplace you have never gone.
• Learn a new skill.
• Take a cooking class or an art class.
• Do something you have never, ever, tried before.  
• Don't be afraid to be bad at something!  It's ok!  The learning experience is worth it!

3) Reflect!

• Be aware of how good we have it.  On a bad day, we have it better than BILLIONS of people worldwide.  Have perspective.  
• Think about what went well this year.  Prepare to do more of it next year!
• Think about what didn't go well.  What did you learn from it?  Do it better next year!

4) Be Healthy!

• Take care of your mind, body, and spirit.
• Eat well.  
• Exercise.  Stretch.
• Meditate, attend church, or find other ways to attend to your spiritual needs.
• Have gratitude.
• Remember, without our health, the rest really does not matter. 

Be well and enjoy your summer!

Success Takes Hard Work

 “Success is a result of consistent practice of winning skills and actions. There is nothing miraculous about the process.  There is no luck involved. Amateurs hope, professionals work.”

-Bill Russell, 11 time NBA Champion

As an eleven time NBA champion, Bill Russell knows what it takes to be successful.  Whether on the basketball court, in business, or in school, success takes hard work- and a lot of it.  In order of our children to be “champions” in school, their winning skills include Reading and Math.  These skills seldom come easy.   It requires daily practice of these skills in school and at home.  In school, we devote a minimum of 90 minutes a day to Reading, and a minimum of 60 minutes a day to Mathematics.  At home, children need to dedicate time each night to read, study, and practice their mathematics skills.  The practice of these winning skills should be every day, including weekends.  The time should be focused and distraction free.  This means no TV, no YouTube, and no cell phone.  Allow nothing that will shift focus away from the task at hand.  The time on each need not be long.  Consistency is what is most important.  Studying, reading and math practice should be engaging for children.  It can even be fun!  There are great educational board games and card games, tablet/computer games, and study games you can play with your child.  Reading together is enjoyable and a great way to increase the time you spend with your child.  Your child is a “professional” student.  Their job from Kindergarten to 12^th grade is school.  If they put in the quality time practicing, they will learn the necessary skills.  With this hard work, success will come!    

Problem Solving and Creative Thinking are Essential Skills

 

"I AM CONVINCED THAT HUMAN FLIGHT IS BOTH POSSIBLE AND PRACTICAL."

-WILBUR WRIGHT, 1899

At the time Wilbur Wright made this statement this was a completely radical and unbelievable concept.  To most people the idea of humans flying was absurd!  However, a little over 70 years later man was not only flying, but we were sending people to the moon.  In a person’s lifetime, they could have marveled at the first flight in 1903, and seen the first flight to the moon on television in 1969.  That is an astounding accomplishment in a relatively short period of time.

Since the time of the first flight, thousands of jobs that never existed have been created-  pilots, airplane mechanics, and air traffic controllers just to name a few.  Students going to school during the time Wilbur and Orville were experimenting with flight could never have imagined these careers.  The same holds true today. The careers that our children need to be prepared for may not even exist today.  So, how can we make sure our children are ready?  We need to prepare them to be problem solvers and creative thinkers.  They need to know how to work collaboratively with others to accomplish a goal. Students need the opportunity to struggle through difficult challenges and find solutions.  Students also need a solid background in the basics- reading, writing, and mathematics- to be prepared for their future.  They need to put this knowledge to use with new challenges.  Who knows what the future may bring.  But, if we give our children the necessary skills, they will be prepared for whatever careers come along.

Lessons From A Trail Hike

 

Last summer I went on an overnight trail hike with a friend.  You know, the kind real "backpackers" do.  We had talked about it a few times, and our schedules finally allowed for it.  I packed a large hiking backpack full of all the things I needed to survive on the trail for a few days, and he planned a route for us on the Tuscarora Trail.  

The experience was not exactly what I hoped.  But, as with many things, there are lessons to be learned!  Here are a few of my takeaways from our trip:

1) There are lots of good, friendly people out there!

My truck got a flat tire before we even arrived at the start of the trail.  As it happens, there was a guy coming back from a hike with his dog who pointed this out to me and helped us change the tire.  While I am certain we could have done it without him, his help made the job quicker and easier!  A complete stranger who took time from his day to help us out, just because he knew he had skills.  There are lots of kind people around!  

2) I am an over-packer, and it's not ok!

I did some research and determined what I needed for this trip.  Then, as I usually do, I packed way more of it than what was needed.   On a typical trip, this doesn't usually cause a big problem.  But, when you have to carry all you have packed on your back for many miles and many hours, it creates sore shoulders.  This is an area I must improve on!  The one thing I didn't pack enough of was clothing for the cool evening temperatures.... This made for some cold sleeping conditions.

3)  Stop and fill up your canteen at every water source you come across!

Hydration on a hike like this is critical.   I had the experience of being extremely dehydrated when I did the Tough Mudder a few years ago.  This is not something I want to repeat.  Filling your canteens with clean water is essential.  I found the water sources to be less prevalent than I imagined.   While I only got slightly dehydrated, I did get nervous a little.  The other clear lesson here is also to take advantage of opportunities when they come up.  You never know when you'll have the chance again!

4)  Fully committing yourself to a goal is always a good thing.  Especially when it's hard!

I'll admit that this hike was a lot harder than I expected.  There was a section on day one that was an exhausting 1.5 miles straight up.  The majority of our hike on day two, about 7 or 8 miles, was all on very large rocks.  Nothing that appeared like a trail to me!   My feet hurt.  My shoulders hurt.  And it's clear my cardiovascular endurance is not what it used to be!   However, once you are out on the trail you are fully committed.  You can't call time out.  You can't call for a ride.  You have to keep going until you get to the next destination.  This "full commitment" is a challenge and one that makes you a better person for completing it.  Seeing something that is difficult through to the end is always rewarding.

5) Always stop and enjoy the views!

   

 

COMPLIMENTS MATTER!

“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”
-Mark Twain

 

“Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me.” A nice idea, but unfortunately, it is not true.  Bones sometimes heal much quicker than feelings.  Our words have more power than we imagine.  Why not use our words for the positive power they have.  A kind word can be such a wonderful thing!  Everyone enjoys being complimented. 

The acknowledgment of our children’s good work is perhaps the best reward we can give.  It doesn’t cost a dime and can yield benefits that are worth millions.  Children respond well to positive praise.  It may not last two months, but it is sure to last longer than many of the prizes we give away.  These kind words are motivational, and inspire children to continue to work hard and be successful.  

Find specific things to compliment your child about every day.  Looking for ideas??  A quick Google search will yield hundreds!!   One of the great things about giving a compliment is that it makes you feel just as good for giving it as the person does for receiving it!

Children Need Our Presence More Than Our Presents

 

“Children Need Our Presence More Than Our Presents”   -Jesse Jackson

With the holiday season upon us, we are reminded that the most valued gifts don't come from a store.  While I too love to give and receive presents, I would like to suggest that we think about giving our children a different kind of gift: The gift of TIME.  To quote Jesse Jackson, “Children need our presence more than our presents.”  When the toys have broken, a newer game system replaces the one you just bought, new clothes have worn out, and the toy that you weren’t able to purchase is all the rage, the gift of our presence in our child’s life will still be available.  It is a gift that cannot be replaced and never goes out of style.

  

Take some time this holiday season to do something fun with your children.  It shouldn’t be something that costs any money.  The focus should be on you and your child, not the activity.  It can be reading to your child, playing a game together, taking a walk together, or anything you can imagine that gives you time to be with your child.  This is a gift that will last them a lifetime. Long from now, when your children have children of their own, this will be the gift they can then pass on.  It will be the gift that means more to them than any toy or piece of clothing ever could.  So, take some time this busy holiday season and give the gift of time to your child.  Happy Holidays!