I stumbled across a tweet from a high school classmate that resonated with me for a couple of reasons. First, this was something I emphasized to my teachers. Yes, we take the culture of our school seriously, and we do want to hold firm to our strict discipline policy; however, we are in the business…
We are entering our third week of 2020, and I had a chance to reflect on my goals for this year, my goals as an educator and as a principal. I was never one for New Year’s resolutions, but in a year where I want different results as a principal and educator, I figured it…
Today, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On this day, we celebrate his life and his legacy. We remember and are thankful for how we have progressed as black people because of his leadership during one of the most challenging times in history. Even though it has been 51 years since he was assassinated,…
Dear Kountry Kitchen, Let me tell you what you mean to me. Kountry Kitchen was my go-to soul food spot in Indianapolis. It recently became a place for me to clear my mind. A few months ago, I went through something professionally that had some personal ramifications, and it had me a little down. A…
Recently, I had to send a letter to parents at my school about how they should act when they are in the building visiting their scholars. We have an open-door policy that allows parents to come and visit their scholar’s class anytime as long as they stop by the front office and sign in. Their…
As I look back, there are so many aspects that I wish I had known as a teacher. For some reason lately, I have been reflecting a lot on my teaching career. I have been trying to go back to my toolbox and determine what made me a successful teacher to capture that same magic…
I tweeted, “Why don’t parents attend parent-teacher conferences?” It was a serious question that I have been wondering about for quite some time. It is on my mind even more as we approach our first parent-teacher conferences. In the past two weeks, we have made available sign-in sheets for parents to schedule time with their…
I get asked all the time do I enjoy being a principal. Every time I am asked, my answer comes and quick and is always the same. “I have the best job in the world.” When people hear how sure I am about enjoying being a principal, they assume it must be really easy. Let…
Dear Future Teachers, I wonder what many of you are doing. Some of you are still in high school, trying to navigate through your teenage years. I remember my time in high school. My high school was full of sports and hanging with my friends. It was in high school when I realized that I…
There is a lot of talk about what children learn while in school. During the school day, we must ensure our children receive quality instruction that pushes them academically to be critical thinkers. The curriculum during the school day must be rigorous, engaging, and culturally competent. Just as crucial as learning during the school day…