A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 2, 2023

The advent of social media introduced yet another responsibility into my already packed schedule: digital leadership. As a school administrator, one must be proficient in many different areas, but it's essential to maintain sight of the most crucial aspect of the role: pedagogical leadership.

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Leadership K-12 Artifacts Lesson Plan 542

The Hechinger Report

APRIL 8, 2025

In a corner of Huffman High School, the sounds of popping nail guns and whirring table saws fill the architecture and construction classroom. Alabama state law previously required students to take at least four years each of English, math, science and social studies to graduate from high school. BIRMINGHAM, Ala.

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A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 30, 2012

Education is currently at a crossroads as traditional methods and tools are changing as a result of advances in technology and learning theory. We are beginning to see some schools across the country take the lead in merging sound pedagogy with the effective integration of technology. Cross-posted at teach.com.

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A Principal's Reflections

MAY 26, 2019

Educators now have access anytime from anywhere to people, ideas, resources, strategies, and feedback. Even with all the positives associated with what I listed above, the truth of the matter is that much of it doesn’t matter when the realities educators face are not given the attention that they deserve. You can see the tweet below.

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A Principal's Reflections

JULY 9, 2014

Today is the day that I formally announce my decision to step down as New Milford High School Principal, a decision that has been most difficult to make. Image credit: [link] Almost ten years ago, I was presented with an opportunity to begin my educational leadership career at NMHS. My last day will be September 3.

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Leadership K-12 High School Cultures 419

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 27, 2022

When it comes to leadership, there is no one right way or quick fix. From a learning standpoint, this requires a focus on pedagogical leadership , something I learned over time when I was a principal, which required taking a critical lens to my practice if I was going to help my staff do the same.

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A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 30, 2022

One of the most powerful teaching and leadership strategies is the act of modeling. Below is a quick list: I Do, We Do, You Do Think Alouds Explicit Modeling In terms of leadership, example is everything when it comes to empowering people to change. This was a direct follow-up to the model lesson for educators.

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A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 27, 2019

A good deal of the strategies presented came from what we successfully implemented at New Milford High School where I was the former principal. Through the lens of an instructional and leadership coach, I have been able to see firsthand how schools across the country and world are implementing innovative change with this goal in mind.

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A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 8, 2014

For many years New Milford High School was just like virtually every other public school in this country defined solely by traditional indicators of success such as standardized test scores, graduation rates, and acceptances to four year colleges. If education is good for one thing it is making excuses not to move forward.

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A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 2, 2014

When one looks at education in general there is very little change from over 150 years ago. Back then the education system was designed to serve an industrialized world that was in desperate need of skilled factory workers. Fast forward 150 years and you will notice that the world has radically changed, but education has not.

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A Principal's Reflections

OCTOBER 24, 2021

Long gone are the days that a one-size-fits-all education program could even be considered an effective option to meet the needs of every student. Students who find themselves receiving many detentions, suspensions, expulsions, or even incarcerations still deserve a quality education. So why at-promise?

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A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 26, 2014

It really puts into perspective why we make many of the decisions that we do at New Milford High School as to why we decided to implement a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative and don''t mandate the use of one specific tool to support learning. His tweet contained this message, "Don''t let the device drive instruction.

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Artifacts Pedagogy Educational Technology Leadership 403

ED Surge

MARCH 26, 2025

Looking back on my educational journey, I recently reflected on my classroom experiences from kindergarten to fourth grade. The summer before I entered the fourth grade, my mother informed me that I would be attending a new school in my same community with one caveat: it was a class in the gifted and talented education (GATE) program.

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A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 19, 2020

In the end, flexibility will lead to success and is a hallmark of empathetic leadership. By embracing digital leadership, you can connect with others near and far to find out what has been successful in other districts or schools and also veer away from roadblocks that others have encountered.

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A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

Over the past couple of months, the staff at New Milford High School has been diligently creating our own unique learning environments for our students. She embraced the autonomy that she was given in a position that functions as a librarian, media specialist, and educational technology integrator to push the envelop.

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A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 21, 2015

This was a natural connection to my work as a high school principal as you will not find an effective leader who is not an effective communicator. So there I was churning out tweets about everything going on at New Milford High School. In the field of education, schools are considered a brand.

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A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 29, 2020

Thus, I reverted back to what I was comfortable with in terms of what I could control and perceived that educators wanted. It was at this point about four years ago, where I began to embrace and model the very same strategies that were being used at my high school when I was a principal.

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A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 22, 2014

Change has become quite the buzzword in education as of late. You hear it in schools, during face-to-face conversations with educators, at the dinner table, and most emphatically in social media spaces. This is no easy feat, something that I experience each day of my professional life as a high school principal.

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A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 10, 2013

I am very excited about my upcoming book titled “ Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times ” which will be published by Corwin Press. The entire book looks at leadership through the lens of practitioners in the digital age. This education has to be relevant, meaningful, and applicable.

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A Principal's Reflections

OCTOBER 8, 2023

Inclusion is essential for special education (SPED) because it promotes the social and academic development of students with disabilities, fosters a sense of belonging, and prepares them for life outside of school. Collaboration among educators, positive behavior support, and peer interactions are crucial.

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A Principal's Reflections

AUGUST 19, 2018

Growing up as a child I played numerous sports recreationally and in high school. Upon entering high school I was not the best athlete by any means, but football was one sport where I excelled more than others, and this led to some time playing in college.

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Leadership Professional Development Pedagogy High School 365

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 24, 2014

Social media provides educators with a wealth of tools that can be used to engage students and enhance learning. Unfortunately many schools are either too focused on sustaining their testing factories, implementing an array of top-down mandates, or are influenced by the perception and stigma that accompanies social media tools.

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Sociology Leadership Educational Technology High School 307

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 2, 2020

They have utilized me as a keynoter, coach (leadership and teaching), and workshop presenter. During a planning call prior, I was asked to work with special education, math, and reading teachers in particular.

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EdTech K-12 Pedagogy Professional Development 540

ED Surge

JANUARY 21, 2025

Its the best-kept secret in education, to be a school librarian, Rhue says with pride. Jami Rhue : I never thought of librarianship until I went to a job fair for Chicago Public Schools, and they were looking for school librarians. I had earned my masters in the art of teaching elementary education. Its a treat.

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A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 7, 2019

Education can seem like a balancing act between what we as adults feel is essential and what interests our learners. The struggle is real as the former is sometimes emphasized as a result of a school or district’s focus. Think of it as a school within a school. OIive High School in New Jersey has done in this area.

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A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 16, 2014

His work really made me critically reflect upon my leadership practices. The power of social media then connected the both of us leading to him Skyping with the students at New Milford High School, a personal dialogue over the years, and his endorsement of my new book on Digital Leadership.

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Leadership Humanities Social Science Research 367

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 21, 2020

We don’t know for sure what education will look like in the future, but one thing is for sure, and that is the need to adapt and evolve. The pandemic shuttered schools across the globe, and lessons, some of which were very hard, were learned. Some might argue that education has always embraced this approach. Canady, R.

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A Principal's Reflections

AUGUST 20, 2023

For various reasons, educators are enamored by the keynoting circuit, facilitating presentations at both national and international events, and coaching in school systems. It can also be stated emphatically that I was not looking to leave New Milford High School or was forced out. Educators don’t want more things to do.

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Leadership Pedagogy Cultures High School 362

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

The summer of 2013 was probably one of the most important hiring years during my seven-year tenure as a high school principal. Now don’t get me wrong, I hired so many amazing educators over the years and will forever be indebted to the incredible work they did for our students.

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A Principal's Reflections

AUGUST 21, 2022

A meta-analysis of 213 school-based, universal social and emotional learning (SEL) programs involving 270,034 kindergarten through high school students showed promising results. As this model shows, the impact of rigorous and relevant teaching and learning relies on strong student-educator relationships.

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A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 29, 2019

No matter your position in education, you have gone through some form of professional development. Now, don’t get me wrong; some educators find value in the experiences I have outlined above and have gone on to change their respective practice for the better. However, I would say an equal amount have found little to no benefit.

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Professional Development Artifacts Leadership Research 417

The Hechinger Report

FEBRUARY 4, 2025

Theres a half-billion-dollar federal program that is supposed to help students with disabilities get into the workforce when they leave high school, but most parents and even some school officials dont know it exists. I just wish we could have gotten help while he was still in high school. That was the hope.

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High School Library Government Public School 131

Digital Promise

JULY 15, 2021

For more than 30 years, California’s Outreach and Technical Assistance Network ( OTAN ) has been at the forefront of meeting the technology needs of adult education providers, including English as a Second Language (ESL), Adult Basic Education (ABE), Adult Secondary Education (ASE), and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

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A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 16, 2020

I often tell audiences during keynotes and workshops that my role isn’t to tell anyone what to do, but instead to get educators to think critically about what they do. The fact for many in education is that we teach the way we were taught and lead the way we were led. Initially, this can be a tough pill to swallow.

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A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 28, 2014

The year began like so many others had in the past with me as Principal of New Milford High School. This year was no different in strengthening my resolve to lead without fear, learn collaboratively with a global network of passionate educators, and be the change I wished to see in education (with the help of many of you).

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K-12 Leadership High School Cultures 290

The Hechinger Report

DECEMBER 2, 2024

There is no one roadmap for success after high school, and schools should consider structuring curriculum and career services to reflect that. Educators do a disservice to students by implying that college bestows the only path toward financial independence and employment. What jobs are available where you want to live?”

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High School Leadership Economics Private School 114

The Hechinger Report

AUGUST 13, 2024

Like many high school chemistry teachers, Angie Hackman instructs students on atoms, matter and, she says, how they “influence the world around us.” Yet, by the time students graduate, he said, the goal at the secondary school is that they have “reading levels ready for college.”

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