A Previous Graduation Speech-Shared Again Below is the final graduation speech I gave to the Class of 2021. A recent visit to Newfoundland and a request from a previous staff member has pushed me to share it again. This is one portion of that speech. Quotations are a very common device to use in aContinue reading “Education Can Save Your Life”
Category Archives: Leadership
Building Your Classes for Next Year
An Interesting Idea came to me when we were beginning our new school. Originally I thought we would only need this process in the first couple of years, but I was incorrect. We ended up repeating this procedure each year around this time as a ‘way we do things around here’ . The response fromContinue reading “Building Your Classes for Next Year”
A Staff Learning Library
A Interesting Idea to get great resources into the school for staff professional learning Here’s an Interesting Idea to expose your staff to great professional learning. This idea will show staff that you are investing in their learning and change the focus of your staff meetings. Bottom line, staff that are learning and developing areContinue reading “A Staff Learning Library”
Friday Phone Calls
A small amount of time can make a huge difference for a child. Another Interesting Idea that I adopted early in my administration career was something I heard at a conference from Todd Whitaker. I heard him speak when I was a teacher and considering leadership and this one Interesting Idea stuck with me. IContinue reading “Friday Phone Calls”
Mornings Are Hard
How students start the day doesn’t have to be. Mornings are hard. How can you make coming to school comforting and predictable for students? For each of us we know how difficult mornings can be. Not only getting ourselves ready but others in your life. Your morning routine is probably set (same time waking, sameContinue reading “Mornings Are Hard”
Be Visible
What do I consider the number one leadership behaviour that has the greatest impact on school climate and culture? Actually, when you think of the deep connections in all effective school research you could easily make the argument that this one behaviour impacts academic achievement, sense of belonging, engagement, etc. You name it andContinue reading “Be Visible”
End the Day With Joy
Hanging Out With My Kindergarten Friends! Five minutes could make all the difference! The Interesting Idea this week is all about five minutes I would honour at the end of the day in order to finish the instructional day on a high note. Regardless of what happened earlier I knew these five minutes could turnContinue reading “End the Day With Joy”
Record Holders
Create Your Own School Book of Records Each year around this time we would run an annual event to bring some joy and enthusiasm into our school. Coming out of winter and heading into spring, we all needed a boost of positive school energy. The Book of Records! We would involve our intermediate students, gradeContinue reading “Record Holders”
Students Building School Culture
School Ambassadors Consider starting a School Ambassador Program at your school. These are students in multiple grades who are your school spirit culture promoters! We had so many students in our school who were multi-lingual and knew we needed to tap into this resource. Not only to give them the opportunity to volunteer their timeContinue reading “Students Building School Culture”
Ed, the Superstar!
As the leader in your school do you know everyone’s name? Do they all know you? We have all experienced that frightening feeling when you are out and someone comes up to you (in my case, very much younger) and says, “Do you remember me? You were my teacher/principal.” Who is the most popular atContinue reading “Ed, the Superstar!”
Peter Marshall Consulting 