The end of the school year can bring up a variety of emotions. Many of us are relieved about the break ahead, but it’s also normal to feel sadness, frustration, and plain old fatigue—especially when testing, graduation, and perhaps a few behavioral spikes are on the calendar ahead.
Category: School Culture & Climate
5 Ways to Stay Inspired Through June
school cultureStudent Engagementwhole school wellness
5 Ways to Keep Everyone Engaged at Graduation
For schools that begin in August and end in June, the 2025–26 school year is almost over. That means that here at Kaʻiulani Elementary School in Honolulu, HI, we’ve already started planning our promotion ceremony. It’ll be a celebration that unites our Hawaiian ‘ohana (family) with a unique blend of history, hula, and chocolate haupia pie.
elementarySchool Leadership
An Elementary School Principal’s Shoutout for Her AP
In honor of AP Week, April 6–10, School of Thought asked Jana Clark, the principal of Boyd Elementary School in Boyd, TX, to highlight the stellar work of Cortnie Bryan, the assistant principal. In many schools, it’s work that often goes unseen. But it’s vital to the success of all school communities PreK–12.
3 Strategies for Elevating Student Voice
I’m a huge advocate for student voice and its impact on school culture. With National Student Leadership Week, April 20–24, fast approaching next month, I wanted to share my top three strategies for elevating student voice in school.
Our Student Showcase for Black History Month
South Florida is a cultural melting pot, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, is no different. Our 3,100 students represent a wide variety of cultures, which we celebrate intentionally 365 days of the year.
Leadership Is a Funny Business
Humor has always been a part of my life. In fifth grade, I created my own joke book and sold copies to my friends for 25 cents each. In high school, they had to create an entirely new category just for me. I was voted “Class Joker”—because “Class Clown” didn’t fit. I told jokes; I didn’t make armpit noises.
The Giving Tree
I’ve always dreaded winter break. While my classmates looked forward to family celebrations, I prepared for loneliness. The absence of a “normal” family weighed heavily on me, a quiet ache I carried this time of the year. Christmas, once magical in my childhood, slowly lost its warmth the older I got, leaving only reminders of […]
5 Must-Read Posts in Honor of National Principals Month
Today marks the start of October, that special month when we honor principals nationwide. To kick off the celebration of your hard work and dedication, we’re re-upping the following School of Thought posts from our members—middle and high school principals and assistant principals just like you.
LeadershipReflection & Growthschool climateschool culture
Honoring My Heritage This Hispanic Heritage Month
As a child of immigrants, I have always taken great pride in being an American of Mexican descent. My earliest memories include long family trips driving six hours south to visit relatives in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, the Mexican border town across from Presidio, TX. Spanish was my first language, and at home, my parents spoke almost […]
Combating Spring Absenteeism
Spring in a beach town is beautiful and a bit of a nightmare for school attendance. At Keansburg High School in Keansburg, NJ, where chronic absenteeism peaked at 40% post-pandemic, the warming weather often signals a drop in engagement. With its beach, boardwalk, and amusement park, our town is known as the gateway to the […]