Veterans Day holds a special place in my heart, both as a school leader and as the proud son of a Vietnam Veteran. My father served honorably and later dedicated himself to community service through our local VFW post. I grew up volunteering alongside him at events like our small town’s Rodeo and Apple Festival, witnessing the deep bonds veterans share and the values they uphold. Those experiences profoundly shaped my values and ultimately inspired me to pursue a career in education to pass those values along.
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Honoring Our Veterans and Inspiring the Next Generation
What Your Students Can Teach You About Elections
As a middle school principal, I live by the mantra “I never lose; I either win or learn.” This guiding principle instills trust in my students and staff, encouraging them to explore their innovative ideas. And if things don’t go as planned, we still grow from the experience. It’s about creating opportunities for students to engage deeply with the world around them, to discover their voices, and to understand the power of collective action.
(more…)Middle School Leaders NetworkNASSP Principal of the Year Alumni NetworkWomen in School Leadership Network
Representing National Student Council at the White House
Last month, Kaylyn Woods, vice president of leadership development for the National Student Council (NSC), proudly represented student leaders from across the nation during an afternoon visit to the White House. The visit October 10th visit was part of a White House event in partnership with the National Partnership for Student Success.
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Student-Led Philanthropy With LLS
As educational leaders, we know one thing for sure: Our students are amazing! I am happy to say that another organization, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), knows this too. During the 2023–24 school year, a group of students at New Jersey’s Burlington City High School (BCHS) partnered with LLS’s student-led, philanthropic program, Student Visionaries of the Year, and made a lasting impact on our students, school, and community. Our students used their voices and agency toward advocacy, developing outstanding skills as they completed a seven-week fundraising campaign to help LLS in their mission to end blood cancers.
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Three Ways to Prevent Bullying Year-Round
October is Bullying Prevention and Awareness Month. While it is important to explicitly acknowledge this month in our schools, school leaders also have a responsibility to support students and staff all year to create a safe and positive learning environment. At State College Area High School in State College, PA, here are three ways we do it.
(more…)PAEMST Honors Teachers in Schools Like Yours
As a principal, you know better than anyone that teachers are the backbone of your school. Their commitment to serving the next generation and their dedication to going above and beyond make them pillars of the community. Now, more than ever, they deserve to be recognized for their excellence and, as a principal, you know what excellence looks like.
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Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Arapahoe Schools
Every year on October 14th, students and staff at Arapahoe Schools come together to celebrate two important aspects of their community: their rich cultural heritage and the legacy of a Tribal Elder, Neiwoo Woxu’ Niibei (Grandma Lucy Willow). Neiwoo Lucy Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day are not just a mark on the calendar; it is a day when we honor the history and cultural identity of the students who attend this small school on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Central Wyoming.
(more…)Building CultureDEINASSP Principal of the Year Alumni Networkschool cultureWomen in School Leadership Network
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: A Call to Action
Because I am a Latino principal, Hispanic Heritage Month has always held special significance for me. It serves as an essential reminder to celebrate the richness and diversity of Hispanic cultures and to honor the many contributions of individuals and events that have shaped our history. While we take time to reflect on our past achievements and express gratitude for our progress, it is essential to recognize the challenges that still lie ahead.
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Why NASSP Webinars Are Worth Attending
It’s important for me, as a high school principal, to stay up to date on the latest trends that affect our students and be prepared for potential impacts on education. I am currently in my third year as a principal. Previously, I served as an assistant principal for two years.
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The Power of One: How a Single AP Course Can Transform Students’ Futures
Some of the benefits of Advanced Placement® (AP)—including building skills for college and career and providing an opportunity to earn college credit and placement—are familiar to many educators.
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Three Ways to Build Connection, Culture, and Community This School Year
For principals, experiencing challenging years is inevitable. Putting our best foot forward right out of the starting gate is essential to setting us on a positive path to building a strong, connected school community. Conflicts with student schedules, staff morale issues, and parental concerns about academic pressure and mental health status are among the few in a very long list of potential variables that we manage on a regular basis. Having spent time in the valley, I can tell you how great the view is when you reach the mountain top and look down to find that you just experienced your best opening week in 28 years of education. Here’s how I found that “mountain view” and how you can, too.
(more…)NASSP Announces Principal of the Year Finalists
NASSP today announced its top three contenders for the 2025 National Principal of the Year award. Principals Tracie Anderson Swilley, Andrew Rebello, and Jon Wilcox have emerged as visionaries reshaping education through innovative leadership and an unwavering commitment to student success.
(more…)Four Scholarship Resources for NHS Members
As a member of the National Honor Society (NHS), you’ve already demonstrated your commitment to academic excellence, leadership, service, and character. Now, it’s time to leverage your achievements and explore scholarship opportunities that can help fund your higher education. Here are four valuable scholarship resources to consider:
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Students Grapple With Weight of Achievement Pressure
In today’s K–12 educational landscape, the pressure to achieve academically has reached unprecedented levels. The relentless pursuit of academic excellence is taking a toll on students’ health, well-being, and academic performance.
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An Invaluable UNITED Experience
Attending UNITED 2024 in Nashville was an invigorating experience for us. My husband, John, and I are longtime educators. Between us, we have 52 years of school leadership experience as department chairs, assistant principals, principals, and district office personnel, and we have been to our fair share of conferences including PLCS at Work, Model Schools Conferences, AVID, No Excuses University, and ASCD just to name a few.
(more…)Vote Now for NASSP Sessions at SXSW EDU
NASSP is excited to announce two session proposals for the 2025 SXSW EDU, one of the largest and most influential education conferences in the country. Your vote can help us share these innovative sessions with a larger audience; public voting is one of three elements that determine which sessions are selected. Voting is open August 6–18 through the SXSW “Panel Picker” platform.
(more…)NASSP Assistant Principals of the Year Alumni NetworkNASSP Principal of the Year Alumni NetworkSXSWWomen in School Leadership Network
Uniting Through NASSP to Bring Joy to Education
In an inspiring display of collaboration and innovation, three school leaders who met as strangers in the NASSP Ambassador program joined forces to address a critical need in education: bringing joy back to schools. Meeting in person for the first time minutes before their session at UNITED: The National Conference on School Leadership, they led a group of their peers through turn-key strategies to improve student and staff mental health.
(more…)UNITED: Where School Leadership Comes Together
If leadership is an art, then Nashville just hosted the ultimate master class. From July 15–17, more than 4,000 school leaders gathered there to attend UNITED: The National Conference on School Leadership. Inside the Music City Center, Nashville’s convention center, principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders engaged deeply with peers, gained insights from distinguished leaders across the educational spectrum, and shared actionable strategies to empower their school communities.
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A Career Highlight for a Student Council Adviser
When I moved from being a high school English teacher to becoming the librarian at a middle school—and serving as a student council adviser at both levels—it was a big adjustment for me. Middle school kids are so different. They don’t always follow through on the things you would like them to, for instance. And they are far less independent than high schoolers.
(more…)Aaron Huff Looks Back on His Time as NASSP President
This summer, Aaron Huff completes his term as NASSP president. In the fall, he’ll return to his position as principal of Benjamin Bosse High School in Evansville, IN. In this post, we asked Huff to look back at the highlights of his tenure as president, reflect on returning to his school, and discuss the role of NASSP in elevating the voices of school leaders at all levels.
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