Students have a lot of good ideas, but sometimes it’s difficult to find the proper channels to implement them. Since the pandemic, we have heard a lot about how participation from students and teachers isn’t the same as it was before.
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How We Used Our National Principals Association Student Service Grant
Celebrating National Principals Month
I was standing on the field, waiting for our football team to run out, when I looked around and took it all in.
It was a hometown rivalry game, the kind of night that feels bigger than the game itself. The stands were full. The student section was electric. Our cheerleaders and dancers were ready, the band was playing, and the choir had just finished the anthem. Middle school students filled their section while elementary kids looked up at the high schoolers in awe.
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When Back-to-School Means More Than School Supplies
When I was a kid in the 1990’s, late August meant spending as many of those final summer days at the pool as possible, until the evening classes were posted. Then it was time to run to the school, see which of my friends were in my class, and then try to convince my parents to spring for a pair of L.A. Lights or Reebok Pumps at the shoe store. Back then, I thought most of my peers could afford new pencils, a back-to-school haircut, and breakfast.
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Reflecting on Our Culture During Hispanic Heritage Month
Growing up, I was always taught, “Mi familia es mi vida.” My family is my life.
Whether it was on bracelets we treasured like they were gold, conversations with familia back in Puerto Rico, or even little things like the lock screen on my dad’s phone, that message has been repeated so many times that it has just become part of who I am.
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5 Ways to Build Your Best Year
The first days of school don’t begin in August or September; they begin with reflection. Before we can move forward, we have to understand where we’ve been. Here are five strategies that help me start each school year with purpose and optimism.
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My Challenge to Principals This Year
When was the last time a student truly surprised you? Not with a mistake. Not with a discipline issue. But with leadership.
(more…)Vote for National Principals Association Sessions at SXSW EDU
The National Principals Association is proposing two sessions for the 2027 SXSW EDU Conference & Festival. One of the largest and most well-attended education conferences in the country, SXSW EDU chooses its session agenda based on three elements, one of which is public voting. The polls are only open until August 23, so make your selection today!
(more…)AIAI in Educationeducation technology and innovationInnovationtrauma-informed carewhole school wellness
National Principals Association Welcomes Elementary School Leaders
The National Principals Association (formerly NASSP) has officially welcomed pre-K through elementary school principals and assistant principals into the fold. Jana Clark, the principal of Boyd Elementary School, in Boyd, TX, shares why she’s excited about the change.
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Make Your Case to Attend the 2027 National Principals Conference
School leadership isn’t getting simpler—it’s getting more complex.
Every day, you balance student well-being, staffing, and systems with evolving expectations. Get a handle on it all at NPC27 this February in Tampa, FL.
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5 Strategies to Support Mental Health in Elementary School
At Sward Elementary School in Oak Lawn, IL, supporting mental health is a yearlong goal we are always working toward. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I’m happy to share some strategies we’ve implemented in our school to ensure our students have the tools they need to foster self-awareness and self-regulation.
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5 Ways to Stay Inspired Through June
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.
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What I’ve Learned From Reading and Writing for “Syllabus”
Much of what I read as a principal is tied to immediate needs. Emails, reports, data, policies. Each requires attention and often a quick response. While necessary, this type of reading rarely allows time for reflection. Reading for the “Syllabus” section of Principal Leadership magazine has been different. It has created space to pause, think, and engage more deeply with ideas that shape our work in schools.
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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.
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5 Ways Our High School Celebrates National Student Leadership Week
Today, Liberty County High School in Hinesville, GA, is proud to begin celebrating National Student Leadership Week. Our school’s theme this year is “Lead the Way!” Events have been organized by our student council and National Honor Society (NHS) chapter. All clubs and student organizations are invited to participate in a week full of meaningful activities that promote leadership, unity, and school pride.
(more…)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.
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Removing the Price Tag From Prom Night
Spring is a season of milestones in high schools across the country, and nothing captures that energy quite like prom. However, behind the excitement of venue reveals and grand marches lies a quiet anxiety for many of our families: the cost. At Harrison High School in Harrison, AR, where 60% of our student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, formal events can quickly transition from a rite of passage to a heavy financial burden.
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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.
(more…)The Heart and History of NHS Induction
If you’ve ever stayed late at school for an NHS induction, you know the mix of nerves and excitement in the air. The lights dim. The room goes quiet. Students you’ve guided step forward, some with sweaty palms, some straightening collars, ready to take their place in a tradition more than a century old.
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What I Brought Home From LEAD
As students, we are frequently told, “You are the leaders of tomorrow.” Although a lovely sentiment, it ignores the fact that we are also the leaders of today. I used to passively accept that “tomorrow” timeline from others. However, it was not until I returned from the LEAD Conference earlier this month, carrying much more than I anticipated, that I truly understood the significance of leading in the present.
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4 Ways Principals Can Prioritize and Inspire Wellness
Student and staff wellness has become inseparable from academic success. Yet for principals, the demands of the job often leave little time or space to prioritize personal well-being.
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