An influenza pandemic spreads across the nation in 1918 and 1919. As the cases grow, officials across the country decide to close schools. New York and Chicago decide to keep their schools open and send health care workers into the schools to closely monitor the conditions of the students and hygiene practices. In nine cities … Continue reading Canaries in the Mine
Corporal Punishment in Georgia Schools: 20-2-730, et seq. It may not be excessive or unduly severe or be used as a first line of punishment; it must be administered in the presence of a school official; a written explanation must be provided on request; and it may not be administered if a physician certifies that … Continue reading “Swingin’ in the Southern Breeze”
We wear the mask that grins and lies,It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—This debt we pay to human guile;With torn and bleeding hearts we smilePaul Laurence Dunbar Paul Laurence Dunbar was only 24 years old when he published the poem "We Wear the Mask" in 1896. It was an honest portrayal of what … Continue reading My Heroes Wore Masks
“I’ve come upon something that disturbs me deeply. ... but I have come to believe that we are integrating into a burning house. I’m afraid that America has lost the moral vision she may have had, and I’m afraid that even as we integrate, we are walking into a place that does not understand that … Continue reading Where There’s Smoke…
So I got locked into all of the analysisAnd found myself locked into a kind of paralysisAnd something was calling and I almost didn’t hear itBut I spent a lot of time being blessed by the spirits-Gil Scott Heronfrom "Don't Give Up" I live in East Atlanta. At 7:45am, the streets of Lithonia are sparse. … Continue reading Leading Where We Dwell
We'd just ended our Title I Annual Meeting and as the parents began filing out of the cafeteria I saw one parent approaching me and smiling. I knew her well from afternoon dismissal. Her daughter was one of our best 5th grade students and I'd recently remarked to her mother that her daughter's report card … Continue reading We Don’t Love These Holes: Embracing and Overcoming Resistance
When schools refine their focus and synergize all their efforts around innovative initiatives they begin to, sometimes literally, see the fruits of their labor. This summer, a team of teachers from Marbut Traditional Theme School met to discuss our ongoing school improvement plans. We’d been pursuing STEAM certification for years with no real traction. We … Continue reading Seeds of Change: How Urban Agriculture is Growing Our School
Analytical psychologist Carl Jung introduced the concept of 'synchronicity' in the 1920's as the principle of "meaningful coincidences". Nothing that occurs in our complex lives is an accident. Events that have no causal relationship are meaningfully related. My most recent experience with synchronicity occurred as I joined a conference call with fellow principals in our … Continue reading Principals on the Prayer Line
The week preceding the Thanksgiving Break is a busy one for any school principal. There are evaluations to be completed and parent events that require attention. In my movements through Marbut's hallways over the last few weeks I've encountered two fourth grade students who continue to politely remind me that they would like to meet … Continue reading Creating Spaces that Nourish Youth Activism
Walking through Atlanta's Little Five Points neighborhood is a Saturday ritual for me. From Moreland Avenue, I find my usual table in the corner of Sevananda Natural Foods Market and observe the steady flow of eclectic patrons pouring into the iconic store. I've been visiting Sevananda since the early 90's and the experience has always … Continue reading Emotional Intelligence Matters
Barrier: an obstacle that prevents movement or access. The string of islands we refer to as the barrier islands protect the mainland from storm surges. These islands have a history of their own of barriers, overcome by the will of courageous individuals who survived enslavement, challenged discrimination, and reshaped the social order. On the evening … Continue reading Trouble the Waters: Beaches, Barriers and Legacies of Overcoming at Jekyll Island
One of the best lessons I learned during the first months of my principalship was that diplomacy matters. In a life of service, verbal assaults become par for the course. Think Jackie Robinson. Think MLK. Think Barack Obama. Are you able to rise above the rumors, the attacks and accusations and focus on the work? … Continue reading The Lost Art of Diplomacy
