Balance--Resilience--Faith @sarahsajohnson

Balance Like a Pirate Summer 2018 Challenge Ok, so Jessica Cabeen, Jessica Johnson, and I wrote a book that is coming out in a few weeks. And it has an interesting title to hook people. (Argh to our fellow PIRATES). The truth is that for us, it’s really not about just publishing a book and more about engaging in a crucial message for all of us. Balance. And this post is about how we want to engage as many educators as possible in this message to help us all become better versions of ourselves step by step, and in this case week by week this summer. If you are like us, summer has arrived, and the new pace can come as a bit of a shock. You have been going a hundred miles a minute, most intensely in recent weeks to close out a year, emotions have been high, your schedule full...and then all of a sudden it is quiet. Your schedule is now full of more white space, and some of us might not know what to do with ourselves. For years, the three of us not only discussed our struggles...

Yesterday, I sang on stage. In a pink wig. In front of our entire school. Though I had purchased the wig last year for the same purpose, I never ended up using it because three of our teachers welcomed me into an experience of performance. When the end of this year rolled around, there were zero acts for the talent show. None. Which is why I can realize this morning that my last minute decision to reach back to last year's plan was what was meant to be. As a backstage pass to leadership, the sequence of events and my reflection are what make up this blog post as an illustration of how we can choose to lead comfortably or boldly. And which style allows us to live our mission?  Not only was it the last day of school for students at Spooner High, it was my last day as their principal for good. We had a half day packed with an adjusted schedule. After a solid start to the morning, we were picking up speed with a shortened schedule and an assembly that had gone from talent/award ...