Blog
How to Keep Kids Off Their Phones While Homeschooling
By: Scott Wilson | Sep 2, 2026
The most reliable way to keep kids off their phones while homeschooling is to agree on a spot where the phone goes during schoolwork, out of reach and out of sight. Set a clear return point, keep the work surface phone-free, and switch off notifications before the session starts.
Teachers have been working on this problem for a long time. Now it's your kitchen table.
Eyes down ...
School Custodian Appreciation Ideas: The Toilet Paper Caper
By: Jon Konen | Nov 6, 2018
The best school custodian appreciation ideas cost almost nothing: student thank-you notes, a staff assembly, a social media shoutout, or an administrator pitching in on safe routine tasks the custodial team approves. National Custodian Day falls on October 2, but recognition only sticks when students and staff also stop making ...
7 Reasons Why I Am Humbled to Win the NDP Award as told By My Elementary Students – Part 1
By: Jon Konen | Oct 12, 2018
Humbled to say the least – let me start out by saying there are much better principals out there than me…many in my own school district. I recently was honored to win the 2018 National Distinguished Principal (NDP) Award from the National Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals (NAESP).
One ...
A 5th Grade Teacher’s Guide to Surviving October
By: Amy Konen | Oct 10, 2018
It is October and I sit here wondering if I am doing enough for my students. Am I providing enough for them to be ready for 6th grade by the end of this year? Am I giving them knowledge, strategies, friendships, and hopefully, good memories of this year?
My own reflections ...
Twice Exceptional Students: Understanding What Makes Them Unique and What Will Help Them Connect
By: Mary McLaughlin | Oct 1, 2018
Some storms are expected…
Hurricane Florence has dominated the news for the past few weeks.
Florence was expected to dump up to 40 inches of rain. Wind damage and flooding were projected to be residual with an extreme physical and financial toll for victims.
Hurricane winds were projected to be upwards of 100+ ...
11 Ways Football Is Your Classroom: Lessons from the Sideline
By: Jon Konen | Sep 25, 2018
What teachers can learn from football coaches comes down to habits, not slogans: assess before you plan, build a staff you can lean on, coach instead of dictate, and treat mistakes as data. A veteran principal walks through eleven parallels between Friday night football and Monday morning teaching. If you love ...
Teacher Cliques: How One Veteran Survived a New School
By: Mary McLaughlin | Sep 13, 2018
Teacher cliques are real, and being frozen out by one is not something you can fix by being nice enough. The line that matters is whether the exclusion is social or professional: if you're losing information you need to do your job, document it and take it to an administrator. My ...
8 Things to Think About As You Start the School Year
By: Jon Konen | Sep 4, 2018
The best back-to-school tips for teachers cover more than classroom setup: professional development tied to your career goals, a self-care routine you'll actually keep, and time spent learning who your students are before they walk in. Plan your first day, set a theme, and arrange your room with purpose. As you ...
7 Characteristics of a Successful School Community
By: Jon Konen | Aug 16, 2018
What makes a successful school community isn't test scores alone. It's the hidden curriculum. Seven characteristics I associate with strong school communities: a positive culture, real business partnerships, an active PTA, steady volunteers, influence beyond your own district, creative funding, and the habit of telling your own story. What makes some ...
When Special Educators Find New Jobs
By: Mary McLaughlin | Aug 1, 2018
The Builders Tried To Build
My parents were born in the 1930’s. They are stereotypical of the Builder Generation in every aspect of their being.
They are hard workers.
They saved a lot of money from their middle class working years to enjoy a lovely retirement. They held their family to a high ...
The Top 3 Ways to Ward Off Energy Vampires in Schools
By: Jon Konen | Jul 31, 2018
Energy vampires in schools are the colleagues who drain a team's motivation through chronic negativity, complaining, or resistance to collaboration. The fix starts before you hire one: screen for teaming red flags in interviews and references, then address the behavior directly if it shows up anyway, using "I" statements and, ...