There comes a time in life when a new adventure unfolds and the choice as to whether or not to plunge is in front of you. That moment came for me a few weeks ago, and I have chosen to accept the full-service retirement that the state of Texas offers public school educators. I am not certain yet exactly what may come around the corner yet I’m proud of the 30 years I served in public education.
My entry into Twitter and the incredible learning that has occurred there began upon my appointment as the Principal of Bellaire High School. My Twitter Handle for the last nearly ten years has been @m_squaredBHS and my identity with the school has been synonymous with the professional learning I have experienced. However, I am no longer leading that campus and so it feels appropriate to move on to a new handle that is more indicative of the learning I want to continue in the education space. Thus I have made the shift to my new Twitter Handle @mcdonoughEDU.
I’m excited to embark on this new adventure while remaining solidly within the Education Setting. I plan to begin more regular posting this month and look forward to continuing to explore leadership alongside you.
Later she contrasts excuses vs reasons and I found this compelling for educators. Too often I think we offer, or at least entertain, excuses because that is often the path of least resistance. It’s always easier to look for a culprit rather then to look for a path forward. The students she spoke with seemed to understand that stuff happens. And when you opt to ask questions then you can reflect. And when you commit to reflect you find a solution or a next step. It is the act of choosing – making a decision – that matters.
The challenges that kids face nowadays far exceeds my greatest dilemmas. I suspect that is true for most of us. I wrote about this in one of my first blog entries a couple years ago 
In the past I have challenged some new hires to help us continue to grow. I offered this charge to those coming in to leadership positions though they were primarily outside the classroom (administrator, counselor, coordinator, etc.). I would tell them, “I didn’t hire you to sit on the bench. I expect you to get your footing and then get to sharing. We need your talents, your ideas, and your passion. Can you commit to get in the game with us?” The most common response was a “You bet” or a “Yes, I can.” Upon further reflection, I realize that I was not challenging new teachers to do the same. I suppose I didn’t want to “saddle” them with the responsibility of improving our campus. Yet, at the very same time, I knew/know that the most powerful work for students happens as a result of what teachers do every day in their classroom. So I suppose, while maybe having a good intention, I was instead limiting the impact of these new members. Not cool.
My commitment is now to push ALL new members to our school community. I will lay this foundation during the interview process and continue it in to the fall semester. There is so much talent that can be leveraged for the betterment of our kids. And sometimes all you need is that one person to float a novel idea, see something in a fresh light, or simply ask an old question in a new way. Makes no matter how it begins – only that it does.
This year I have established the Mad Cool Awards. Focused on recognizing innovative work that is happening on campus, adults have the chance to recognize really cool stuff that is happening on their campus. Realizing that innovation is simply taking something that already exists and making it better, I ask them to complete a Google Form that asks just a few simple questions. And I consistently include the link to this form at the beginning of meetings and as an extra piece every so often within an email.
While many of these remain aspirational – still no cot in my office – I do try and embrace the others when interacting with others (both while wearing my principal hat or my parent hat). And as a leader, I have literally and metaphorically grabbed on to this advice as it reminds me that at our core, each faculty and staff member made a decision to step in to a classroom or school where children are in need of so much. And often what they need, what we all need, is simply hope. The idea that things can be better. Complication does not usually inspire. Simplicity does.
For twenty years we have had a single lunch for our 3000 plus students. It’s one hour long and they can eat anywhere on campus. As visitors enter the building during lunch they are often taken by surprise as the students walk, talk, play guitar, study for quizzes and just hang out with their buddies. Many walk with a bag of chips in their hand as they socialize with new friends. At the same time in classrooms on each floor there are tutorials happening, clubs meeting, and teachers simply connecting with kids. The single lunch period absolutely provides the structures needed for students to be supported in all sorts of ways. Additionally, it has also built a culture where the students completely feel like their school belongs to them. They are trusted, they have agency, and they value it. And for nearly 20 years we kept it just like that. Check out this 2 minute student-created video about our one lunch 
My learning from this is two-fold. First I learned that subtle structures within a larger piece can bring strong advantages for kids and adults. Second I learned that even your most successful and “tried & true” school routines need to consistently be re-examined so that as you learn more, they can be improved. We should never slow down when it comes to learning about how powerful our school can be for kids.
Exploring Leadership 