Topics for I’ve dealt with this week include bullying, self-harm, sui*ide, & trauma & it’s only Tuesday. Teachers (& spouses of principals), please extend your principal a little extra grace. Thanks 💜

Angry/Passionate/Difficult parents are my favorite. Today I had the hardest convo I’ve ever had with a parent, & by the grace of God I think we both landed on our feet at the end of it.

Starbucks and giving out free coffee on Monday!

Just caught a headline that the “No Fun League” (NFL) won’t let teams have Bluesky accounts. 😂

Updated my @principalkafele.bsky.social library:

Used some title money to buy a bunch of @principalkafele.bsky.social‘s books. Can’t get enough of his wisdom!

I recently got $18k of Evidence Based Literacy Instruction (EBLI) training approved for my school. All teachers and the principal will complete the training. #phonics #scienceofreading #literacy #edusky #teachersky #k8principal

Tough day. I had to give one of my teachers an improvement plan. They’re only in their 2nd year of teaching. It’s our first year together. I genuinely want to see & help them succeed, but they aren’t sure they have what it takes. Hoping they stick around long enough to get the support they need.

Not how it should go…

Any phonics friends doing EBLI? I just submitted a request to get all of my teachers trained. eblireads.com for more info

It has been a wild week for me; two snow days and a power outage. At least I’m getting this contacting parents thing down. 🤷‍♂️ 

The Lions are one of the NFL's oldest franchises, yet they have zero Super Bowl appearances. Could this be the season they win it all? Odds via @betmgmsportsbook.bsky.social

We were supposed to return from winter break on Monday, but we’re on our 2nd snow day in a row with more freezing temps in sight. I need to study up on calamity days and make a plan to survive the weather the next week. What are other schools doing? #ohio #snowday #calamityday #edusky #k8principal

#scienceofreading #edusky #blackedusky #teachersky #phonics #esl #tesol

From @theathleticfc.bsky.social: A short pass from a goalkeeper. Sounds harmless enough, right? It is considered the most dangerous pass in soccer. We analyzed the risk and reward behind the pass that drives fans wild. nyti.ms/4gJ4ZzU

Got my very first principal-themed gift from a school family today 💜

S.O.S. I still have $285K in EANS/ESSER and need/want to spend ASAP. I'm calling in backup. Who wants to help me spend this money? Come quick! #edusky #blackedusky #k8principal #teachersky

Where are my fellow principals at? What about my teachers? Ever had to do an improvement plan? I’d love to hear any and all experiences. Thanks. #edusky #k8principal #teachersky

Good morning, teachers. You got this. Make today great. ##EduSky

Buy this book and thank me later. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DQ... Wisdom from @principalkafele.bsky.social

“Just as it would be absurd for a team at any level to compete w/out being coached throughout the game, it’s equally absurd for school leaders to ‘send teachers into the classroom to compete ‘w/out coaching them throughout the course of the school year.” - New book by @principalkafele.bsky.social

Why not just make Ohio State winning the game mandatory by law, that’ll show em

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but go and change the filter in your furnace right now. Arrow should point toward the furnace.

As a principal, I just LOVE hearing parents say, “it’s been going on all year” but there’s no communication trail proving they ever brought it up to teachers or admin. Talk. To. Your. Leaders. #edusky #k8principal

My 2nd grade son killin’ it on his NWEA MAP Reading Testing. *w00t*

Yesterday a homeless gentleman showed up on our property (outside) to find a spot to charge his phone. Concerned parents called, and I found him outside smoking a cigarette & drinking a beer. This is urban school reality. #edusky #urbanteaching #principalsky #k8principal

I'm once again asking for a show where a librarian, a bookseller, and a carpenter travel around helping people manage their out-of-control book collections. Discuss their sentimental value, their rarity, their histories, then build amazing book nooks and shelves and little libraries to organize them

Update on the student I posted about earlier. They are doing better and in much better spirits, but need to be in the hospital 2 more days. Teachers are delivering cards from classmates tomorrow. 💜 Thanks for your prayers.

Prayers for my little kindergarten student please. I received a message late last night that they are in the hospital with likely pneumonia & possibly other sicknesses as well. On my way for a visit now.

🚨 What a nightmare: As of January 1, 2025, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute will be out-of-network for all Anthem and other Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. 

Taking a page out of my book from that one time I ran for student council in 5th grade, I have finally delivered on my promise to bring better food to our school. All it took was becoming principal 30 years later 😎

I am in complete shock that: - my Lions are 12-1 - my Lions have won 11 in a row - my Lions made the playoffs two years in a row - my Lions are currently Super Bowl favorites - my Lions are *still* barely ahead in the division - my Lions are *still* barely ahead in the conference Somebody pinch me!

As far as I’m concerned, it’s *our* school, and family feedback is essential.

As a 1st year principal I sent out a 4 question survey asking for feedback on some big changes I’d like to make next year. What did I hear most? “The biggest impact you’re making is your communication.” and “Absolutely love the transparency & incorporation of families’ opinions.” #edusky

1/5 Many teachers feel apprehensive about shifting to restorative practices (RP)—and that’s okay. Change is hard, especially when it challenges traditional discipline norms. Principals, here are 5 actionable ways to support your teachers in embracing RP in your school. 🧵

What is the Science of Reading? journal.imse.com/what-is-the-... #lucycalkins #heinemann #unitsofstudy #phonics #balancedliteracy #structuredliteracy #ufli

I am AI’s biggest cheerleader, but I’m also fascinated by legit concerns like this: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Some people leave school leadership because of the demands and the time it takes away from their own families. This needs to be discussed more!

#COVID did not cause these educational problems. No Child Left Behind and other policies caused this mess. Some students did the unimaginable when COVID hit us & that should be acknowledged. Instead of talking about “learning loss,” let’s focus on the learning gains! #edusky #blackedusky

Prioritizing your students’ mental health & well-being does NOT mean ignoring YOUR mental health & well-being. YOU must be your advocate. #edusky #blackedusky #mentalhealth

Hola a todos. Estoy aprendiendo español por diversión. Estudio con Duolingo y Gritty Spanish. Si hablas español y ves uno de mis posts, por favor salúdame para que pueda practicar. ¡Gracias! #duolingo #grittyspanish

Trained in Lucy’s ways & want to contribute first hand experience to the lawsuit? Click here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

A class action lawsuit has been filed in Massachusetts against Lucy Calkins, F & P, Heinemann and others. Here is the announcement. www.bostonglobe.com/2024/12/04/m... #scienceofreading #balancedliteracy #structuredliteracy #heinemann #lucycalkins #phonics #SOR

**Update on teacher staffing challenges 24-25** It has taken a while, but @ChanhLam202 and I have updated our website teachershortages.com. We find there are at least 49,800 vacant positions and 400,000 underqual in 24-25 compared to 55,000 and 270,000 last year

2 MORE WEEKS TO GO! In the meantime, here's an excerpt...check it out. In this chapter, I argue that instructional leadership will never exist optimally in a school when there isn't a prevailing culture of instructional leadership to support it. Pre-order your copy today @ Amazon.

1/5 The Science of Reading is rooted in decades of research about how kids learn to read, emphasizing phonics, decoding, and structured literacy. But popular curriculums like Lucy Calkins’ Units of Study fall short of aligning with these principles. Let’s unpack why. 🧵

1/10 Let’s talk about acronyms in education. At first glance, they might seem like helpful shortcuts. But in reality, they often create barriers to communication, especially for new professionals, families, and community members. Here’s why acronym use shouldn’t be promoted. 🧵

Dear Education World: Not everyone knows your acronyms. Spell it out. Every time. New teachers, new administrators, and families will thank you. #edusky #teachersky #k8principal #teacherburnout

Education is about inclusion, but acronyms exclude. Let’s ditch the jargon and speak in a way that makes sense to everyone. #edusky #teachersky #k8principal #teacherburnout