Tom Hoerr retired after leading the New City School in St. Louis, Missouri, for 34 years and is now the emeritus head of school. He teaches at the University of Missouri St. Louis and holds a PhD from Washington University in St. Louis he has written four books more than 100 articles including the “Principal Connection” column in ASCD’s Educational Leadership.

• 14 years principal connection column in Educational Leadership.
• The principal job is so hard.
• There’s always more to be done, no matter how good we do it.
• Who you are is more important than what you know.
• Prepare kids for success in life, not just success in school.
• Been a principal long enough to see who kids became as adults
• There are five qualities we need to develop in students: Empathy, Self-control, integrity, embracing diversity, and grit.
• But how am I going to get my students’ kids to embrace this?
• At back to school nights and parent meetings throughout the year.
• 8:20: Write down the initials of people you know who you consider to be successful.
• Turn to your neighbors in groups of three or four.
• Remind parents of what is truly a success.
• Strategy for focusing teachers on what we want them to pursue.
• 3x5 card, write down the initials of 2 or 3 teachers you’ve had that are most important in your life. What did they do to make you love them?
• What can you do with your class that will encourage your kids to put your name down in 30 or 40 years?

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Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life!

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Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.