June 2021: School Administrator

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Self-Care and Wellness

How superintendents can take care of themselves, their staff and their students coming out of a far-reaching pandemic. Includes articles on daily affirmations for personal stress reduction, giving ourselves and our colleagues permission to feel and more.

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Additional Articles

‘I Was Weary and Knew I Needed Something’ Terri Metzger
A superintendent in need details a partnership model with a local healthcare foundation and a personal coach for supporting the mental health and well-being of education leaders.
Reimagining Control Over One’s Boundaries Lauren B. Hodges
Consultant Lauren Hodges works with organizational leaders on sustainable behavior change.
When Schools Reopen Cory Notestine
Drawing on discoveries over the pandemic year, what can school districts do better in supporting students?
Student Voices on Student Wellness Ella J. Weaver and Isabel P. Henry
High school seniors share their perspectives on the role of schools in supporting students’ mental well-being
Northshore’s Attention to Mental Health Rick Ferrell
Normalizing the conversation around mental health and mental illness in a 24,000-student district in a suburb of Seattle, Wash..
The Critical Role of Arts in Education: A Conversation with Joy Harjo
Joy Harjo, U.S. poet laureate, discusses the essential role of arts and language in education, the importance of listening and the power of dedicated educators.
Modeling Inclusivity and Emotional Awareness Across Highline Susan Enfield and Laurie Morrison
Building a culture of emotional awareness and inclusivity to support students districtwide.
Community Concurrence
How leaders compare concerns from the minority community with those of parents in the majority.
Intercepted Communication
After inadvertently hearing a voice message from a search firm intended for a prized staffer, is it OK for the superintendent to broach the subject with her?
Cautionary Responses to Social Media Attacks V. Wayne Young
When you’re called an idiot or much worse, the best line of defense usually is to ignore, though a few other options do exist.
Cultivating Well-Informed Board Candidates Jim Lloyd, superintendent of the Olmsted Falls City School District (Ohio)
Building a deep bench for the inevitable vacancies that arise on a school board.
Educationally Speaking About Podcasts Wanda Cook-Robinson
Monthly installments allow us to dive deeply into important district issues in a budget-friendly way.
Compromising on Your Absolutes Roark Horn, executive director, School Administrators of Iowa
What you think you’ll always do in a situation may not be what you are able to do as an education leader.
Just Call Me ‘Doctor’ Jenna Mancini Rufo, consultant on special education and inclusion (Pa.)
According rightful respect for women professionals who’ve earned it.
A Pitch for Mental Health Days for Students Nina S. Breister, student, University of California, Santa Barbara
Sometimes students need a break from the ongoing pressures that come with academics and extracurriculars.
Nurturing a School District’s Wellness Kristi Wilson
AS WE FIND OURSELVES on the uncertain road to “normalcy,” one area that demands our ongoing attention is the social-emotional well-being of our students, staff and community.
Redoubling Attention to Staff and Student Needs Daniel A. Domenech
Mitigating the social and emotional implications of a yearlong pandemic.
A Connection to Students at Her Core Jacqueline Hyman
A National Superintendent of the Year finalist puts her student-centered decisions on display.

Staff

Jay P. Goldman
Editor

jgoldman@aasa.org

703-875-0745
Liz Griffin
Managing Editor

lgriffin@aasa.org

703-875-0753
Jacqueline Hyman
Senior Editorial Assistant

jhyman@aasa.org

703-875-0707

Editor's Note

Bookend Coverage

We began the 2020-21 publishing year in our magazine last August with a cover story titled “Operating in a VUCA World,” where we first explored the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity characterizing school operations amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Fittingly perhaps, we’re closing out the school year with attention to the physical and mental wellness of those who’ve been shepherding school systems through an epic 15-month crisis that continues.

We were particularly drawn to the personal pursuits undertaken over the past year by superintendents as coping mechanisms (and humorously portrayed by illustrator David Clark on our front cover). In “Daily Affirmations for Personal Stress Reduction," you’ll read about the avocations and daily routines described by four AASA members. In “Soul Care for the Superintendency,” Paul Imhoff, superintendent in Upper Arlington, Ohio, and AASA’s incoming president, lends a three-part prescription to his colleagues for attending to their own needs. Sadly, many have chosen this moment to leave the profession. Our expanded Transitions list illustrates the toll.

Finally, don’t overlook an unusual interview subject for our Thought Leadership Series this month. It’s Joy Harjo, the U.S. poet laureate and the first Native American to hold the prestigious post. Her depictions of the arts and language in education and the power of dedicated educators — captured during questioning by former superintendent Maria Ott — ought to resonate for many readers.

Jay P. Goldman

Editor, School Administrator

703-875-0745

jgoldman@aasa.org

@JPGoldman

Awards of Excellence

The National School Public Relations Association awarded School Administrator magazine with the Award of Excellence in the video category, the top recognition level, for the magazine's June 2021 Extras video.

Extras Video

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