Time Well Spent

“Lauren - Thank you for today - it was time well spent.” I opened this simple yet profound message in my inbox today. Have you ever had those weeks where everything seems to blur together because you’re juggling so many important tasks that it’s hard to be fully present in each interaction, moment, or experience? …

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Defining Moments

We all have moments in our lives that live at the forefront of our memories. Often, it's hard to recognize these defining moments as they unfold. In their book The Power of Moments, Chip Heath and Dan Heath write, “Defining moments shape our lives, but we don’t have to wait for them to happen. We …

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All Hands on Deck

This week, we facilitated several professional learning experiences for teachers across the district. Yes, not just me — WE. We are all hands on deck, not only because we need to be but because we want to be. Why? Because we are shaping learning experiences that will impact all of our students and their future.  …

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Helping Others Flourish

Coaching is a vehicle to creating lasting impact in educational organizations, especially when districts are fully invested in allowing a coaching mindset to flourish. From my perspective, if you work in an educational setting, you are a coach and an instructional leader for the kids, colleagues, and communities you serve.  What I have come to …

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One Conversation at a Time

"Always be kind and considerate to others, as you would hope others would be to you. Being kind and considerate includes wanting people to grow." – George Couros The sentiment above was shared in George Couros’ latest post, which you can read here. His words resonate deeply as we kick off another school year, where …

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Coaching Leadership: Great Questions Build Bridges

“The way we attend to others determines the kind of person we become.” – David Brooks As I embark on my 19th year in education and my 4th year in a formal leadership role, I remain deeply committed to remembering what it was like to be a teacher. I believe that understanding and responding to …

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Ask for Help

As a new school year approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about the important priorities that need to be moved forward. If you are reading this, I know you are too. Education is a busy place and it requires the special attention our students and teachers deserve. Since I often write the posts I need …

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Doing Our Best Work

"Decide what you want to be, and then do that work." - Ryan Holiday After nearly two decades in education, amidst the hustle and bustle of learning, teaching, being active in student life, attending and facilitating meetings and professional learning sessions, constant reading, relentless podcast listening, reflective writing, and creating systems and structures to help …

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Coaching Aspiring Leaders: A Pathway to Growth

Who is the leader you wish to become, Lauren? My answer is, I wish to become the leader I always needed. This is a question I continuously ask myself as I navigate the ebbs and flows of education and leadership. These sentiments are woven throughout my book The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire …

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The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire the Leader Within

Let your hopes lead you forward, while leaving your fears behind. While writing this, the words “hopes” and “fears” struck a chord with me, reflecting on my journey as a blogger over the past several years. Each blog post I share carries a piece of my story and the fear that accompanies it. In the …

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