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Driving Into the Storm
The sky opened up on my way to work, and I could barely see the road ahead. It was one of those unusually dark Arizona mornings when the desert looks unfamiliar. Rain hammered the windshield. The wipers struggled to keep up. I slowed down, tightened my grip on the steering wheel, and focused on what I could see. And somewhere in that downpour, it hit me: this drive felt a lot like leading a turnaround school. Limited visibility. Uncertainty around the next corner. The respons
Melissa France
Oct 74 min read
The Work is Hard. Celebrate Anyway.
Turnaround work is hard, and some weeks feel heavier than others. But celebration matters—especially during those weeks. Our first schoolwide assembly reminded us that building a school isn’t only about academics, data, and improvement goals; it’s about creating a community where students and staff feel connected, supported, and excited to come back on Monday.
Melissa France
Aug 305 min read
The Heart of the Work
There is something special about the first few days back on campus. Before students fill the hallways and the bells begin to dictate our days, there is an energy that is hard to describe. Classrooms are being organized, bulletin boards are coming to life, lesson plans are taking shape, and conversations echo through the halls. It feels like possibility. This year, though, that energy feels different. It isn't just the excitement that comes with a new school year. It's the con
Melissa France
Aug 23 min read
The Moments That Show Culture Has Taken Root
Eventually, something remarkable happens. You stop having to convince people to help. You stop reminding people to support one another. You stop managing every act of teamwork. People simply begin living the values of the organization because those values have become part of who they are.
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Jul 263 min read
The Work Between the Conferences
People often ask what it's like to attend education conferences. The answer is usually the same. You come home with pages of notes, a suitcase full of ideas, and enough inspiration to carry you into the next school year. This year was different. I came home with something even more valuable. Validation. Over the past two weeks, Dr. Stephanie Nardi and I have traveled thousands of miles, beginning at the Innovative Schools Summit in Las Vegas, where we had the privilege of pre
Melissa France
Jul 124 min read
When Compliance Isn’t Care: Why Middle School Turnaround Work Needs Restorative Practices, Not PBIS
In middle school turnaround work quiet is not the same as healthy and compliant is not the same as cared for.
In my latest Turnaround Unscripted post, I dig into emerging research and lived leadership experience to make the case that PBIS often centers surveillance and normalization, while restorative practices build voice, accountability, and real behavioral growth. If we want transformation instead of performance, we have to choose restoration over compliance.
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Feb 75 min read
Beyond Compliance: Leading with Connection and Courage
What if discipline conversations started with relationships, not rules? That simple shift in thinking is redefining what effective leadership looks like in schools today. As educational leaders are called into classrooms to coach through challenging behaviors, the real question isn’t which new program to adopt, but rather how to think differently about the work of leadership itself. The most effective leaders are not layering on new systems. They are making intentional shifts
Melissa France
Jan 182 min read
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