top of page
When Turnaround Holds Its Breath
Tonight, my chest feels tight. My emotions are swirling. Not because it is the night before another week of school. Not because I do not know what to do tomorrow on Day 1 of testing. But because I know exactly what is at stake. As a TOSA and the leader of our AZELLA testing team, my mind keeps circling the same questions again and again. Did I do enough to prepare them? Are the teachers ready? Are the students ready? Are they all prepared to do their best?Could I have done mo
Melissa France
Feb 223 min read
Where Kids in Hoodies Fuel the Work
The school week has ended, but the weight of it hasn’t. This first week back from winter break reminded me why middle school is the messy middle. Guarded kids hide behind filters, and leaders keep showing up anyway. Behind those hoodies are students still becoming. They are why this work, even on the hardest days and after the longest weeks, still matters.
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Jan 106 min read
Weathering the Storms
Turnaround work is full of storms that test even the strongest leaders. One moment with an eighth grade student reminded me that sometimes the most powerful leadership begins with a simple question: “Are you okay?”
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Jan 24 min read
The Work We Do When No One Is Watching
Turnaround work does not stop just because the calendar says break. On Christmas Eve, after encouraging my staff to unplug and be fully present with their families, I open my laptop to rebalance schedules, shift student placements, and answer emails that never seem to respect office hours. This is the messy middle of school improvement, after crisis and before consistency, where progress is fragile and momentum depends on quiet, unseen decisions. It is exhausting work, but it
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Dec 24, 20252 min read
Culture First Wasn’t the Detour. It Was the Path.
Sometimes the most meaningful leadership moments are the quiet ones. This post captures the day the data finally caught up to the work affirming a year spent rebuilding trust, restoring joy, and preparing a school to grow. It’s a reflection on resilience, criticism, and why people must come before metrics.
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Oct 21, 20254 min read
The Principal’s Back-to-School Tightrope: Exhausted and Exhilarated
In the weeks before the first bell. this reflection explores the strategic, emotional, and human work of leading a school through renewal, where master schedules, staffing decisions, and system-building intersect with culture, trust, and hope. This year, the work carries added weight as I watch my daughter begin her own journey as a special education teacher.
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Jul 22, 20253 min read
bottom of page