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Holding Space for Anxiety and Still Moving Forward
Today was not a planned moment. It was not on the agenda. It was not part of a polished staff meeting slide deck. But it was exactly what we needed. In the middle of everything that comes with this time of year, state testing, fatigue, behavior consistency, and the quiet pressure to show growth, we paused and pulled the team into an impromptu circle. Just a check-in. Nothing formal. Just space. And what unfolded in that circle said more about our school than any data point ev
Melissa France
Apr 22 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
Building a Culture of Showing Up: How We're Tackling Chronic Absenteeism Together
In a school where chronic absenteeism had taken root as a growing challenge, we made a bold decision: attendance would no longer be treated as a routine task. It would become a shared goal. From day one, we committed to transforming how students, staff, and families think about being present. Not through pressure. Not through penalties. But through purpose, partnership, and people. Starting with Staff: Knowledge First We began the year by investing in the one group best posit
Melissa France
Jan 12 min read
Flex Time That Actually Matters: Rethinking Recess and Reclaiming Purpose
There is a certain clarity that arrives when someone names out loud what you have quietly known.
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Dec 26, 20254 min read
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