Best of the Blogs
School Administrator, August 2019


“[F]ew have the skill set or requisite background knowledge to interrupt and correct a speaker. Knowing when to interject with sensitivity and stop derogatory comments takes confidence.”

From “The Courage to Challenge Insensitive Comments” by Scot Graden, superintendent, Saline Area Schools, Saline, Mich., on Scot Graden’s Blog


“I think we use the word ‘engaged’ a lot in education, but I don’t believe we all have a common definition of what it means. To me, when a student is engaged, he or she is doing the thinking work, taking on the cognitive load by writing or talking about their thinking.”

From “Busy or Engaged?” by Amy Illingworth, director of professional growth, Sweetwater Union High School District, Chula Vista, Calif., on her blog Reflections on Leadership and Learning


“There is no more difficult set of rules to enforce at school, especially the high school, than dress code. No matter what might be in writing, there is still much judgment involved and when the principal’s judgment doesn’t match that of the parent, we have conflict.”

From “Dress Code and Guns — Your Thoughts?” by Dan Curry, superintendent, Calvert County Public Schools, Calvert County, Md., on his blog School Talk


“After Sandy Hook, when 20 elementary school students were murdered and nothing happened, I lost faith completely in our governmental institutions to do anything effectual on this issue. But I hear a great deal that ‘someone should do something.’ I want to say something important to everyone. The people working in your schools are doing something.”

From “Doing Something About School Safety” by Jason Glass, superintendent, Jefferson County Public Schools, Golden, Colo., on his blog Advance Jeffco



Read the full postings of these and other members’ blogs at www.aasa.org/SAblogs.aspx.