Best of the Blogs
School Administrator, December 2019


“[W]e don’t want to make the pathway through school (and life) too smooth, so that we don’t risk failure. There are a lot of benefits to struggling with something, particularly in school. … [T]he level of struggle achieved by students can be beneficial when it is productive.”

From “The Power of a Good Struggle” by James Walsh, superintendent, Burgettstown Area School District, Burgettstown, Pa., on his Superintendent’s Blog


“We rarely get what we feel we are entitled to in life.” I heard Dr. Laura (Schlessinger) utter these words as I was driving to a meeting. It kind of hit me like a 2×4. I pulled my car over and wrote it down. … Was she suggesting that our sense of entitlement is bigger than it should be — that feeling an exaggerated sense of self-worth is perhaps the norm in our society?”

From ”Do We Now Have a Generation of Entitlement?” by Dave Eberwein, superintendent/CEO, School District 63, Saanichton, British Columbia, on his blog The Power of Why


“I’ve written about presuming positive intentions before, especially in education. This idea is worth revisiting because I think during stressful situations or disagreements, we often fall back on our own assumptions. … My hope is that I can catch myself as these thoughts first arise in my mind and take a moment to step back and pause.”

From “What Are You Assuming” by Amy Illingworth, assistant superintendent of educational services, Encinitas Union School District Encinitas, Calif., on her blog Reflections on Leadership and Learning


“As a school superintendent I get asked the same question just about every year. Quite honestly, more than once. 'Why do you spend so much money on sports and activities?'

This question has the tendency to fire me up. It fires me up because so many are naïve to the facts that encompass this question.”

From “The Purpose of Sports and Activities” by Travis Jordan, superintendent, Beulah Public School District 27, Beulah, N.D., on his blog Beyond Measure



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