What the end of the school year reveals when the pressure begins to pull away.

Late-Lee, the temperatures have warmed up. The sun is sitting higher in the sky, and the days are starting to stretch a little longer. This is one of my favorite times to visit the beach. The weather is warming up, but it still has a ways to go before the full scorch of summer settles in.

I like to sit in my chair with a book in my hand and watch the day unfold. Sometimes I’m reading. Other times, I’m people watching. Families come and go throughout the day, and I find myself noticing their routines. I watch as they carry their chairs and bags across the sand and begin setting up their little space for the day. A couple of chairs facing the water, a cooler tucked under a makeshift canopy, and towels spread out for the kids. Before long, the parents begin laying down the boundaries. “Don’t go past that flag and stay where I can see you.” Then the day settles in. Children run toward the water while parents sink back into their chairs, and for a little while, everyone enjoys some sun, fun, and relaxation.

Sitting there watching all of this unfold, I can’t help but think about what is happening in schools this time of year. Field days are happening. Awards days are showing up on the calendar. Seniors are preparing to walk across stages while families cheer from the crowd. Teachers are walking just a little lighter these days because they can see the light at the end of the tunnel. And leaders… well, leaders are already planning for next year. They review and adjust the schedule and make decisions regarding teacher assignments. They begin jotting notes as new plans and ideas start to form.

It reminds me of something else I often notice when I sit near the water…the tide.

Earlier in the day, when the water is high, everything looks smooth and steady. Waves roll in, the shoreline disappears beneath the water, and you can’t see much of what’s underneath. But if you stand at the water’s edge and let the waves crash around your legs, you’ll feel it. Even when you can’t see it, there’s a slight pull as the water retreats again, drawing the tide slowly back out to sea.

When the tide finally begins to pull away, the beach changes. What was once covered beneath the water starts to appear. If you’ve ever walked along the shoreline when the water is still covering the sand, you know you can’t always see what’s beneath your feet, but you can feel it. Sometimes the small shells press against your feet. Occasionally, a sharper one reminds you to watch where you step.

When the tide pulls back, those same tiny little conch shells scattered across the sand become visible. Sand dollars are half buried along the shoreline. Small scallop shells catch the light as the water slips away. Little sand crabs dart sideways before disappearing again. All kinds of things suddenly become visible. They were there all along. It just took the tide going out for us to see them. The more time you spend walking that shoreline, the more you begin to notice. Things you would have stepped right past earlier in the day suddenly catch your eye.

In many ways, the end of the school year feels a little like that. When the pressure of the year begins to ease, you start to notice things that were there all along. Such as the teacher who quietly mentored a struggling colleague, and the team that learned how to work through tough conversations, and came out stronger. The student who didn’t give up, even when learning felt hard, or the leader who kept showing up even when the work seemed tough.

During the middle of the year, when the waves are crashing in and the work feels constant, those moments can be hard to see. But as summer nears and the tide begins to pull back, they begin to show themselves. The smiles that faded during the heavy months return. You see it in classrooms, hallways, and conversations between coworkers. There is pride in what was accomplished and relief in knowing the finish line is close.

But before the tide rolls back in with a new school year, May offers leaders one more opportunity. A chance to pause and look closely at the shoreline.

What shells are worth keeping?
What lessons from this year are worth carrying forward?
What strengths in your team were revealed that you might have missed in the middle of the storm?

Because the truth is, the best parts of leadership were there all along. Sometimes it just takes the tide going out for us to see them. Before summer rushes in and the next school year begins to take shape, take a moment to walk along the shoreline. Look closely at what this year revealed.

You might be surprised by what the tide left behind.

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