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Return to the Field with Intention
In this series, we delve into mid-year adjustments. Learn how to return to the field with intention, ensuring your gameplan remains resilient and effective.
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Adjust the Game Plan
Before reading on check out the first two posts in this series: Take the Field at Halftime Read the Scoreboard Back in the day, I spent a lot of Friday nights at high school football games because my oldest daughter was a cheerleader. At the time, I didn’t really understand the game, so I stayed…
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Read the Scoreboard (and Stay With It)
Halftime gives leaders a pause, but clarity doesn’t come from pausing alone. It comes from what we’re willing to examine once we stop moving. In the first post of this series, I asked a reflective question: What do we need to see more clearly before we decide what needs to change? This post is about…
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Take the Field at Halftime
Halftime may end when the whistle blows, but the work of halftime doesn’t. It ends when coaches/leaders decide how they’ll step back onto the field. There’s a familiar feeling as January approaches, and it really does feel like a fresh start. We plan the staff breakfast for the return from the break, tidy up the…
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Between the Halves – A Letter of Reflection
Dear Leader, As I sit here in the quiet of the morning, surrounded by the soft sparkle of Christmas lights (probably for the last time this season), I’ve been reflecting on the first half of this school year. With the New Year fast approaching, I find myself doing what I tend to do best—reflecting and…
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The Gift of Renewal: Choosing a New Way Forward
Gifts of Leadership Series, Final Reflection If you missed the other three posts in this series, please visit: http://www.rhondalatelee.com As I bring this December series to a close, I keep coming back to a small line tucked quietly into the story of the wise men. After offering their gifts to Jesus, Scripture tells us they…
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The Gift of Myrrh: Honoring the Cost of Leadership
Gifts of Leadership Series, Post Three This month, I’ve been learning from the wise men. Their journey, posture, and gifts have nudged me to reflect on the gifts leaders bring to our schools. Gold taught me about outcomes. Frankincense reminded me of presence. And now I’m sitting with the most complex gift of all: myrrh.…
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The Gift of Frankincense: Presence that Changes the Atmosphere
Gifts of Leadership Series, Post Two This month, I’ve been paying closer attention to the wise men again. Their long journey, the way they approached the holy moment, and the gifts they carried have prompted me to reflect on the gifts leaders bring to their schools. Last week, I wrote about gold and how staying…
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The Gift of Gold: Leading with Integrity and Honor
Gifts of Leadership Series, Post One December always pulls me into a different kind of reflection. Maybe it’s the quiet of early mornings sitting enjoying the twinkle of my Christmas tree lights, or the way the Christmas story settles into my thoughts at this time of year. I keep circling back to the three gifts…
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The Bed is Always Made
(Part 4 of 4: A Late-Lee Reflection on Leadership and Thankfulness) I struggle with anxiety. When life starts spinning like a tornado, I’ve learned to bring order to what I can control. I’ve listened to Admiral McRaven’s speech more times than I can count. His advice to “make your bed every morning” has stuck with…
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Gratitude for the Prickly Ones
(Part 3 of 4: A Late-Lee Reflection on Leadership and Thankfulness) I have a fascination with porcupines. I’ve never seen one in the wild, but I’ve lingered a little longer than I should watching them at the zoo. I love their prickly quills! It makes them seem harsh, but in my research, I’ve learned they…
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Gratitude for Growth
(Part 2 of 4: A Late-Lee Reflection on Leadership and Thankfulness) So, I was walking by my Jasmine plant the other day, just checking to see how much weeding I’d have to do. It’s way too much, if I’m being totally honest and possibly lazy. So, I strongly considered to keep moving on, but what…
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Gratitude for Steady Strength
(Part 1 of 4: A Late-Lee Reflection on Leadership and Thankfulness) There’s a stillness that comes with early morning woods. Long before sunrise, when the world is gray and quiet, the hunter settles in—steady, alert, and patient. The cold air stings a little, and the only sound is the steady rhythm of their breathing. Every…
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Reaching the Destination: Using Student Work to Guide the Journey
(Part 3 of the “Recalculating” Series) Haven’t read Part 1 or Part 2, be sure to check those out first. Speaking as someone who is directionally challenged, and as I’ve shared before, I can get lost in a parking lot. I feel a genuine sense of accomplishment when I actually end up where I intended…
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Cupcakes, Classrooms, and the Right Ingredients
When interactions were limited during 2020 due to COVID restrictions, I started teaching myself to decorate cakes and cupcakes to pass the time. Now, I’m no Cupcake Wars champion, but in the eyes of my grandchildren, I’m a winner. One of them is just like me. We focus on the sweetness of the frosting. I…
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Lights in the Darkness
One morning at 5:15 a.m., I was already heading to a school when I found myself behind a bus. Its red lights were glowing against the dark road. They illuminated the promise of a grand day! I imagined students on the inside were likely tucked into hoodies, trying to grab a few more minutes of…
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When My Heart Makes Me Love You
Late-Lee I’ve been thinking about human connections! I know some beautiful humans who have within them an enormous amount of kindness! It is seen in the light of their eyes, the tone of their words, and in the way they can make simple moments feel like magic! The other night, I had dinner with my…
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The Loose End of Leadership
Late-Lee, I’ve been thinking about my mom. It’s September. Not only does it mark her birthday on 9/19, but it also marks the very last day I spoke to her in 2013. I’m always a little more emotional during this time, and so many memories of her and our times together flood my thoughts. One…
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Start at the Bottom: Leadership Lessons from a Crooked Shirt
Late-Lee, I’ve been getting “schooled” by my husband—again. This time it wasn’t about how I load the dishwasher or whether towels should be folded in thirds or halves. No, this time it was about buttoning a shirt. He starts at the bottom and works his way up. I, naturally, start at the top and work…