Brian Stack

Brian Stack is the principal of Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston, N.H, and the 2017 New Hampshire Secondary School Principal of the Year. He is also an author for the educational publisher Solution Tree, with a book on competency education that will be available later this year. He is a strong advocate of personalized learning, competency-based grading and assessment, and high school redesign for the 21st century. He has BA and BS degrees from Boston University in mathematics and secondary math education and an M.Ed. degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in education administration. Brian has presented his education reform and redesign work in conferences and think tanks from coast to coast. He lives with his wife and five children on the New Hampshire Seacoast. Follow him on Twitter @bstackbu or visit his blog.

Articles by Brian Stack

• Strategies to attract new teachers to schools that need them most

  School principals from coast to coast are reporting that this year may have been one of the most tumultuous…

  Monday, July 12, 2021

• What does the research say about COVID-19 safety protocols in schools?

  I noticed the other day as I walked the halls of my high school that no one follows all the one-way floor…

  Monday, June 14, 2021

• The secrets of an effective school leader

  I know a lot of great school principals who are very modest when it comes to talking about how their…

  Tuesday, May 11, 2021

• Showing support for school counselors during the pandemic

  We are just over a year into a pandemic that has already caused radical shifts and rifts in our society…

  Tuesday, April 13, 2021

• How can we raise the quality of teacher crowdsourcing resources?

  As a society, we have developed quite the appetite for information that is received by way of "crowdsourcing,"…

  Monday, March 15, 2021

• Who is checking on the mental health of our school leaders?

  Remember when you were a child at the amusement park, and the ride operator said if you want to get off…

  Monday, February 15, 2021

• Is the pandemic to blame for lower college enrollments?

  As is customary for a high school principal who lives in the community that he serves, when I see my…

  Monday, January 11, 2021

• Supporting rural students during remote learning

  After nine months, the impact that the pandemic is having on our nation’s most isolated and rural communities…

  Monday, December 14, 2020

• Reflections from a school leader: What I’m thankful for in 2020

  I hope you all had the opportunity to celebrate, in some small way, the Thanksgiving holiday this past…

  Monday, November 30, 2020

• Grading what matters most

  In a recent article, Edutopia’s Stephen Merrill asked a pivotal question that every educator needs…

  Tuesday, November 17, 2020

• Will the pandemic make us better educators?

  I try to be an eternal optimist, even when times are tough. I’m the person looking for the silver lining…

  Monday, November 02, 2020

• Principals: Don’t forget to take care of yourself!

  Even on an average day, the challenges a principal can face can seem daunting. Add a global pandemic…

  Monday, October 19, 2020

• The pandemic has taught us that school facilities need attention

  The pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in various parts of our educational system. This fall, one…

  Tuesday, October 06, 2020

• Pandemic pods: Band-Aid fix or wave of the future?

  I'll admit it, as a school administrator, the pandemic has given me some new vocabulary to incorporate…

  Tuesday, September 22, 2020

• Hiring tips for modern schools — even in a pandemic

  With the uncertainty of the pandemic, it is apparent that schools will find themselves on a perpetual…

  Tuesday, September 08, 2020

• A new look at math in the classroom

  Be honest with yourself. How many of you remember how to factor a polynomial? How many of you have found…

  Monday, August 24, 2020

• Leading your school during a pandemic

  When they write the history books a generation from now, 2020 may get its own chapter. We are not quite…

  Monday, August 10, 2020

• Strategies to combat racism: Considerations for teachers

  In case you hadn’t noticed, our nation is divided, and I’m not talking about politics here. I am…

  Monday, July 27, 2020

• Increasing your remote learning instruction skills

  As the clock starts to click down on summer vacation, many educators are still left wondering exactly…

  Monday, July 13, 2020

• Summer school looks different during the pandemic

  Summer school is underway in my New Hampshire high school, but it looks a little different from what…

  Monday, June 29, 2020

• Even in a pandemic, grades matter!

  Fellow school principals, I’m calling on each of you to take action with grading reform in your schools.…

  Monday, June 15, 2020

• On equity: How the pandemic may impact schools in the future

  As our nation prepares to enter a third month of altered operations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,…

  Monday, June 01, 2020

• Is it time for higher ed to move away from time-based learning?

  As he approaches 15 years of age, my son Brady has now started reminding me regularly that he will be…

  Monday, May 18, 2020

• How can educators promote self-direction, independence during remote learning?

  Remote learning is not a new concept in education. For many years, it went by the terms "distance" or…

  Monday, May 04, 2020

• Incorporating the US Census into remote classroom instruction

  Like most school principals around the country, earlier this year I received a package in the mail from…

  Monday, April 20, 2020

• Helping graduating seniors cope with COVID-19’s impact

  The COVID-19 crisis of 2020, featuring unprecedented calls by states for social distancing and the emergence…

  Monday, April 06, 2020

• I’ve never led an online school. What do I do?

  Last week at this time, I thought the worst thing I'd have to deal with that week was the fact that we…

  Thursday, March 19, 2020

• Project-based math classrooms can better engage students by addressing the ‘why’

  It is a struggle to help my own 14-year-old with his math homework. He struggles to maintain good grades…

  Monday, March 09, 2020

• A compassionate approach to student discipline

  We've all had those moments where, as educators, we wish we could have handled a student behavior issue…

  Monday, February 24, 2020

• When sickness sets in, teachers can be reluctant to take sick days

  My wife Erica recently returned to the elementary classroom after a decade-long hiatus to raise our young…

  Monday, February 10, 2020

• When it comes to social media, what do our students need to know?

  Imagine a world without social media. No likes. No status updates. No notifications. Those of us born…

  Monday, January 27, 2020

• Screen time: How much is too much?

  As our world becomes more and more digital, our classrooms continue to become transformed through technology.…

  Monday, January 13, 2020

• 2019: A year in review

  Happy New Year! As we begin 2020 and look forward to what the new year will bring, let's take a look…

  Tuesday, December 31, 2019

• The case for detracking in our schools

  Secondary schools have historically relied on tracking as a way to sort students into ability groups…

  Monday, December 16, 2019

• A new definition for competency-based education

  The CompetencyWorks initiative of the Aurora Institute (formerly iNACOL) recently released an updated…

  Monday, November 18, 2019

• Advice for principals: The importance of building trust with your staff

  If there is one thing I have learned after nearly 15 years as an administrator in my New Hampshire school,…

  Monday, November 04, 2019

• Moving away from timed tests

  In a recent Education Week article, Alden S. Blodget asked why we as educators believe that speed reflects…

  Monday, October 21, 2019

• Supporting transgender students in schools

  In an Education Week article last month, author Madeline Will reported on what happens when school is…

  Monday, October 07, 2019

• Supporting educators transitioning to a competency-based learning system

  In a recent article, I reported on how competency-based learning (CBL) systems continue to take hold…

  Monday, September 23, 2019

• Artificial intelligence: Coming soon to a classroom near you

  As a child, I was always enamored with books and movies that let me imagine what the future would look…

  Monday, September 09, 2019

• Could 4-day weeks catch on in schools?

  Imagine having the option to schedule your school weeks as four 10-hour days instead of five eight-hour…

  Monday, August 26, 2019

• Do grades matter?

  Last month, ASCD released a series of articles on grading reform where both teachers and researchers…

  Monday, August 12, 2019

• Moving beyond standardized tests

  Earlier this summer, Education Week published a thought-provoking blog by Maryland elementary principal…

  Monday, July 29, 2019

• Competency-based learning systems continue to take hold across the nation

  Earlier this summer, the International Association of Online K-12 Learning, better known as iNACOL, released…

  Monday, July 15, 2019

• Plan to combat chronic absenteeism in Newark, New Jersey, sees initial success

  In an article published last month, Chalkbeat's Patrick Wall reported that early data shows attendance…

  Tuesday, July 02, 2019

• Understanding principal turnover

  For me, this is about the time of the year when some of my teachers will come to me and ask me if I am…

  Tuesday, June 18, 2019

• Why we need more graduates to enter the trades

  Every month or so, a community member or parent in my high school sends me an article that talks about…

  Tuesday, June 04, 2019

• Security cameras in classrooms: The debate continues

  My suburban New Hampshire high school, home to some 800 students and staff, is not unlike many a high…

  Monday, May 20, 2019

• How a new school facility can improve learning

  "The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s about what you are made of, not…

  Monday, May 06, 2019

• How to protect against cybersecurity threats in schools

  I’ll never forget the first cybersecurity attack I endured as a high school principal. It happened…

  Monday, April 22, 2019

• Stopping the spread of hate in schools

  It seems these days that every news broadcast starts with a look at a hate crime happening somewhere…

  Monday, April 08, 2019

• Strategies to embed social-emotional learning in schools

  In an EdSurge article, Giancarlo Brotto makes a strong case for why the future of education depends on…

  Tuesday, March 26, 2019

• Strategies to engage girls in STEM

  For at least the last decade, there has been a push in our profession nationally to find ways to engage…

  Monday, March 11, 2019

• Study concludes later school start time benefits student learning

  I recently spent time eavesdropping on some of my students while on a bus ride for a field trip. I couldn't…

  Tuesday, February 26, 2019

• Eliminating the digital divide and increasing access to technology

  Inequities regarding technology access in our schools can cause students from different socioeconomic…

  Monday, February 11, 2019

• The increasing load of the small-town school leader

  Every year for the past several years, I have been asked to justify to the elected officials in my New…

  Monday, January 28, 2019

• Fostering small learning communities in your school

  In a recent National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) blog, 2018 New York State Assistant…

  Monday, January 14, 2019

• Call to action: Is your school best preparing kids for the future?

  As we embark on a new calendar year, I ask my fellow school principals whether your school is best preparing…

  Thursday, January 03, 2019

• How to fire kids up to be excited for their core subjects

  I spent years as a high school math teacher unsuccessfully trying to find an answer to this question:…

  Monday, December 17, 2018

• Understanding the impact of chronic absenteeism for students

  Chronic absenteeism data for schools is about to become much more public. By the end of this month, the…

  Monday, December 03, 2018

• How can micro-credentials be used to support teacher training?

  Earlier this year, the organization iNACOL released its latest map, charting the rise of policies that…

  Monday, November 19, 2018

• Does your school facility need a makeover?

  Does your school facility need a makeover? According to this 2012 report by the National Center for Education…

  Tuesday, November 06, 2018

• Helping your school go green

  Last month for an Education Week blog, Fulbright Distinguished Award in Teaching Program participant…

  Tuesday, October 23, 2018

• The learning power of breakfast

  Many mornings as a school principal, I feel like I am fighting a losing battle with my students with…

  Monday, October 08, 2018

• Maximizing learning time while riding the big yellow bus

  My seventh-grade son Brady informed me the other day that with the change to bus routes this year, he…

  Monday, September 24, 2018

• What to know about teaching to Generation Z

  In any profession, you have to know the audience of the people you work with or serve. As educators,…

  Tuesday, September 11, 2018

• The evolution of the school lunch menu

  For anyone in their 30s or older, it comes as no surprise that over the past two decades, America’s…

  Monday, August 27, 2018

• Flexible learning starts with flexible classroom spaces

  The latest craze with my New Hampshire high school teachers is to supplement, or in some cases replace,…

  Monday, August 13, 2018

• The relationship between student behavior and engagement

  A recent Mind/Shift article by Katrina Schwartz highlighted the efforts by San Francisco middle school…

  Monday, July 30, 2018

• Improving engagement for students with disabilities

  Recently, I co-hosted a chat on Twitter on student engagement for Understood.org, an organization that…

  Monday, July 16, 2018

• Detracking math classrooms in San Francisco: A model for all?

  Education Week’s Stephen Sawchuk recently highlighted an initiative now four years old in San Francisco…

  Monday, July 02, 2018

• The importance of career and tech education in today’s schools

  On the afternoon of their certificate ceremony from the Seacoast School of Technology in Exeter, New…

  Monday, June 18, 2018

• The impact of stable school leadership

  When the school year comes to a close this month, one Arkansas school will have big shoes to fill at…

  Monday, June 04, 2018

• Taking drastic steps to improve teacher recruitment

  I recently attended the ASCD Empower18 national conference in Boston and was surprised to see that a…

  Monday, May 21, 2018

• Solving the opioid crisis by empowering students

  In 2016, New Hampshire had one of the highest national opioid death due to overdose rates, a whopping…

  Monday, May 07, 2018

• The daily teacher struggle when faced with declining wages

  It is starting to become the norm for teachers to seek out other forms of income to make up lost ground…

  Monday, April 23, 2018

• Move when ready: The case for eliminating grade levels

  In a recent EdSurge article, writer Felice Hybert introduces the notion of eliminating grade levels in…

  Monday, April 09, 2018

• Embedding community service into schools

  ​At my New Hampshire high school, we have a community service tradition that all of our seniors participate…

  Monday, March 26, 2018

• Fostering self-advocacy skills for all students

  What does it mean for a student to successfully self-advocate? Simply put, self-advocacy happens when…

  Friday, March 16, 2018

• How do we bring back imagination in our schools?

  My wife Erica and I made a startling revelation one recent Saturday afternoon about our five children…

  Monday, February 26, 2018

• A grading debate: Pros and cons of reassessments

  It is a typical day at my New Hampshire high school, and I am observing a biology class. The teacher…

  Monday, February 12, 2018

• What do top-performing school districts do well?

  Education Week recently released the first of what will be three reports entitled, "Quality Counts 2018:…

  Monday, January 29, 2018

• Stressed at school: The rise in anxiety among teens

  One of the most difficult and often frustrating tasks I have to perform as a school principal is that…

  Monday, January 15, 2018

• 3 New Year’s resolutions as an educator

  Jan. 1 marked the start of my 17th year as a public school educator and my 12th as a high school administrator.…

  Tuesday, January 02, 2018

• Moving from teacher-centered to learner‑centered classrooms

  ​I hit a wall of frustration last week when I was doing some walk-through classroom observations in…

  Monday, December 18, 2017

• Grading on what students learn, not what they earn

  ​Ask high school teachers how they handle a student who doesn't submit an assignment, and their answer…

  Monday, December 04, 2017

• What are you thankful for as an educator?

  ​Later this week, most of us will gather with friends and family to celebrate the tradition known as…

  Monday, November 20, 2017

• The impact of suspensions on students with disabilities

  The kind of meeting I hate having the most as a high school principal is one with the parent of a student…

  Monday, November 06, 2017

• What is your school’s most effective form of communication?

  As a school principal for a medium-sized New Hampshire high school, I am always looking for the best…

  Monday, October 23, 2017

• Preparing for the gig economy

  It has been interesting to watch the job market change through the lens of many of my teacher friends…

  Monday, October 09, 2017

• What happens when you bring America’s top principals together?

  Being a school principal in America can be a thankless job, and one that is ever-evolving. But what would…

  Wednesday, September 27, 2017

• Plot twist: Starting school later is good for teens and saves money

  Part of the back-to-school preparation for many teenagers this fall was readjusting their sleep schedules…

  Monday, September 25, 2017

• Lessons from 9/11 nearly two decades later

  Today marks the 16th anniversary of one of the largest international terrorist attacks in history, a…

  Monday, September 11, 2017

• What can schools learn from summer camp?

  This summer, my 9-year-old Cameron had a blast at Camp Carpenter in Manchester, New Hampshire, where…

  Thursday, August 31, 2017

• Parents and educators: There is a new app to watch out for

  ​As we embarked on back-to-school season last fall, a 16-year-old girl named Natalie Hampton from Sherman…

  Friday, August 11, 2017

• The importance of branding your school

  This summer, have you gotten to share a Coke with Melinda yet? How about with Alisha? For the fourth…

  Monday, July 31, 2017

• How teaching becomes the test in New Hampshire

  Last week, Christian Science Monitor's Stacy Teicher Khadaroo wrote about how New Hampshire teachers…

  Monday, July 17, 2017

• Embedding mindfulness into your school

  ​Stress can be a normal part of life, but too much stress can become toxic to the body, the mind and…

  Wednesday, July 05, 2017

• Adding ‘soft skills’ to report cards

  Every weeknight, my kitchen table is a story of two boys raised by the same parents who approach their…

  Monday, June 19, 2017

• Flexible periods allow for personalized learning opportunities

  For decades, school principals have searched for better ways to use time more effectively in the school.…

  Monday, June 05, 2017

• Netflix series sparks school debate on teen suicide

  ​On the heels of what has become a controversial topic in schools from coast to coast, Netflix has…

  Monday, May 22, 2017

• What educators need to know about concussions

  It can happen in an instant, from something as simple as a fall or a collision in a recreational setting,…

  Monday, May 08, 2017

• Retooling libraries with makerspaces

  Nearly three years ago, in an article for MultiBriefs Education, I talked about the need to transform…

  Monday, April 24, 2017

• Virtual reality in the classroom

  ​I made the mistake of bringing Brady and Cameron, my 11- and 9-year-old boys, with me last month to…

  Monday, April 10, 2017

• The debate over grading and ranking public schools

  ​For more than a decade, states have published grades and ranks of their schools as part of the requirements…

  Monday, March 27, 2017

• Is too much technology a bad thing for kids?

  Does this story sound familiar to you? It is a typical weekday evening at home. Our family has just finished…

  Monday, March 13, 2017

• The evolving role of police in schools

  ​It is just another typical day at work for police officer Emmanuel "Manny" Fardella, a member of the…

  Monday, February 27, 2017

• Increasing your students’ global awareness

  ​President Donald Trump's recent controversial executive order impacting both refugees and immigrants…

  Monday, February 13, 2017

• The coding advantage: Why kids should learn to program

  Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to Justin Reich, executive director of the Woodrow Wilson Teaching…

  Monday, January 30, 2017

• Successful communication between home and school

  ​As a high school principal, one of the things I dislike to hear from parents is when they tell me…

  Monday, January 16, 2017

• The real cost of being a teacher

  ​This fall, the daughter of one of my co-workers was eager to start her first school year as a new…

  Tuesday, January 03, 2017

• What does Betsy DeVos’ appointment mean for public schools?

  President-elect Donald Trump recently named Michigan's Betsy DeVos to be the next Secretary of Education.…

  Monday, December 05, 2016

• Dual enrollment: Good for secondary schools and colleges

  ​Like many schools in our country, my public high school in southern New Hampshire seeks to offer a…

  Monday, November 21, 2016

• Understanding how to teach students with mental health disorders

  ​In quiet New Hampshire, among the beautiful autumn mountain backdrop and the New England seacoast…

  Monday, November 07, 2016

• Assessing work study practices in schools

  I recently had the opportunity to attend a large networking event with business leaders from my community.…

  Monday, October 24, 2016

• How can we solve our teacher pay dilemma?

  ​Last month, The Nation's Alissa Quart put the spotlight on teacher salaries in her article, "Teachers…

  Monday, October 10, 2016

• The debate over NARCAN in our schools

  It is a familiar story that is plaguing America's communities, with a familiar headline that appears…

  Monday, September 26, 2016

• Restroom rules: Where do we go from here?

  ​In May, a joint letter from the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Department…

  Tuesday, September 13, 2016

• Addressing student mobility and homelessness in schools

  As schools across America embark upon a new school year this fall, hundreds of thousands — perhaps…

  Monday, August 29, 2016

• Using YouTube as a flipped classroom strategy

  This summer, my 10-year old son Brady and I decided to build a deck around our above-ground pool after…

  Friday, August 19, 2016

• Highlighting the educational technology coach

  For the last decade or more, educational technology has been one of the hottest trends in American schools.…

  Monday, August 01, 2016

• Rethinking failure in the classroom

  Earlier this month, The Washington Post's Moriah Balingit and Donna St. George opened up a large debate…

  Monday, July 25, 2016

• The case for 1-to-1 technology in schools

  Just a few short years ago, it was considered a luxury for a school to have enough technology devices…

  Friday, July 01, 2016

• A flipped approach: Bringing the school to the parent

  One of the most critical dilemmas that school leaders face is how to get more parents involved at their…

  Monday, June 20, 2016

• Is summer vacation a relic of the past?

  ​This is the time of year when Alice Cooper's song "School's Out for Summer" can be heard playing on…

  Monday, June 06, 2016

• Developing a positive math mindset

  As a former high school math teacher, I often ask myself why math has such a bad reputation in our society.…

  Monday, May 23, 2016

• Policy in practice: Personalized learning and students with disabilities

  ​On Wednesday in a media room on the ninth floor of the Alliance for Excellent Education office in…

  Thursday, May 05, 2016

• How to apply growth mindset in schools

  ​All month, #growthmindset has been trending on Twitter. It started when Stanford University psychologist…

  Monday, April 25, 2016

• The genius of genius hours

  More than a decade ago, Google introduced the Pareto principle to its company. First conceived by Italian…

  Monday, April 11, 2016

• Microcredentials provide educator personalization

  ​Our world is changing at such a rapid rate that our schools need educators with specific skills and…

  Monday, March 28, 2016

• The power of student-led conferences

  ​Each time the image above appears in my social media news feed it makes me angry. The image compares…

  Monday, March 14, 2016

• The latest in project-based learning

  ​A recent Getting Smart Podcast highlights how project-based learning (PBL) connects the real world…

  Wednesday, March 02, 2016

• Making it right through student voice: Restorative justice in school

  The student-created video above from New Hampshire's Sanborn Regional High School (where I am principal)…

  Thursday, February 18, 2016

• Better late than never: Accepting late work without penalty

  The debate over whether to charge students a penalty for late work is not new to American education.…

  Thursday, January 21, 2016

• Harvard set to reimagine Teach for America model

  ​In 1989, Princeton University student Wendy Kopp understood our country's growing need to be able…

  Monday, January 04, 2016

• What will the NCLB reauthorization mean for schools?

  Today, in a presentation to a group of South Carolina educators on competency education, Gene Wilhoit…

  Thursday, December 03, 2015

• Reimagining the schools of tomorrow

  Earlier this fall, movie enthusiasts rejoiced at the arrival of Oct. 21, 2015, the actual date that a…

  Monday, November 30, 2015

• Tackling the challenge of making homework relevant

  Late afternoon on a school day means only one thing in my house — it's time to put on your game face…

  Monday, November 16, 2015

• Reflections from the 2015 iNACOL Symposium

  This week, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is playing host to 3,100 of the country's most promising…

  Tuesday, November 10, 2015

• Fostering reading through student choice in high school

  Like many Generation Xers and millennials, my high school English classroom memories stem from my experiences…

  Monday, November 02, 2015

• The changing role of advisory in a high school setting

  Advisory programs in high schools are not a new concept. In fact, they have been popular in schools for…

  Monday, October 19, 2015

• As rate of school shootings rises, what can educators do?

  ​This week, our country mourns the loss of 10 people in a school shooting at a small community college…

  Monday, October 05, 2015

• Are we effectively supporting new principals?

  ​American schools today face issues that are unprecedented in our nation's history. Among the top issues…

  Monday, September 21, 2015

• Could OERs spell the end of textbooks?

  ​Early in August, a letter arrived in President Barack Obama's digital inbox calling on him to commit…

  Tuesday, September 08, 2015

• Teacher resources for the new school year

  The end of summer marks the beginning of a new school year across the country. For returning teachers,…

  Monday, August 24, 2015

• The movement From STEM to STEAM

  ​In an elementary classroom in southern California, teacher and educational consultant Sarah Weaver…

  Monday, August 10, 2015

• Race to the top: The charge of the elitist parent

  You see them all the time, but maybe you have never noticed that they are there. I often refer to them…

  Monday, July 27, 2015

• Should teacher tests receive a failing grade?

  As our nation continues to look for ways to hold our schools accountable for student learning through…

  Monday, July 13, 2015

• To test or not to test? That is the growing question

  ​Earlier this month, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan took a bold step in the debate over whether students…

  Monday, June 29, 2015

• Coming soon to a school near you: The new SAT

  The introduction of the Common Core has caused many high schools and colleges to move toward proficiency…

  Tuesday, June 16, 2015

• College 2.0: A new age of learning

  ​For 100 years or more, America's greatest institutions of higher learning have relied on a tried-and-true…

  Friday, June 05, 2015

• Remembering Grant Wiggins and his impact on education

  On the morning of May 27, shock took over the educational community with a single tweet from Grant Wiggins,…

  Thursday, May 28, 2015

• How does your school garden grow?

  After a long winter, spring has finally arrived. For many — especially those who spent a season buried…

  Monday, May 18, 2015

• Senate bill may provide big boost to competency education

  In a news release to its members last month, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL)…

  Tuesday, May 05, 2015

• A new era in teaching: The rise of personalized learning

  Last week, I had a great conversation with one of my teachers who had recently started incorporating…

  Monday, April 20, 2015

• Is it time to end zero-tolerance policies in schools?

  Last month, a former student from my school came back to interview me on zero-tolerance policies for…

  Monday, April 06, 2015

• Addressing plagiarism in schools

  In a scene that takes place in 1955 during the classic movie "Back to the Future," Biff is seen bullying…

  Monday, March 23, 2015

• New Hampshire sets the PACE with new accountability strategy

  ​To test or not to test? That seems to be the question these days when it comes to state-run standardized…

  Monday, March 09, 2015

• How does your school use social media to connect with families?

  As I was walking down the hall the other day, I was struck by some recent student artwork that had been…

  Monday, February 23, 2015

• It’s time to redefine the credit hour

  Recently, a hot topic on the Web has been the Carnegie Unit. Also referred to as credit hours or student…

  Monday, February 09, 2015

• How do you personalize learning at your school?

  Personalized learning has been one of the hottest trends in education, especially in the past two to…

  Thursday, January 22, 2015

• Kindness: The sometimes-forgotten teaching standard

  ​Last month, my school hosted a regional conference for student councils from other neighboring high…

  Monday, January 12, 2015

• Will changes to AP courses save them from becoming obsolete?

  This October, the College Board announced that they will be overhauling more of their AP courses to better…

  Monday, December 15, 2014

• New Hampshire’s PACE option: Building a better accountability model

  In October, Education Week's Alyson Klein asked the question, "Will New Hampshire be Arne Duncan's 'test…

  Monday, December 01, 2014

• School districts weigh pros, cons of later start times for high schools

  ​The American Academy of Pediatrics published research this summer that will likely become a hot topic…

  Monday, November 17, 2014

• Reflections from iNACOL 2014: Realizing the future of education

  This week, more than 2,500 educators, experts, researchers and policymakers have converged on the city…

  Thursday, November 06, 2014

• The gender gap is closing in schools, when will it translate to the workplace?

  Despite the fact that our country is built on a foundation whereby "all" are created equal, a significant…

  Monday, November 03, 2014

• Increasing rigor in the classroom

  Every teacher wants to be able to say that he or she is increasing rigor in the classroom. How does a…

  Monday, October 20, 2014

• 21st century twist: Video gaming now belongs in the classroom

  My two oldest sons — Brady (age 9) and Cameron (age 7) — are addicted to the video game Minecraft.…

  Monday, October 06, 2014

• Using rubrics to provide more accurate feedback

  Teachers, make this your year to make better use of rubrics and a rubric scale for your assignments and…

  Monday, September 22, 2014

• Promoting positive parent-teacher communication

  ​Ask teachers what they wish they had more time to dedicate to in their job, and better communication…

  Monday, September 08, 2014

• Grading practices that better support 21st‑century learning

  If you'd like to see just how polarized a high school faculty can be, survey them on how much they think…

  Monday, August 25, 2014

• Transform your classroom into a modern learning space

  In schools across America, the floors have just been polished, and fresh paint now adorns many classroom…

  Monday, August 11, 2014

• Bringing the hashtag to teacher professional development

  ​It's 8 p.m. on a Sunday evening. Dinner is finished, and the dishes have been put away. It's time…

  Monday, July 28, 2014

• Overdue notice: Transforming libraries into learning commons

  For school libraries — much like the newspaper industry — staying relevant in the 21st century has…

  Monday, July 14, 2014

• Why do we still use class rank to select graduation speakers?

  The movement of schools across the country from a traditional to a standards-based or competency-based…

  Monday, June 30, 2014

• Homework 2.0: It’s time to upgrade our approach

  Few would argue the importance of homework on academic achievement. But in today's world, the purpose,…

  Monday, June 16, 2014

• Cultivating teacher leaders at your school

  Last week I had an engaging conversation with one of my teachers. After just two years in the classroom,…

  Monday, June 02, 2014

• The ‘new normal’ life of a teacher

  ​In the age of accountability, college readiness and the Common Core, the role of PK-20 teachers is…

  Monday, May 19, 2014

• Making mistakes is the key to learning

  ​"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." This phrase, etched into the minds of children for…

  Monday, May 05, 2014

• Parental involvement in schools: How much is enough?

  In a school near you, an elementary school principal is asked to predict which adults will have the greatest…

  Monday, April 21, 2014

• The importance of grit in a positive school culture

  Last week I visited a high school in which every teacher had posted in their classroom a large sign that…

  Monday, April 07, 2014

• Common Core is the latest reason to adopt standards-based grading

  If your school hasn't started discussions on what it would take to move to a standards-based model, I…

  Monday, March 24, 2014

• Quality performance assessments are trending in New Hampshire

  In a meeting at a highly-effective school near you, a group of math teachers are working as a professional…

  Monday, March 10, 2014

• How project-based learning is transforming classrooms

  At many schools around the country, project-based learning is transforming classrooms by creating student-centered…

  Monday, February 24, 2014