The biggest mistake I made when composing emails is: Jump into writing without first think about 1. who I am writing to 2. What am I writing about 3. Why does tihs matter to my audience 4. What outcome do I want to see as a result of the email 5. What response do I want

The irony of school leadership: By the time you’re called “principal,” your most important work isn’t behind a desk. It’s assembling 200 of them with parents, students, and board members. Week 2 of TKA Elementary reminded me: leadership is service.

Your child’s principal starts each day in prayer. Not checking emails. Not reacting to overnight crises. Not planning from anxiety. 6 minutes with God before leading 200 students. This is why your child experiences peace instead of chaos at school.

If you are a school leader and you want to build community, stop screwing around. •Choose shared work over slogans •Choose cleaning supplies over speeches •Choose decorating classrooms over long meetings In the short-term, it looks small. In the long-term, it builds trus

The single most important way to study school leadership: watch what happens when a new building opens. Most schools make 3 mistakes: 1.They outsource the setup. 2.They minimize parent involvement. 3.They separate “board work” from “student work.” Week 2 of TKA Elementary was

I led a successful parent interview without any preparation time. Here's how it happened: 5 minutes before the interview, a teacher knocked on my door looking upset. "I just need to vent," she said. Every leadership book says: Prepare thoroughly. Review your materials. Get in

At 2:36 PM, over 100 children needed pickup during unbearable heat. Instead of panicking, we paused. Communicated via email, morning assembly, and quick teacher sync. Result? "Pick up was 'boring' because it was so smooth and calm." Pausing is the secret to make good decisions.

A teacher burst into my office: "David, I need to vent." I could have rushed to fix it. Instead, I listened. Sometimes, the best decision is to give space.

Parent email hits my inbox (I'm CC'd). My instinct? Respond immediately. My decision? Wait. Let the teacher respond first. Why? Trust builds when teachers own their classroom situations. Jesus never let urgency override his peace School leaders: Pause. Think. Regroup. Then

4 Times Jesus Refused to Rush (Leadership Lessons for School Principals) 1. Martha demanded urgency → Jesus stayed focused When parents demand instant responses, pause and consider the bigger picture. 2. Disciples wanted quick fixes → Jesus taught patience Real story: Teacher

I wrote about my 6-minute morning solitude because parents need to know their child’s principal is a real person who puts Christ first. When families see you depend on God for wisdom, they trust you with their children.

People think private school marketing is: •Running ads during enrollment season •Creating brochures for school tours •Posting occasionally on social media What it actually is: •Building relationships 12 months before families need you •Creating content that serves parents’

Schools waiting for enrollment season: •Scramble to explain their differences •Compete on features and amenities •Hope families find them in time Schools writing consistently on the internet. •Position against public school problems year-round •Build authority on why

A parent asked me why her first grader does not have homework in week 2 of school. I understand the anxiety—especially for Asian parents who grew up where worksheet quantity measured academic rigor. But what would homework really tell you about a 6-year-old? Real learning happens

What first graders actually need to learn in early weeks: How to be a learning community How to explore ideas together How to collaborate respectfully How to ask better questions These skills create academic excellence that worksheets cannot measure or develop.

7 reasons worksheets make terrible homework for first graders: • Students can complete them 90% independently without real learning challenge • No engagement or curiosity development about subject matter • Focus on compliance rather than thinking and problem-solving skills •

Traditional academic rigor: • Worksheet quantity determines class difficulty level • Homework load proves academic seriousness • Individual completion shows student competence Real academic excellence: • Learning community development builds foundation for advanced

Most Christian school principals check emails before talking to God. What happens to their day? Days dominated by urgent but unimportant tasks. Teams confused about priorities. Leaders feeling late to everything. The ones who flip this order lead with peace instead of panic.

Ways to help parents see real academic rigor: • Train teachers to write newsletters explaining what students learn and why • Show how collaboration skills prepare students for advanced academic work • Demonstrate that curious learners outperform worksheet completers long-term

The 5 quiet inquiry blockers on your school website. As leaders who are stewarding families' trust, the website should feel like the beginning of an intentional journey, similar to your warm and welcoming front office. What I'm seeing the most on Christian school websites. •