Tag: Leadership
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“The Porch” Podcast: You’re Invited!
Welcome to the Porch with Dr. Hope O’Neil In the heart of America’s urban public schools, a revolution is brewing. “The Porch with Dr. Hope O’Neil” invites you to explore the intricate world of K-12 education, where the stakes are high and the outcomes are critical. The Journey Begins Join Dr. Hope O’Neil as she…
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Crafting Your Leadership Manifesto for School Reform: Step 4
Hopefully, this journey is inspiring you to clearly define your leadership core values and ways you will show up in the work. We have focused more on the what and how of constructing your manifesto. However, why is this urgent work in the context of school reform? These are my top 5 reasons. Do you…
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Building a Leadership Manifesto: Step 3
Leaders, in Step 1, we brainstormed a list of attributes that define who we are, how we want to present ourselves in the workplace, and the culture we aim to create. In Step 2, we added details to clarify meaning and took time to reflect on our thinking. Step 3 requires us to prepare to…
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Transforming Classrooms: From Compliance to Creativity
If you read my first two posts, you gleaned the importance I place on critical and creative thinking for both adults and children in our classrooms. I am as dedicated to the art as well as the science of learning and teaching. Here’s why. I learned a lot when I served as a 6 –…
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Building a Leadership Manifesto: Step 2
I’m excited to see others join me in writing or revising their leadership manifestos. It is a great way to start the new year, as it will help you clarify your bottom line. What is a good organizational fit? When should you stay and disrupt the status quo? When should you walk away and start…
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Dear Teacher, Before You Quit
Mr. Mills was a first-year teacher in an urban public middle school, serving approximately 600 African American students. In 2002, he was a 22-year-old Ivy League graduate with a passion for teaching underserved students in low-income areas. Mr. Mills came to the classroom with above-average content and pedagogical knowledge. He deeply connected with each student…
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Combatting Teacher Turnover: Effective Leadership Strategies
The Problem The American Institute for Research (2022-2023) studied teacher turnover in nine large school districts and reported an average rate of 23%. 44% of teachers quit within the first five years of teaching (The Berkley High Jacket, personal communication, December 25, 2025). Only a small number of American schools will reach excellence with these…
The Urban Education Change Equation 