In our last post, David Arencibia (one of three finalists for NASSP “Principal of the Year”) talked about the importance of setting high standards and establishing a culture of FUN.

Another finalist, Donna Hayward, addresses an equally important aspect of school culture … building a sense of community and family. In this Smart Brief article , she describes her school’s journey and offers several ideas worth emulating.

One of Hayward’s biggest goals this year has been “supporting teachers who are pretty tired, pretty fried,” and letting them know that self-care is vital and that they’re among friends who can relate. The importance of a sense of community should never be underestimated. In her words, “One step at a time, we’ll get through it together!” She believes that this attitude has been a key component in significantly improving outcomes for the students, teachers, and staff at her school.