The Thoughts Library
Every month we publish a practical take on school communications — what worked, what backfired, and what to say next time. The whole archive lives here.
This Thanksgiving, school leaders can show appreciation for the often-overlooked employees who keep schools running—and strengthen relationships with a few simple, meaningful gestures.
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A sophomore’s quiet act of sportsmanship after a homecoming game has been viewed more than 1.1 million times. The lesson for school leaders is that most good news won’t go viral, but you should keep sharing it, and share it fast.
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A new PBS documentary series follows one Pennsylvania county as school board meetings turn into battlegrounds, and almost every school leader will recognize the scenes. The lesson is that division in a community may be unavoidable, but the tone of the room is something leaders can shape.
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The newly elected board member walks into the district office for the first time since winning. What happens in the next few weeks could shape your working relationship with her for years.
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Eighteen months of work comes down to a few hundred votes. The way you talk to your community in the first 72 hours after an election matters as much as anything you said during the campaign.
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If you want positive coverage, your most important ability is availability.
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The districts that keep their credibility are the ones that help their community understand the problem long before asking it to accept the answer.
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Hoax threats are designed to create chaos, and a prepared leader doesn't give them any.
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Election-season controversies usually don't start with bold political statements. It's usually a small decision that nobody thought was political at all.
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Every school leader knows the feeling: You open your inbox and there it is—a frustrated parent, an angry staff member, or someone demanding an explanation for a decision they don’t understand. It is tempting to…
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Artificial intelligence is creating a new challenge for school leaders, and it isn’t simply deciding whether students should be allowed to use it. The bigger challenge may be explaining the decision. Across the country, schools…
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The school year is underway. Teachers are back, students are settling into their routines, and school leaders are already juggling more priorities than they probably care to count. Communications is one of them. The reality…
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