Superintendent Year 4: Glimmers of H.O.P.E.

January has been a month of refreshing and renewal in 2026. So often, we continue to run, work, lead, and serve — and we forget to pause and reflect on how far we have come and the progress we have made. Most of the time, we are focused on the next thing… the next step… the next assignment we must conquer.

When we came back from Christmas/New Year’s break, I had the opportunity to speak with our principals and staff about reflecting on Glimmers of H.O.P.E. At the beginning of the school year, we opened convocation talking about HOPE:

H – Help one another

O – Opportunity to do good

P – Protect this house, our name

E – Encourage each other in every season

During our staff conversations, we talked about intentionally noticing glimmers of hope throughout our district — in our classrooms, on the courts and fields, in teacher lounges and administrative buildings, everywhere. And honestly, some of the most powerful glimpses of hope happen in our personal lives.

As I have visited campuses, teachers, administrators, nurses, custodians, and staff have voluntarily shared their glimmers of HOPE with me. A few moments have stayed with me and truly refreshed my spirit.

One day, a teacher asked to speak with me privately during a campus visit. She told me she had taken to heart the words I had shared about self-care. She shared that she’s had health challenges and realized she needed to stop, reflect, and finally prioritize herself. Over the past year, she’s lost a significant amount of weight — and while she still has a way to go, she told me she wants to keep going and even run in our Superintendent Fun Run this summer. It blessed my heart because she did not have to share. We both teared up as she told her story and reminded me of words from our fall convocation that stuck with her.

Later that same week, I was out walking with a colleague — our central office team has started exercising together — when I got a text from one of our campus leaders. It simply said, “Date night.” She shared that she was being intentional about priorities and boundaries while leading her campus. I knew that was something she was personally working on and to see she was not only taking care of her campus but her family made my heart full.

There have been many more conversations I’ve been part of — or heard about — that give me HOPE. Yes, we are on an academic journey to educate students and prepare them for their next phase of life, but along the way, we must take care of ourselves and one another. This work is hard and sometimes thankless, but I deeply believe we must create environments where people feel seen, appreciated, and encouraged — professionally and personally. I honestly do not believe you can do one without the other.

As a leader, I have high expectations — and those expectations start with me. Leaders set the standard. We set the priorities. We set the boundaries… and sometimes we forget to. I also believe people follow and model what they see. If a system is going to thrive, it starts with leadership.

Recently, I had to tell my team I would be unavailable for the weekend. It was one of those weeks where if anything could happen, it definitely did. I felt my cup emptying, and I knew I needed to refill it so I could lead and serve the way I’m called to. So I shut it down. I let my team know I needed rest, refreshment, and refocus — and that I’d be back online Monday morning. I also let my board president know in case anything came up. I’m thankful for a team and board who support me in this way. That stillness and quiet helped me reset and refuel. I count that as a glimmer of HOPE.

My team respecting that need — and my ability to model vulnerability — matters when leading those I serve.

In public education, spring is always a busy season. So I challenge you to think about HOPE and how you can live it out in both your professional and personal life. Let’s hold tightly to HOPE and continue to inspire one another along this journey. When we keep things in perspective, our staff wins — and ultimately, our students win. And in the end, it’s all about them anyway.

Let’s have a great spring semester and continue spreading HOPE across our districts, campuses, and communities.

#InspireExcellence