The Shepherding Superintendent

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The Shepherding Superintendent

When I was in undergraduate school I had a classmate encourage me to become a pastor. His encouragement stemmed from his assessment of my teaching gifts, which he considered to be at least adequate for the pastoral ministry.

He was kind but wrong. While I do have the gift of teaching, I would make a poor pastor. For one thing I dislike hospitals, weddings, and funerals.

Although my friend was wrong about my vocational calling, I have come to realize that he was right about a critical element of my role as Superintendent. I am called to fulfill a pastoral role in my school. I am to be a shepherding Superintendent. I shepherd my staff, students, and parents, a responsibility that I take seriously because eternal souls are at stake. As C. S. Lewis observed:

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Thems and Usses

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Thems and Usses

It was one of those Saturday night banquets in 1970s Christian circles. The menu featured vulcanized chicken slices from birds that might well have spent their formative days too close to the local tire factory – they were a bit chewy I mean. A minor multitude of merry wives were socializing gleefully as their husbands did their best to sit up, bare up and smile, while silently wishing they were home watching Hockey Night in Canada. As for me, at this particular event I envied my right leg. It was asleep. 

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No More FrankenSlides! Tips for Better Presentations

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No More FrankenSlides! Tips for Better Presentations

If you are a leader or a teacher, you probably use PowerPoint or Apple’s Keynote program. Nothing personal, but you are probably using them incorrectly and in the process boring your audience.

I have.

Not wishing to bore my audience, I have read several excellent books on presentation design and delivery. What I have learned has transformed the way I design my presentations. No more FrankenSlides! 

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Lost in the Noise: How to Get People to Open and Read Your Email

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Lost in the Noise: How to Get People to Open and Read Your Email

t is hard to get people’s attention. Inboxes overflow with emails. Social media feeds compete for attention. Voice messages wait impatiently for a return call. Schedules are packed.

In all of the noise your emails can get lost or ignored. Here are a few simple things you can do to increase the odds of your emails being opened.

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A Good Idea at the Wrong Time

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A Good Idea at the Wrong Time

A Good Idea at the Wrong Time

Have you ever been in the position where you've implemented a new idea, having done all the necessary research, feeling convinced that it's a sound and feasible move, only to discover that, after a short while, it proves to be the worst possible decision - a monstrous failure. It's happened to me, and here's the kicker. After the project was abandoned, I reintroduced it much later and this time it was a roaring success.

This got me thinking about the importance of timing. I have consistently found that a great idea at the wrong time is ALWAYS a bad idea. When performing our due diligence in researching a new project, we almost always concentrate primarily on the mechanics - can this thing operate effectively?But perhaps we should also be asking - is it the right time?

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Are You Your Own Worst Enemy? When Policy Masquerades as Principle

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Are You Your Own Worst Enemy? When Policy Masquerades as Principle

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We create battles we don’t need to fight.

I avoided an unnecessary skirmish recently after receiving a call from one of our elementary principals. She called about a clear violation of our dress code policy.

The problem had to do with the language of the policy prohibiting non-school pictures or logos on clothing except for small monograms. This created a problem for parents who wished to purchase, or who had already purchased, tops for younger children with flowers, animals or similar imprints. Several parents were complaining about the policy. The principal believed we should enforce the “letter of the law” because it was clearly written and to “protect” the school’s culture.

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What Drives Word of Mouth at Your School?

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What Drives Word of Mouth at Your School?

What parents say about us and our schools are the most important drivers of enrollment and retention. But what drives word of mouth? This guest post by Rick Newberry answers that question.

Guest Post: Rick Newberry

Some of the things I love about Southwest Airlines include their affordability, consistent experience, quality, no-change fees and outstanding service. I really like the numbered line-up process instead of how other airlines invite zones to crowd the front (I especially like it now that I am on their A-list and always get one of the first numbers).

My bags also love that they can fly free!

I am a brand ambassador for Southwest and I enjoy sharing the love. 

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How to Turn a Difficult Meeting into a Positive Experience

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How to Turn a Difficult Meeting into a Positive Experience

s school leaders, we have all been there. We receive an email something like this:

“Dear Dr. Mosbacker, I would like to request a meeting this Tuesday. This meeting is regarding a series of concerning events that have happened with “name.” I am now asking for your involvement because I believe “name’s” actions have created harm by ….. I will be sending details to you prior to this meeting for you to review … I would like to meet before sending a letter to the school board….”

Receiving emails of this sort is never pleasant. The prospect of meeting with a disgruntled and sometimes angry parent is stressful.

The good news is that such meetings can be a positive experience—if handled well. Over the years I have found the following practices to result in positive outcomes more often than not.

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Regaining Control of My Life: How I Make My Smartphone My Servant

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Regaining Control of My Life: How I Make My Smartphone My Servant

Are you the Master or the slave of your smartphone? Before you dismiss this question too quickly take a few moments to watch this short video: I Forgot My Phone.

It is not the purpose of this article to make you feel guilty. The purpose is to help you become the master of your phone rather than its slave.

Like overcoming any addiction or enslavement, the first step is to admit that you have a problem. You have to admit that you are shackled to that beeping, buzzing, blinking omnipresent electronic device.

Do you have a problem? Let’s find out. Take an inventory of your “relationship” with your smartphone. * You might be a slave to your smartphone if:

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There are Three Powerful Reasons for Getting Off of Your Duff

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There are Three Powerful Reasons for Getting Off of Your Duff

There are Three Powerful Reasons for Getting Off of Your Duff

  1. Your physical health--sitting is more dangerous than you know—read on!
  2. Your mental productivity
  3. Your leadership and impact on those around you

I got a big surprise the other day! I am disciplined when it comes to my eating and exercise. In fact, I fast jog at a 13.5 degree incline for 50 minutes, 6 days a week most of the time. I thought I was covering my bases for good health.

I was wrong!

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