I can’t believe the amount of time that has elapsed since my last post in April. Here’s a quick recap of what’s been going on in my life over the last four months (four months!?!)…

• May saw some significant layoffs due to a RIF in my district. Not a lot of fun for a first-year principal who spent the entire year building culture.
• June was a great month for me as it was the second summer that I was fortunate to teach “Leadership & Ethics in Public Education” in the principal licensure cohort at CSU.
• July started with an amazing family road trip to see my grandmother for her 90th birthday, take the kids to Washington, DC, and visit my brother and his family in Charlotte.
• July into August I was back at work planning and working with my new assistant principal on clarifying a vision for my second year leading the best middle school on the Front Range.

And what’s to come this year?

• I just finished and defended my preliminary exam so I’m officially a PhD candidate now. Or, “ABD.”
• I am working on my dissertation proposal and hoping to defend this fall.
• I’ve got several staff members who will be joining me as presenters at the CAMLE Schools-to-Watch Conference in a few weeks.
• Hopefully, after a marathon 2010-2011 year in which I was a brand new principal and completed my final four (yes, four…) required grad school classes, Melinda and I will be able to make time to record your favorite podcast on a semi-regular basis again.

More later!