Slow Leadership
Real questions. Thoughtful answers. Sustainable pace.
But I Turned It Off… and the World Kept Spinning (Part 2)
Last month, I shared the truth I didn’t want to admit: that the hardest part of a long-awaited, bucket-list trip wasn’t the planning, the packing, or the travel. It was the idea of turning off my email. Well, I did it. And here’s what happened when I finally...
But I Can’t Turn It Off… and Other Lies I’ve Told Myself (Part 1)
Next month, I get to go on a bucket-list trip—one that’s been more than three years in the making. In preparation, I’ve been checking the weather, writing out my packing list (including the stack of books I plan to take), and mapping out day-by-day activities. And...
Whoops, I did it again…
I caught myself taking on someone else’s “monkey.” If you’ve read Todd Whitaker’s work, you know the metaphor: a “monkey” is a problem or responsibility that doesn’t belong to you but somehow ends up on your back. And if you’re a leader or an educator, chances are...
The Power of Connection to Transform Student Outcomes
Bright Eyes. Big Ideas. Bold Intentions. As the school year starts up, we enter with plans, priorities, and opportunities to build upon what we started the year before. But let’s be honest—these past few years have stretched us in ways we never imagined. The...
Hello
Jessica is the Principal of Alternative Educations Programs in Austin, Minnesota. Previously, she was the principal of Ellis Middle School in Austin, Minnesota, and the principal of the “Happiest Place in Southeastern Minnesota,” the Woodson Kindergarten Center.





Recent Comments