09/21/2026
I received an award.
But what stayed with me wasn’t the award.
It was how it felt to be Seen. Valued. Appreciated.
Recently, I attended and received my second 5 Figure Educator Award.
Yes, I was proud.
But I also found myself thinking about schools.
We are at the end of the first quarter.
By now, your school culture is beginning to tell a story.
Not the culture you talked about during back-to-school meetings.
Not the culture written in the handbook.
The culture your staff is actually experiencing.
So, leaders, this might be a good time for a First Quarter Culture Check.
Ask yourself:
SEEN
Who have I noticed this quarter?
Whose effort may be happening quietly?
Who haven’t I checked in with lately?
VALUED
Do people know why their contribution matters?
Am I listening to staff ideas—or simply communicating expectations?
Whose voice isn’t being heard?
APPRECIATED
When was the last time I gave someone specific, meaningful recognition?
Do I only acknowledge the big wins?
Have I thanked someone for the consistency nobody else notices?
And here’s the thing…
It doesn’t have to be showy.
A handwritten note.
A two-minute conversation.
“I noticed what you did.”
“Thank you for how you handled that.”
“Your work made a difference.”
“I value what you bring to this team.”
No balloons required. No catered lunch. No staff T-shirts. 😏
Just intentional leadership.
Because culture isn’t built through occasional grand gestures.
It’s built through repeated moments that tell people:
I see you.
You matter here.
Your work matters.
As you close out first quarter, don’t just assess student data.
Assess your culture.
What is your staff experiencing?
And based on what you discover…
What will you intentionally BUILD in Quarter 2?
