Each August, something shifts. We walk our buildings. We hear the hum of returning life. We feel both the excitement and the weight of a new year ahead.
It’s a lot like tilling a garden.
Before we can plant anything meaningful, the soil has to be turned over. It has to be broken up, aerated and made ready to receive what’s next.
That’s what great leaders do before the first day of school.
We till the soil of our schools – our mindset, our systems, our relationships and our vision – so that growth is possible.
Preparing for the Year Ahead
Each August, something shifts. We walk our buildings. We hear the hum of returning life. We feel both the excitement and the weight of a new year ahead.
It’s a lot like tilling a garden.
Before we can plant anything meaningful, the soil has to be turned over. It has to be broken up, aerated and made ready to receive what’s next.
That’s what great leaders do before the first day of school.
We till the soil of our schools – our mindset, our systems, our relationships and our vision – so that growth is possible.
The Garden Then and Now
These two pictures are more than sweet memories. They are a reminder that leadership is learned, lived and passed down.
In the first picture, I’m learning from my dad. In the second, our daughter is learning from her grandpa. Different generation, same work. Same values. Same lesson: Good things grow when we prepare the soil.
WHY TILL THE SOIL?
Because what happens now shapes everything,
- Your mindset: Are you leading with a growth mindset?
- Your systems: Are they clear, simple and connected to what matters most?
- Your relationships: Do people feel seen, heard and valued?
- Your vision: Is it shared, compelling and actionable?
When we do this work intentionally, we don’t just start the year. We start stronger.
THE GROWTH MINDSET
Carol Dweck reminds us, “Effort is the path to mastery.” Not talent. Not titles. Not experience alone. Effort.
But effort isn’t the destination. It has to be paired with reflection, feedback, and adjustments that lead to progress and improved performance. That’s how we grow. That’s how our schools grow.
EXPECT THE
J-CURVE
Growth is not a straight line. It is a J-Curve.
There will be days (or weeks) that feel like we’re getting worse before we get better. That’s normal. That’s part of the process.
Problems are not defeat. Setbacks are not failure. As Taylor Swift says, “Being fearless isn’t being 100% not fearful; it’s being terrified, but jumping anyway.”
Keep tilling. Keep going. You will soar.
FROM MY GARDEN TO YOURS
As you prepare for the year ahead, take time to till your soil. Ask the hard questions. Make the necessary adjustments. Lean into what will help you and your people grow.
And remember, you don’t have to do it alone. MASSP is here to walk beside you with resources, support and a network of leaders who get it.
Here’s to a year of purposeful work, powerful growth, and people we’re proud of.
Michelle