In today’s episode, I want to talk about balancing the end of this year while planning ahead. Stay tuned.
Welcome to The Principal’s Handbook, your go-to resource for principals looking to revamp their leadership approach and prioritize self-care. I’m Barb Flowers, a certified life coach with eight years of experience as an elementary principal. Tune in each week as we dive into strategies for boosting mental resilience, managing time effectively, and nurturing overall wellness.
From tackling daily challenges to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, we’ll navigate the complexities of school leadership together. Join me as we foster your sense of purpose and reignite your passion for the job. Welcome to the podcast where your wellbeing is the top priority.
Welcome back to the podcast!
Today, we’re talking about finishing the year strong while planning smart for the next school year.
As principals, we know this time of year can be tough. You’re juggling being present for the current school year while making critical decisions that impact next year. It often feels like you have one foot in each school year—and that can be really challenging.
One reason it’s so tough is because it’s hard to stay present when you’re constantly future-focused. Meanwhile, there’s still so much happening right now: testing, events, celebrations, and all the daily activities that make up the school year’s end.
At the time of recording—early May here in Ohio—we’re wrapping up state testing and starting benchmark assessments. There are field trips, end-of-year events, and a general sense of both excitement and exhaustion in the air. It’s a lot!
Today, I want to offer you two things:
- Three tips for staying focused and finishing the year strong, and
- Three tips for planning ahead with intention for next year.
Let’s start with staying focused and finishing strong.
Three Tips to Stay Focused and Finish the Year Strong
1. Reconnect to Your School’s Why
Take time to revisit your school’s mission and values.
Think back to the beginning of the year when you were full of energy and excitement. What vision did you have for this school year? How did you want it to feel for your staff, your students, and yourself?
Now, reconnect with that vision. Remind yourself of your school’s why—whether it’s creating joyful learning experiences, building strong community connections, or something else—and let that fuel you through these final weeks.
2. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Completion
It’s tempting to focus only on checking off the year-end boxes, but don’t forget to celebrate the growth!
- Look at academic data: achievement and growth.
- Review behavior trends: are referrals down compared to last year?
- Recognize relationship wins: maybe you built a strong connection with a parent or staff member this year. That’s a huge success worth celebrating!
Celebrate both the big and small wins with your leadership team, your staff, and even just yourself through reflection. Use these celebrations to fuel morale through the final stretch.
3. Prioritize Relationships Over Your Task List
Your to-do list is long right now—but make being visible and available a priority.
- Be present in classrooms and hallways.
- Attend the fun events.
- Strengthen trust and connection with your staff before the summer break.
As a self-described hyper-achiever, I get it—it’s so easy to want to stay locked in your office to get things done. But the relationships you nurture now will carry you into next year in a powerful way. Let yourself enjoy these moments, and fill your own bucket too.
Now, let’s shift gears to planning ahead with intention.
Three Tips for Planning Ahead with Intention
1. Reflect Before You Plan
Before you start making decisions for next year, take time to reflect deeply.
- Review notes you took throughout the year. (I loved keeping a running Google Doc of reflections after every event, assembly, or big decision.)
- Look at your staff and student data: what does it tell you?
- Think about hallway conversations, casual feedback, and handwritten notes you received.
- Use your building leadership team to gather more reflections.
And if you haven’t done so yet, now is a great time to send out surveys—to both staff and families. Honest feedback helps you plan smarter.
Quick note: Feedback gathered during stressful times (like testing season) might be more negative than usual. Keep that in mind when reviewing results!
2. Focus on What Needs Teacher Input Before Summer
Ask yourself: What decisions need teacher voice?
This could include:
- Master schedules
- Duty assignments
- Committee leadership roles
- Upcoming initiatives
Get their input now, before everyone heads off for summer break. Save anything you can do alone—like updating handbooks or designing systems—for the quieter months.
3. Save System Design for Summer
Summer is the perfect time for big-picture thinking and refining systems:
- Staff meeting structures
- Communication plans with staff and families
- Organization for walkthroughs and observations
- Recognition systems for students and staff
- Your own time management tools
Work on building or refining systems that will support a smoother, more successful school year ahead.
Also, create a “Summer To-Do” doc throughout May and June. Anytime something pops into your mind that doesn’t require immediate attention—or teacher input—add it to the list for summer. Protect this precious planning time!
Remember:
You don’t have to choose between finishing strong and planning smart—you can do both. But it requires intentionality.
So here’s your reflection for this week:
- What’s one thing you can do to stay present with your students, staff, and families?
- What’s one thing you can do to prepare for next year?
I’d love for you to share your reflections with me on Instagram! You can find me @DrBarbFlowers.
And if you haven’t yet, be sure to listen to Episode 41—“Reflecting on the Past School Year and Creating an Action Plan.” It’s a great companion to today’s episode.
If you love the show, I would be so grateful if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Scroll down in the app and let me know what you think—your reviews help others find the podcast!
Remember:
You have the power to shape your life according to the mindset you choose.
I hope you have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next time!
