So we’re about to start the new school year with kids and it feels great. The first couple of weeks sets the tone for the year in so many ways, and getting off to a positive start is so important when framing the attitude and experience of both teachers and students as the weeks begin to roll on. I spent a lot of time over the past 10 days thinking about what it is that I truly love about the beginning of a new year, and I came up with a quick top 5 list that I would like to share. Feel free to add to this list from your own perspective, so together we can celebrate the beauty and opportunity that a new school year brings to us all…here we go.

        1. The Arrival – I’m not sure there is a better day in the year than the first day of school. Don’t get me wrong, I love summer holidays as much as the rest of you but there comes a time when I really start to miss the kids. Standing there at the gate and waiting for the students to arrive is so exciting for me, and when I see them from a distance getting closer my heart almost bursts with joy. I love watching them re-connect with their friends, and I love how eager, nervous, excited, and anxious they all are to begin this new chapter in their lives. There’s no better feeling in the world than when a student runs up and embraces you in a hug and starts telling you all about their summer adventures. It always brings me back to why I love education so much, and it makes me wonder how and why other people choose to do something else with their lives. I don’t understand how someone would want to do something else besides spending their days with kids 🙂

        2. The Relationships – I love walking around during recess and lunch and watching our kids interact with each other. It’s amazing to watch the new friendships form, and the old friendships deepen, and to witness those courageous interactions when kids put themselves out there to try and fit in. I love popping into classrooms and watching how hard teachers are working to give our kids the start that they deserve, and the effort that they are making to build that ever so important relationship foundation which will carry them through the year. Finally, what’s more inspiring than watching a student walk over to a new kid who is nervously sitting alone, and sit down next to them with a smile, or to ask them to join their table group. I’ve seen this a lot over the past few years at SSIS and it makes me ridiculously proud. I’ve seen teachers do the same as well, and it brings me back to what is really important in education, the relationships.

        3. The Collaboration – In many ways, the start of a new year brings out the best in educators. I find so much joy in watching (and taking part) in the collaborative conversations that happen throughout the school day, strategizing around how to set up the best possible situations for student learning to blossom. I listen to conversations about unit planning and assessment, learning principles, core values, data analysis, student agency, inquiry, personalized learning and extensions/interventions for kids, and all the rest…and it’s awesome. We are so much stronger as a school when we work together for the betterment of OUR kids, and listening to these collaborative sessions truly makes me smile. I love how open we all are to push into each other’s rooms, and co-teach, and co-plan, and work together to find the best ways to engage students, and ultimately, to inspire them to learn…wow. 

        4. The Struggle – I love watching kids struggle a little bit, and get pushed out of their comfort zones. I love watching the messiness of adolescence and the growth that happens when kids make mistakes. I love watching kids take risks and fail forward and then succeed, and I love how a new school year brings all of that out in kids in very profound ways. The beginning of a new school year can be hard for kids as they transition to new grade levels and encounter new and scary situations. The new teachers, new expectations, new classmates, new learning, and new developmental curiosities. The prospect of school, and being young and growing, is indeed a beautiful struggle and watching it unfold before our eyes is a gift that never stops giving. A young person’s life burns so brightly, and this burning is on display every second of every day, and it’s deeply inspiring if you take the time to notice, and become a part of it. Real learning often happens outside of the classroom with kids, and as educators we have the incredible opportunity to teach, to learn, and to be both role models and searchlight souls as our kids struggle to find out who they can be for our world.

        5. Turning the Corner – There comes a time when the “start of the year” is officially over, and we fall into our daily routines. Kids and teachers turn the corner so to speak, and we find a certain level of comfort with our days. Relationships have been formed, schedules have been memorized, expectations have been set, and we move on to the work that lies ahead. We begin to dig deep into the curriculum, we have accessed prior knowledge, we have a sense of where to go with each student, and we begin to settle into the year. This often happens after the first month or so in my experience, and it’s a good feeling, especially if the first few weeks have gone according to plan. There is such a positive feeling when you turn the corner successfully, and I’m excited to watch it all unfold across the school in the coming days and weeks.

Okay, with all that said I want to wish you all an incredible first day and first week with our kids. Go out of your way to make this the best beginning ever, for every student, and prioritize the relationships above all else. Keep your smiles wide and your energy up, and send me a few more reasons why you love the start of a new school year if you are so inclined…I’d love to hear them. Remember to be great for our students and good to each other, and focus on being the person that you needed when you were young…it’ll make all the difference. 

Quote of the Week…

Let us remember: one book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world

• Malala Yousafzai

Inspiring Videos – 

Shared Purpose

A Stranger’s Gift

Making New Friends

A Great Reminder

Every Kid Needs a Champion (A Classic)

Related Articles –

Investing in Relationships 

Positive Teacher-Student Relationships

Classroom Connections

The Powerful Impact of Collaboration

SEL Toolkit

Did you know that over 80% of international school headships end prematurely? Leadership instability isn’t rare, it’s a systemic epidemic across our sector.

Episode 24 of the Blue Skies Leadership Podcast is officially LIVE!
In this episode, hosts Dan Mendes and I sit down with Kevin Baker, Director of the American International School of Guangzhou , to discuss his groundbreaking research-backed white paper on leadership transitions.

Kevin challenges the classic myth of the “90-day transition” and argues that a successful transition is actually a two-year process that starts the moment the contract is signed. This conversation is an absolute masterclass for any international school head, board member, or aspiring leader committed to school stability.

Listen to Episode 24 with Kevin Baker right here: https://lnkd.in/emu489a5

#BlueSkiesLeadership#InternationalSchools#SchoolLeadership#LeadershipTransitions#EdLeaders#PodcastLaunch

Are your school’s hiring policies unintentionally filtering out your next rising star?

When international schools hunt for new educators or leaders, it is incredibly easy to fall into a hyper-myopic trap. We obsess over specific resumes, exact curricular checkmarks, or even preferred accents.

But in Episode 23 of the Blue Skies Leadership Podcast, Dr. Tim Stuart (Director of Leadership Recruitment at Search Associates) challenges us to look for the “X Factor.”

What is the X Factor? It’s the hidden potential, the upward trajectory, and—most importantly—the deeply human capacity to look at a student or a colleague and say, “I believe in you.”

Tim notes a powerful truth: “I can teach you how to teach IB, PYP, or AP… but I can’t teach you how to be a really good human being who loves collaborating and loves kids. Hire for that.”

Daniel Mendes and I sit down with Tim to dissect how we can build more equitable, diverse, and human-centered pathways for leadership in global education.
Listen to E23 – “The X Factor” now

Connection before content. It’s a simple phrase that changes everything about how we lead.

Episode 21 of the Blue Skies Leadership Podcast is LIVE! 🎙️

Today, Daniel Mendes and I sit down with international school teacher and change expert Nick Haywood to discuss why the most effective leaders prioritize relationships over results to actually get better results.

In this episode, we dive into:
-The “CHanGe” framework (and the touching story behind the name).
-Why managing your energy is more important than managing your calendar.
-Practical rituals like “See, Smile, Spud” to build instant belonging.

Nick’s insights from the worlds of elite sports and international education are the “needle movers” every leader needs right now.

Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/d7PmMzW7

#BlueSkiesLeadership#InternationalSchools#LeadershipDevelopment#ConnectionBeforeContent#NewEpisode

Leadership isn’t about having a perfect plan; it’s about having the courage to make the next best decision when the ground is shifting beneath you.

Eight weeks ago, Daniel Mendes was evacuated with his family from Doha while trying to support teachers and students during an escalating international conflict. In our latest episode of the Blue Skies Leadership Podcast, my co-host Daniel Mendes and I sit down for a raw conversation about what happens when “leadership theory” becomes your literal reality.
The hardest lesson learned: You have to give yourself permission not to be perfect. You will make mistakes when the environment is volatile. The goal isn’t a flawless execution; it’s providing coherence for your community.
We have postponed releasing this episode (Daniel M. now back in Doha) because of the emotional toll it has taken on Daniel, his family, and their community. We’re sharing this now because we want to give other leaders permission to be human.

Listen to Episode 22: https://lnkd.in/d68CqfyJ

#BlueSkiesLeadership#CrisisLeadership#IntlEd#VulnerabilityInLeadership

So I just finished reading Shift, by Etahn Kross the other day, and honestly, it was just what I needed. You see, there is a lot going on in the world these days, and if we aren’t careful it’s very easy to let the state of the world, and all of the emotions that come along with the constant bombardment of negativity, affect our well being, our mindset and how we show up for others. Like the rest of us, I too have been struggling a little with all of it, and this, coupled with the unexpected death of my Mother just a few short months ago, had left me feeling unbalanced and a little out of sorts. It’s not that I turned into someone completely different, but in my quiet moments I was struggling to process many of the feelings and emotions that kept rushing to the surface. After reflecting on the book however, and finding the right approach and strategies to navigate how I was feeling, I have finally come up for air so to speak, and I found my energy, my optimism and hope, and my smile once again.

It all started with a small but powerful “shift” that very quickly and very profoundly changed my days for the better. This shift allowed me to focus more clearly on what I actually have control of in my life, ensuring that I don’t miss out on the joyful moments that are just waiting to be discovered. Essentially, It had to do with how I spent the first 30 minutes of my day. Before last week, the first half an hour was mostly about meetings, or trouble shooting the issues and emails that had come my way the day or night before. Basically, the first 30 minutes of work was all about looking at fixing problems and putting out fires, and it didn’t allow me to really notice or appreciate the absolute magic that is the beginning of a new day. I was missing all the smiles and all the joy that comes along with the excitement and the promise of a new day at school, and I was not starting my days in the right frame of mind. So last week, I decided to shift to spending the first 30 minutes of every school day being a smile hunter…looking and listening for joy, and beauty, and laughter, and excitement, and smiles, which as it turns out, are everywhere, all the time, and screaming out to be noticed. 

I decided to count the number of times that a child or a child’s actions made me smile as they arrived through the gates and began classes, and I’m sure it’s not surprising to you that I lost count before the first minute of class even started. It was overwhelming to see kids literally skipping to class, holding hands with their friends and families, excited to show off their science or social studies projects, talking about how well they played in their soccer and volleyball games the day before, completely prepared to crush an assessment that was coming their way, and more often than not, just genuinely thrilled to get started on another day of learning. I walked back to my office after touring my division for 30 minutes and I was smiling from ear to ear. My 30 minute routine, or shift, has now become the best part of my day, and I’ve found that the belly laughs that I inevitably find on my smile tour stay with me, and keep me constantly searching for the small and beautiful moments that make up my day at work. 

It reminds me of one of my favorite Paul Simon lyrics, which goes, “All I have to do today is smile”, from the song, The Only Living Boy in New York…and as simple as it sounds, this little change in practice allowed me to take back a part of the daily narrative that we are all in control of, and to begin the day in a joyful state of mind. We are all dealing with a lot of negativity these days, and like I said before, it’s easy for all of the noise and difficult emotions to impact the way we are showing up for others, and for ourselves.

Just to be clear, I was a very happy person before I read this book, and it was, and still is very rare to find me without a smile on my face because I love, love, love what I do…but life is hard sometimes, and grief is a very real thing, and being intentional about how you navigate difficult times can make a world of difference. This shift hasn’t changed the state of the world, and it isn’t bringing my mother back, but it has allowed me to focus on what I find most important in my work, which is seeking out the beauty of our students and celebrating them for being the amazing young people that they are. 

There is so much beauty in the run of a school day that it will make your head spin, that’s the truth, and if you focus on spending some uninterrupted time seeking out that beauty, you allow yourself the opportunity to revel in it. Schools are the most beautiful places on earth if you open your eyes to the magic, and if you get into the habit of becoming a daily smile hunter. What do you have to do today? All I have to do today is smile! As a side note, Ethan Kross wrote another book called, Chatter, which in my opinion is the best unconventional leadership book that I have ever read. I recommend both Chatter and Shift if you are looking to proactively and positively manage not only your emotions, but the internal thoughts that we all deal with privately throughout the day. Okay, have a wonderful week everyone and remember to be great for our students and good to each other…happy smile hunting!

Quote of the Week…

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. — Leonardo da Vinci

Inspiring Videos – 

Starting a Wave

True Character

A Special Adoption

The Hidden Power of Smiling – TED

Related Articles – 

The Extraordinary Power of a Smile

A Simple Habit

Positive Self Talk

Stop trying to be the best in the world. Start being the best for the world.

We are thrilled to celebrate a major milestone—Episode #20 of the Blue Skies Leadership Podcast! To mark the occasion, we sat down with a true titan of international education, Tim Carr.

Tim doesn’t just talk about leadership; he lives it through a lens of “Islands of Sanity.” In a world that often feels like an “achievement factory,” Tim challenges us to pivot toward a more humane, redemptive, and joyful model of schooling.

In this episode, we dive deep into:
The Courage-Humility Polarity: Why the best leaders are both daring and deeply humble.
Islands of Sanity: How to create safe, life-giving spaces for your staff and students (inspired by his work with Margaret Wheatley).
The Future of International Schools: Moving beyond the “assembly line” toward radical community reciprocity.
Joy as a Strategy: Why joy isn’t “extra”—it’s the essential lens for leadership.
Whether you are a Head of School or an aspiring leader, this conversation is the “blue sky” thinking you need to start your week.

Listen to Episode #20 with Tim Carr here: https://lnkd.in/duzGbs4j

“You’re wired to have this sense of belonging.”

Dr. Derrick Gay is back on the Blue Skies Leadership Podcast for Episode 19, and he’s bringing the science.

One of the most powerful takeaways from this conversation is the reminder that belonging isn’t a “soft” initiative or a political stance—it’s a biological requirement. As Dr. Gay puts it, “If you’re a human, you need this.”

In a world full of geopolitical uncertainty and rapid tech shifts, how do we keep our eyes on the prize: safeguarding the dignity of every human in our schools?

https://lnkd.in/dwjDaAdx
Daniel Mendes
Dr. Derrick Gay

So it’s that time of the year again when I get to order books for my birthday, which is my favorite gift ever because it keeps on giving for months and months and months. The deal is that I have to finish reading all of last year’s books before I get to order new ones, and I’m excited about ordering the list below in the next few days. I only have one book left from last year’s list with one weekend to go! I’ll make it 🙂

As usual, like I’ve done for the last 10 years through these posts, I’m encouraging you all to take a few minutes this week to look through these titles, and to order one (or five) that resonate with you. Or, do your own research and share those titles with me so I can add them to this list. The suggestions below revolve around the themes of personal and professional harmony, leadership, creativity, innovation and culture building, with an overarching focus on becoming a better person and educator for our world. 

Anyway, take a look at the 15 titles and links below, and happy reading in 2026! I’ve had a blast scouring through book stores and websites over the past few months and I’m really excited about this year’s list. Okay, enjoy the week ahead everyone and remember to be great for our students and good to each other.

Mattering – Jennifer Breheny Wallace

Ordinary Magic – Gregory Walton

Why We Click – Kate Murphy

Flourish – Daniel Coyle

Strong Ground – Brene Brown

How to Be Okay When Nothing is Okay – Jenny Lawson

Intentional – Chris Bailey

Unreasonable Hospitality – Will Guidara

The Other Side of Change – Maya Shankar

Inside the Box – David Epstein

The New Emotional Intelligence – Travis Bradbury

From Intent to Impact – Asif Sadiq

The Serviceberry – Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Happiness Files – Arthur C. Brooks

Accomplish – Nathan Every