Principles of Principals

Schooling is dead, long live Schooling. My child is doing school online...what are my rights, roles and responsibilities? Private, Independent, Charter, or District, so much has stayed the same with schooling, while so much continues to change. Here are some things on which to reflect, ponder and pray... Parental rights ; Your rights have not changed as a parent. You are entitled to access premium curriculum that is focused on promoting the American culture. You have the right to know your child's teacher and administrator. You have a right to observe and listen to the lesson. You have a right to access the very best resources for your child. Parental   roles ; Parent - setting and keeping loving, healthy boundaries for and with your child. Care-giver - reasonable financial support, food, shelter, clothing. Professional - modeling and facilitating meaningful conversations, and critical thinking skills. Listener - asking questions like, "What are you hoping to accomplish?...

Allies, friends, mirrors, social circles, check ins, check outs, special handshakes, hugs, high fives...gone? Outside the walled-off political fortresses, there exists real scientific evidence  regarding the impact of social isolation on children. What evidence?  Well, ask the World Health Organization what happened when the iron curtain fell and we got a look at marginalized children surviving in socialist/communist communities. In the anecdotal extremes, Romanian children held hostage in orphanages by a communist regime who rocked back and forth, presented as intellectually disabled, and grossly underweight/underdeveloped. What evidence?  In recent months, explore the exponential increase of children and adolescent anti-depressant prescriptions since March of 2020(check Utah County). See also the FDA warning regarding the increase of suicidal thoughts in children taking SSRI's. Particularly, when first taking the medication. ( source ). Air pollution incr...

Caveat Emptor: I am not a medical doctor, nor do I play one on TV. More and more we are reading research that extols the benefits of UV rays, Vitamin D, and exercise when it comes to fighting disease. It is our responsibility to take care of ourselves, that we might take care of others, and not be a drain on an already tapped system. What other ways can we prepare us Northern Hemisphere residents for what will likely be a long winter, especially in the dog days of February? Here are three point five ways to flourish this fall, and conquer old man winter like a boss; Get outside - you've heard me say this before. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a GORUCK sandbag, or your BlackDiamond hiking poles and get after it! Are you getting enough sleep? How much blue light do you ingest before you hit the hay? Well, adjust and limit your screen time . As in, how about none after 5:30 pm? Are you getting enough of the right supplementation necessary to a healthy gut? What nutrient dense fo...

  In the coming weeks, our children are collectively going back to school. Thing is, no one gets to the see the new kicks or the latest fit they got. Remember, new kicks, one pair, for the entire school year? New school outfit? Those were the days. Across the nation, parents are leaning into choice as an option for their child to return to the semblance of normalcy.  The School-Choice menu includes;  Charter Independent Private Public/district Activists will shame you by saying that Private, Charter and Independent are stealing resources from public districts and that they don't serve marginalized populations. They will virtue signal and name call, like the private school leader who is a  socialist  for requiring masks, and then a  Trumper  for facilitating face to face instruction - talk about a no win scenario. Lies. They do more with less. Reach more children, provide more services, and have zero public funds. Did you know that in the heart of th...

In the past week we've received several emails and phone messages from the school districts where our children attend. The pendulum swings from one side to the other, often within 24 hours.  If you're like us, head scratching, teeth grinding, and confusion swarms what might have otherwise been a normal day. But, these days are anything but normal. As our girls shed tears about the loss of connection around their friends and teachers, cancelled sports, postponed extra-curricular and arts programs, we try to find solutions to these challenges. First, let me unequivocally say that I do not, nor will I ever, apologize for working for and acquiring the resources to support my family. It has never been, nor do I expect it to be, easy (whatever that means). I only know that it is worth it. I know that it is my responsibility as a father, and I do the best that I am able under the circumstances. Here are seven point five ideas for parents who have students who are forced by unelected o...