Elementary Advancement Solutions
Making Catholic School Growth Seem Elementary!
New Workshop Coming July 10th!
What's the Workshop About?
The week before school starts is one of your biggest leadership opportunities—but too often, it becomes a blur of handbooks, icebreakers, and tutorials. This workshop is all about breaking that cycle.
We’ll dive into how to create a faculty work week that energizes your teachers, builds community, and roots your team in mission and purpose. You’ll learn what not to overlook, how to balance practical needs with inspiration, and how to design a week your faculty will actually talk about—for the right reasons.
Whether you're a first-year principal or a veteran leader, this session will give you the tools to set the tone for a school year that matters.
Register today by clicking below:
How Do We Help Catholic Schools Grow?
Driving Enrollment Growth for Your School
Driving Enrollment Growth for Your School
Driving Enrollment Growth for Your School
We specialize in creating tailored strategies to attract and retain families, ensuring your school thrives in a competitive landscape. From auditing and optimizing your enrollment process to developing actionable goals and effective communication plans, we help you build connections with prospective families and strengthen relationships w
We specialize in creating tailored strategies to attract and retain families, ensuring your school thrives in a competitive landscape. From auditing and optimizing your enrollment process to developing actionable goals and effective communication plans, we help you build connections with prospective families and strengthen relationships with your current community. Let us guide you in showcasing your school’s unique value and driving sustained enrollment growth.
Maximizing Your Advancement Potential
Driving Enrollment Growth for Your School
Driving Enrollment Growth for Your School
Our services are designed to help your school secure the resources it needs to thrive. We assist in building robust advancement strategies, cultivating donor relationships, and creating impactful campaigns that align with your school’s mission. From increasing funding to strengthening community engagement, we provide the tools and guidanc
Our services are designed to help your school secure the resources it needs to thrive. We assist in building robust advancement strategies, cultivating donor relationships, and creating impactful campaigns that align with your school’s mission. From increasing funding to strengthening community engagement, we provide the tools and guidance to ensure your advancement efforts achieve sustainable success.
Transformative Leadership Coaching
Driving Enrollment Growth for Your School
Transformative Leadership Coaching
Our personalized coaching equips school principals—whether experienced or new—with the tools to thrive in their leadership roles. With a focus on enhancing leadership skills, fostering strategic vision, and addressing the unique challenges of Catholic and faith-based education, our sessions provide the guidance needed to lead with confide
Our personalized coaching equips school principals—whether experienced or new—with the tools to thrive in their leadership roles. With a focus on enhancing leadership skills, fostering strategic vision, and addressing the unique challenges of Catholic and faith-based education, our sessions provide the guidance needed to lead with confidence. We’re here to help principals strengthen their impact and ensure their schools succeed in both mission and growth.
The Catholic School Leaders Podcast
Dive into the unique challenges and opportunities of Catholic education with inspiring stories, practical strategies, and expert insights from leaders in the field. Whether you’re looking to grow your school, strengthen your leadership, or stay rooted in your mission, this podcast is your go-to resource!
Elementary Advancement Blog
11 School Leadership Books All School Leaders Should Read
July 24, 2024
I wrote an article about 11 Great Leadership Books That Have Nothing to Do with Education a few months ago. The article inspired a lot of conversation from leaders of Catholic schools and leaders in other walks of life, including giving them some new literature to check out! These books have the potential to transform your leadership journey and inspire you to explore new literature.
Since I wrote the article on non-educational leadership books, it feels fair to highlight only some of the best leadership books for educators. For this article, I used two criteria:
- The book has to be about educational leadership OR
- The book has to be about faith-based leadership.
Here are 11 leadership books that are faith or educational leadership-based:
"What Great Principals Do Differently" by Todd Whitaker.
Todd Whitaker's "What Great..." books are the OG of education and educational leadership. The book "What Great Principals Do Differently" is a clear roadmap for effectively leading a school. While there is no faith component to this book, the educational leadership wisdom passed on is something anyone can benefit from, equipping you with practical strategies for school leadership!
"If You Don't Feed the Teachers, They Eat the Students" by Neila Connors.
I will tell you I own multiple copies of this book. Why? There are several reasons. One, it is outstanding. Second, there are questions to answer on a rating scale to show you where you need to spend more time as an educational leader nurturing your faculty. I read it each year to compare growth and help me plan goals for the next school year. The creative piece is that each section of the book is like a menu in a restaurant. I cannot recommend this book to you enough. Trust me, you will thank me! And your teachers will thank you.
"The Elementary School Principal's Calendar" by Robert Ricken, Michael Terc, and Ida Ayres.
In fairness, this book has three versions: one for elementary, middle, and high school principals. I suggest buying all three. Yes, you will use them all. Each school is unique, but this book (these books) gives you a comprehensive roadmap of a calendar year for principals of all levels, ensuring you have all the necessary resources at your disposal. I used it as a foundation to start my monthly "to-do list," which expanded over 15 years. (My copy has a Palm Pilot on the cover for reference!) My list now faintly resembles the original book because I wrote it to fit my leadership needs and goals, but the importance of such a great resource is a must for anyone in school leadership.
"Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family/School Partnerships" by Anne T. Henderson, Karen L. Mapp, Vivian R. Johnson, and Don Davies.
If you want a book to help engage your school community, look no further than this one. The book focuses on questions like when we ask parents to be part of our school. If the answer is we reach out only when we need something, you are not truly creating a school partnership. Consider sharing this incredible book with parent organizations and leadership to show the value of creating a spark for parents to be part of the school. The book is a must-own for all school leaders.
"Divine Renovation" by Fr. James Mallon.
The book focuses on a parish, but its message is something every school leader should hear loudly: Bringing your parish from maintenance to mission. I was blessed enough to work through this book with the Leadership Team at my parish. It's an excellent opportunity to partner with your pastor on forming a parish school instead of a parish with a school or a school with a parish.
"The Catholic Briefcase" by Randy Hain, Foreward by Patrick Lencioni.
We are all trying to find "balance" between work and home, yet so few of us ever feel said balance. As school leaders, how blessed are we to work in a faith-based environment? We can wear our faith on our sleeves, something only some feel they can do. It is a great book to help you keep Christ at the center of all you do in your vocation as a school leader.
"Jesus, CEO" by Laurie Beth Jones.
The book's back cover asks this question: If Jesus ran your business, what would he do differently? Let's flip the question and ask it this way: If Jesus ran your school, what would he do differently? The book gives practical leadership lessons from Jesus to help us see how we can lead by His example.
"You're the Principal. Now What?" by Jen Schwanke
Congratulations! You just got your first job as a school principal! Let's celebrate! But when the excitement surrounding your hire stops, you have a job to do! Jen Schwanke does an outstanding job walking new principals through their first year on the job.
"The Leader in Me" by Stephen R. Covey.
The book focuses on changing your thinking regarding student leadership in your school. You may recognize the author from his work, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." I had the chance to not only read this book but also attend the conference associated with it. Both are winners for anyone looking to make student leadership a priority.
"Messaging Matters: How School Leaders Can Inspire Teachers, Motivate Students, and Reach Communities" by William Parker.
I have recorded podcasts and written articles on the importance of communication. William Parker does an outstanding job building an entire book on inspiring your faculty, students, and families by looking at your approach to different situations and opportunities.
"The Bible".
If you work in a Catholic or faith-based school, I encourage you to read this book thoroughly.
What are some of your favorite education or faith-based leadership books? I'd love to hear your favorites!
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