Heath Morrison’s Blog
Being Proactive Rather Than Reactive When Working with Policy Makers
It seems every year, school districts across the country are having to deal with new policies, laws and regulations from either the federal or state policy makers, or often, both. This was true before COVID, and the sheer number of additional pieces of legislation,...
Nationwide Challenges Continue to Test the Resolve of School Superintendents
I recently attended The School Superintendent Association’s (AASA) national conference and had the opportunity to interact and engage superintendents from across the country. Some have served for several years in their current roles, while others were newer to the...
Your Academic Calendar Development Should be a Process, Not an Event
Each year by the spring, school districts have typically released their approved academic calendar for the upcoming school year. The release of the new academic calendar is an event that is highly anticipated by families and district staff as it provides information...
A Decade of Reflection: Is A Call to Action Needed For Public Education
Ten years ago this month I had the honor of being selected as the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) National Superintendent of the Year. At the time, I was the youngest in both age and tenure to ever receive this humbling distinction. This honor...
School Leadership Tips Through The Continued Challenges Confronting Public Education
Over the summer, as school districts were preparing to re-open campuses and welcome back students for the 2021-22 school year, there was widespread optimism across the country that this school year would be less challenging than 2020-21, which was significantly...
Recognizing School Board Trustees
Each year, school districts across the country take the month of January to recognize the work and dedication of school board trustees. In school districts in Texas, and most other districts across the country, trustees serve in elected volunteer positions. School...
How A Community-Driven Strategic Plan Can Produce Strong Stakeholder Support And Improve Academic Outcomes
A strong, community-driven process for the development of a school district strategic plan is critical towards increasing academic achievement for all students and building a strong network of stakeholder support for schools. In October 2020, just a few months after I...
The Importance of Meaningful Engagement with School District Stakeholders
For school district leaders, establishing a strong culture of collaboration with stakeholders through meaningful engagement and communication is critical to building trust within your community. During a time when many local education issues are receiving national...
Tips for Creating an Inclusive Classroom
As an educator, you are responsible for creating a safe and inclusive environment for all of your students. While this sounds like it should be easy, it's actually harder than it looks when you consider how diverse the average American classroom really is. Whether...
Why Parental Involvement is Key to a Child’s Educational Success
Education is clearly important to a child’s development, but some parents and other stakeholders don’t always realize that education begins at home.