by Meredith Monk Ford
Folio Executive Director
It’s lonely at the top.
Even if you had an inkling six months ago that you’d still be wrestling with pandemic challenges in the Fall, it doesn’t make today any easier.
Leading faculty and staff at the start of a pandemic school year is much different than March’s emergency — but it comes with the same never-ending barrage of tough choices, gut instincts and being pulled in 12 different directions by 12 equally dire dilemmas.
Not only is it lonely at the top, but being alone isn’t even an option, because you CAN’T do it alone – and you shouldn’t.
You need the perspectives and ideas of other people and the opportunity to think clearly, talk things out, and get feedback. You need to know what works best — and why.
For that, there’s the Folio community — YOUR community of school leaders who are here to support you.
The issues you face and the tough decisions you need to make are critical — but perhaps not unique. There are other school leaders — other Folio members — who may have dealt with those challenges or who can offer unbiased, experienced insight that will allow you to think better… or differently.
Folio brings our community — YOUR community — together. Through webinars, presentations, forums, and cohorts, Folio members collaborate, share, and learn from each other. Sometimes, it’s simply just knowing that you are not alone — that there are others who have felt and overcome the same concerns.
Beginning in October, we will be hosting a robust schedule of professional learning opportunities around topics that Folio member schools have asked the Collaborative to bring them together to discuss. The first of these collaborations is our popular Mastermind Calls. Click here for more details.
You’ve read it here before — we are here for you. “We” is not just the Folio Team but your fellow members of the Collaborative. I encourage you to connect with us and with each other.
Another true adage is “there is strength in numbers;” I encourage you to use the strength of the Folio community.