This week’s tip: Don’t let what seems impossible stop the possible.
SAM teams face situations that seem impossible daily, and, somehow, figure out what to do to make things work for students.
Keeping centered on what you can do, not what you can’t, is critical in this time of significant national change where leaders face challenges that can conflict with closely held values about serving and educating students. Leaders must find a way to find common ground when viewpoints differ.
NSIP commissioned The Change Leadership Collaborative to develop Leading Successfully When Viewpoints Differ: A Set of 20-Minute Tools. The toolkit is available at no charge to SAM teams. NSIP is also sharing the toolkit with other school leaders nationally at no charge. You can download the toolkit by using this link: https://bit.ly/NSIP_Toolkit . You are welcome to share the link with colleagues and friends.
Another thing that seems impossible is making your school and district budget balance for next year. At the conference, we received dozens of requests for service and contract invoices now for next school year, 2025-26. I assume this is because of the uncertainty of funding for next year and these leaders are able to use current year funding to pre-pay for service. If you’d like to pre-pay for SAM service, and/or the conference use this link to request an invoice: https://bit.ly/40GtA33
Please give priority during budget deliberations to your own professional development. One superintendent shared with her principals that they should think twice before giving up their SAM service when attempting to balance their school budget for 2025-26. The cost of annual service, $4,995 for most schools, is the best investment a leader can make. The impact is far greater than most realize. On average, decreasing an aide’s workday by one hour covers the cost of SAM services for a full year for the principal and other leaders in the school.
In many districts, principals do not know their Title I and II allocations until September or October and think they have to stop using the SAM process. Please know that NSIP is a non-profit company and will continue your service without interruption. You can delay payment as long as needed.
Stay flexible in your thinking. Your fiscal situation will likely look better in September. In any event, we will stay with you as long as you are doing the SAM process with efficacy. Don’t let budget issues keep you from being your better self as a school leader.
PS#1: Look for annual SAM Conference keynote videos in HD next month.
PS#2: SAM teams are eligible to receive the weekly Marshall Memo and the monthly Main Idea at no charge. Use the links, below to be added to the distribution lists:
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