November: The Calm Before the Push

November is a strange month in schools. The energy dips, the days get shorter, and everyone’s just trying to make it to Thanksgiving Break. But for strong leaders, November is the perfect time to pause, refocus, and set the stage for the new year.

When I visit campuses this month, I’m asking principals to think about three things:

• What’s giving you energy right now?

• What’s draining your energy?

• If I could help you tackle two big things this month, what would they be so you can move forward with the other 150 on your list?

Those questions help leaders see where they’re thriving and where their systems might be slipping. And this is the month to tighten those systems because January shouldn’t feel like a restart. It should feel like a continuation of momentum.

The key is to use November to build your January–March plan—the one you’ll communicate in December so everyone returns from the break ready to move. That plan should outline what you and your leadership team need to do daily, what to monitor, and how to make systematic adjustments.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Calendar – Everything is scheduled, sequenced, and owned by someone.

• Meetings – Purposeful, recurring, and already on everyone’s calendar.

• Communication – Staff, parents, and students all getting the same message.

• Data – Assessment days planned, reviews scheduled, adjustments mapped out.

• Culture – Positive events and clear expectations in place.

• Resources – Budget and schedule supporting your priorities.

• Instruction – Classrooms organized, time protected.

• Behavior – Expectations taught, modeled, and reinforced.

• PD – Training planned in advance, not reactive.

• Celebrations – On the calendar, ready to go.

November is the calm before the push. Use it wisely, so when January hits, it’s not “back to work”—it’s go time!