This summer, I had the unique and powerful experience of spending five full days whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Salmon River in Idaho with 24 other school heads.
I wrote about that experience and the lessons I learned while on the river here:
On our last night camping on the river, we gathered in a circle beneath the fading sun to reflect on our time together
One of our guides happened to also be a musician.
On that last closing evening, she pulled out a guitar and sang a song for us that has haunted me ever since:
“You do not carry this all alone”
Here are the lyrics:
“You do not carry this all alone
No you do not carry this all alone
This is way too big for you to carry this on your own so
You do not carry this all alone”
Here’s a link to the full song:
This idea has been sitting with me for a while now
As a school leader (and as a human being) we carry so much weight, so many burdens; not just our own, but those of so many others
We carry the weight of the entire school system on our backs and in our persons, while also trying to navigate the psychological, relational, familial, and communal heft of our own personal lives
It really is quite a lot
I meet and work with school leaders from around the world and the comments I hear are all the same:
“I feel tangential to the community I lead”
“I feel unseen and unvalued from my own school”
“I’m getting pressure from all sides”
“I don’t have anyone who really gets it”
“I just get tired of feeling alone”
These comments, and many like them, scratch the surface of what I know so many of you are dealing with
The work of school leadership is difficult, and far too many do feel like they carry the bulk of it all alone
You became a school leader to make a difference—to create environments where students thrive, teachers grow, and communities flourish.
But the daily reality of leadership can feel overwhelming, isolating, and far from the vision that called you to this work.
Change is coming and you want to lead your learning community with intention, clarity, and care
What if you had a community of peers to help you lead with clarity, confidence, and joy?
That is the key reason I created the Flourishing School Leaders Cohort
As a safe space for those dealing with the heavy weight of leading a school
As a place for those who feel like the burden is often overwhelming
For those of us who just need a place to spend an hour with others who get it
Because here’s what I know:
The most transformative school leaders aren't just brilliant—they're connected.
The way through the loneliness of leadership isn't to tough it out alone, but to walk together.
You need someone in your corner. A safe space to vent, a shoulder to lean on, a place to dream big.
That's why the Flourishing School Leaders Community Cohort exists
It is community designed to keep you in the game long-term—doing the work you love with purpose, meaning, and joy.
A community of leaders ready to tackle the changes coming in education
What I realized that evening on the river as that beautiful song wafted over us is that my purpose is to create spaces for others (especially school leaders) to flourish
If that sounds exactly like what you’ve been needing in this season, come join us
We gather once a month to engage a given topic and then spend time fostering community, sharing thoughts and readings offline, getting to know one another outside of our roles, and leaning into community, collaboration, authenticity and hope
This cohort is designed to help you:
Lead with renewed purpose, energy, and courage
Build healthier, more human-centered school cultures
Navigate the challenges of leadership without burning out
Strengthen your mindset, clarity, and decision-making
Connect with a community of peers who “get it”
Gain renewed energy, purpose, hope, and joy in your work
You can join us for our next gathering on February 24th as we discuss “Leading From Your WHY: Recentering School Leadership Around Purpose and Meaning”
From there, you get a full year of community, strategy, inspiration, and depth with people just like you
More than anything, what I want you to hear is this:
No matter what the “this” is…you do not carry this all alone!
