I can still picture the scene and hear my grandmother’s Southern voice as she explained the beauty of annual renewal in education. She sat in her rocking chair with a neatly folded newspaper and a National Geographic beside her, and, of course, a glass of sweet tea with lemon in hand. She had spent decades teaching high school English, and I had just completed my first year as an elementary school teacher.
As I shared my excitement about my students and school, she reflected on her own years in the classroom and gently explained that teaching would require much of me. Then she shared something I have never forgotten: education is a unique profession because it offers the gift of a fresh start — not only with each calendar year, but with each new school year as well. She encouraged me to use summers wisely, making sure I cared for myself so I could continue caring for others.
In the middle of our conversation, she paused in the thoughtful way she often did, looked directly at me, and said, “Now, Carrie, remember — you must take good care of yourself. Your students deserve your best.”
Her words mean far more to me now than they did almost twenty years ago when she first spoke them. She is no longer here, and education has transformed dramatically since our last conversation together. She would hardly recognize today’s realities — charter schools, virtual learning, hybrid instruction, and ongoing debates surrounding school funding. Yet despite all the change, two truths remain constant: leaders in education face a significant risk of burnout when we fail to protect the gift of annual renewal and our students still deserve our very best.
The close of the 2025–2026 school year is upon us, and summer — a season my grandmother cherished — is just beginning. She understood that renewal was not a luxury; it was stewardship. She knew that how she cared for herself during the summer prepared her to serve her students well each fall.
Many of us are weary from a demanding school year and legislative session. It may feel impossible — or perhaps indulgent — to think intentionally about rest and renewal. But this season offers us an important opportunity to pause, reflect, and prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.
Recent research from Gallup found that followers need four things most from their leaders: trust, compassion, stability, and hope. As educational leaders, we strive to model these qualities every day. Yet each of them requires something foundational: leaders who are healthy themselves. The beauty of annual renewal is that it gives us the opportunity to cultivate that health and prepare to meet the needs of our teams in the 2026–2027 school year.
As you close out May and enter the summer months, consider reflecting on these four areas:
Heart
Reconnect with your “why.” Return to the moment you first chose a life in education and service to others. Remember the passion and purpose that shaped your decision. Reflect on the schools, teachers, leaders, and students within your sphere of influence. How has your “why” evolved over time? How do you want it to guide you into this next season of leadership?
Mind
We consume more information than ever before, but not all of it equips us for meaningful leadership. What topic, challenge, or area of growth do you want to better understand? Pursue it intentionally. Find trusted resources. Read the book. Take notes. Invest in learning that will strengthen and prepare you for the year ahead.
Body
How we show up physically as leaders matters. Teachers often use summer to refresh their classrooms; educational leaders should consider refreshing the spaces from which they lead as well — whether that is a school office, home office, or shared workspace. Small changes can create environments that better reflect clarity, purpose, and vision.
Being
What fills us internally eventually spills out into every interaction and decision. Pay attention to what is surfacing in your words, reactions, and relationships. How do you respond under pressure? Are you handling tension and conflict in healthy ways? Identify the practices, rhythms, and relationships that bring life and renewal to your soul. Sometimes true restoration comes not simply from self-care, but from deeper soul care.
This is not another checklist to complete or another task demanding your attention. Instead, it is an invitation — an invitation to follow the example of educators like my grandmother, who understood the importance of tending to both their inner and outer lives.
So as summer begins, I hope you will take good care of yourself. Your students, teachers, and schools deserve your best. Our state depends on leaders like you.
Keep pressing forward in this meaningful and deeply important work.