My Annual 3-Part Summer Leadership Ritual

The ring of the final bell is a memory, the corridors are quiet, and the to-do list has finally started to shrink. For school leaders, the time that follows the end of term is a paradox, both a much-needed pause and a precious planning window.

While I fiercely protect time to rest and be present with family, I’ve also come to rely on a simple three-part summer ritual that helps me reset, reflect, and reimagine before the whirlwind of the term begins again.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all blueprint. It’s a rhythm that helps me clear the mental clutter, reconnect with why I do this work, and reenter the school year focused and energized.

1. Reset: Create Space Before Filling It Again

The first step is doing nothing. Truly. As it is now July, you should have already reached this step, but if not, start now. It can be incredibly difficult, but it is essential.

This took me years to learn. Earlier in my leadership journey, I would leap straight into some kind of strategic planning the moment students left the building. I’d fill the void with documents, spreadsheets, and work—only to hit burnout before the first day back.

One year, I skipped this step entirely. I came back in January with a color-coded plan and no mental space to lead. That first term, I missed obvious signs of burnout in my team and didn’t have the clarity to make meaningful decisions. I learned the hard way that recovery is not a reward for leadership, it’s part of the work.

Now, I give myself permission to switch off. For me, that means reading books, taking long walks with no agenda, or even just allowing silence to return to my headspace. It’s not a luxury; it’s an intentional act of leadership. Our cognitive load during the year is relentless. If we want to lead with clarity, we first need to decompress.

Resetting also means letting go of urgency. Not everything needs to be solved by teek two of the break. The emails can wait. The planning can wait. What can’t wait is the need to return to the role, whole.

2. Reflect: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What I’ll Carry Forward

Once the noise in my head has settled, I shift into reflection. I give myself space to review the past year with a balance of honesty and self-compassion. I ask three simple questions:

• What am I proud of? (To celebrate wins and build momentum.)
• What do I want to learn from? (To identify growth areas without judgment.)
• What do I want to leave behind? (To let go of what no longer serves.)

Sometimes I journal. Often, I voice-note my thoughts during a long drive. What matters is giving shape to my thinking, not turning it into a formal report. This phase often yields surprising clarity.

Last summer, one standout insight was around staff morale. I realized I’d spent a lot of time supporting individuals reactively, but I hadn’t created enough proactive systems to support well-being within my teams. That became a key focus for the year ahead.

I also reflect on how I showed up as a leader. Did I model the calm I hoped others would mirror? Did I create the conditions for others to lead well, or did I hold too much, too tightly? These aren’t always easy questions, but they’re the ones that stretch my leadership.

3. Reimagine: Planning That Starts With Purpose, Not Paperwork

Only after I’ve reset and reflected do I begin to look forward.

This is the planning phase, but it starts with purpose, not policy. It’s easy to jump into calendars, meeting schedules, or initiative rollouts. But I’ve found better results when I begin with meaning. I revisit our school’s core values and long-term goals. What are we really trying to do this year? And how do I make that a part of the everyday experience of staff and students?

I always ask: What’s one thing I can do next year that would make the biggest difference? Not a dozen new initiatives, just one clear focus that can shape my leadership throughout the year.

Last year, that “one thing” was improving internal communication. From that single goal came changes to our meeting structures, a rethinking of how information flowed through teams, and improved transparency in decision-making. The ripple effect on staff trust and time-on-task was significant.

From there, I plan backward. What support will staff need? What messaging needs to happen early? What blocks of time need to be protected in the calendar?

This is also when I plan how I’ll lead, not just what I’ll lead. I’ll block out nonnegotiable time for partnership meetings, check-ins with my middle leader team, and even periods in the term when I know I need to step back and reflect again. This protects my energy and helps me lead with presence rather than urgency.

Why This Ritual Matters

For me, this three-part ritual is about more than productivity. It’s about alignment. I know now that I need to get my head, heart, and habits back in sync before another year begins. It’s the difference between leading on autopilot and leading with intention.

Too often in education, we leap from one thing to the next without integrating what we’ve learned. We equate being busy with being effective. But good leadership isn’t reactive. It’s grounded in clarity, humility, and purpose. And that takes time. So, to other school leaders: I encourage you to design your own version of this ritual. Protect your downtime fiercely. Reflect deeply. Then reimagine bravely.

You don’t need to have every answer by the end of the break. But with the right headspace, you might just ask the right questions.