Dear Together Friends, Fans, and Family,
Real autumn has arrived in DC, and this Maine girl is thrilled. The windows are open, the AC is off (until it is not because #humidity), and I’m stockpiling the very best variety of apple. Stand down, Honeycrisp lovers, the Crispin is coming for you! I’ve been working hard at continuing my outdoor pursuits: Hitting the AT Together Trails with my herd of cousins, racing other Together Trails with my partner (PS I do not advise running with a former Division 1 cross-country person), and I’m even trying a new sport involving. . . gasp. . . balls!
Mostly this is all to distract myself while I wait, like so many of you, for kid vaccines to be approved. Speaking of kids, I’m proud of my medium-sized children for handling themselves solo each day after school. Requests for shorter lists have been received, but hey, the dishwasher is getting unloaded. #winning
Over here in the Together-verse, we continue to learn more about what you all need most right now. We profiled a long-time Together Reader’s riff on our Play List idea; she focused on teacher mental health in this great professional development session.
Still juggling ALL THE THINGS right now?! Two ways we can help! Join me for an 8-week Together Leader Extended Edition beginning at the end of the month, and stay tuned for The Together Press’s second book drop coming your way in a few short weeks. Pre-order your e-version NOW! Note: This text is optimized for the free Kindle app, but print versions will also be available via Amazon after our mid-October release. Pre-orders are super important to authors like me, so snag your copy now for just $9.99. Here are a few quotes from our early readers to get you excited:
“Using her wealth of social sector experience, ever-engaging style and superpower for planning everything from conferences for thousands to girl scout troop gatherings, Maia’s Together Project Manager provides us mere mortals with an easy-to-use step-by-step guide to successfully manage any project with the same grace, confidence, and success that has been the hallmark of Maia’s effectiveness has over the years.”
“In The Together Project Manager, Maia crafts the art of project management through a holistic approach which combines a balanced investment in the why and how. In addition, Maia’s approach gives you the ‘bones’ of project management, while incorporating all supporting systems (i.e., human capital, messaging, leadership, etc…) to bring your project to life.”
Speaking of books and other resources, two colleagues of mine have dropped some great stuff lately. Check out Taryn’s new book and Brian’s excellent read. Also, my best ever former boss inked a new contract, too! In her words, “This book will be a love letter to my favorite space: the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.” Stay tuned for more from Nicole!
#TogetherForever
MHM
PS So. . . Halloween. Last year, I set up a Treat Table, and hosted some close friends for Halloween games. The year before, I lived my best life as Mrs. Frizzle. Stay tuned for my costume this year!
Together Treasure Box (From the Blog!)
- Does anyone else feel like they are starting their calendars from scratch again? Here’s how I re-set my calendar, AND re-stocked my fridge, to start the school year off Together.
- Reader Feature! Thanks to MaryKate for sharing this great idea for a PD to help build individual and collective resiliency during this tough year.
- Want to help your students get Together? Check out how Gem Innovation Prep is supporting their studentswith Scholar Weekly Worksheets!
Top Together Tributes
- Top Prioritization Pro Tips: Ready to get strategic about your priorities for this finding-a-new-normal school year? Jenn (of Marshall Memo and other fame!) has done it again! This article asks some questions that will help!
- Top Leadership Strategies for this Moment: We’re all exhausted. Here’s a great list of ways leaders can support their employees as full humans, not just workers. Shout out to my former colleague, Chastity, for sharing this with the world.
- Top Teacher Time Protection: Read here about the importance of preserving personal time for all of us, and what schools can do to make that happen for teachers.
- Top Tune-Up Toolkit: A longtime friend shared this resource with three simple but powerful activities for stepping back and reflecting on where you want to be in your life and where you currently are. Love the 80th birthday party reflection!
