12 Weeks to Consistency, Clarity & Confident Leadership

Welcome😊📋

Summer is in full swing, and your center hums with that rare, peaceful rhythm. Classrooms are covered, college students are filling in the gaps, and for once, you are actually leaving by 4:30 PM.

You pause in the parking lot, breathe in the quiet, and watch the children laugh as they splash through Water Day, while teachers chat nearby under the sun.

And then, just as you’re unlocking your car door...
That familiar thought creeps in:
“This won’t last.”

August is on the horizon. Your college staff will return to campus. One of your veteran teachers just hinted at a move. Fall enrollment still has a few empty spots. And if you’re being honest, the sticky notes on your desk are starting to look like a cry for help.

Every year it’s the same: A fleeting sense of control...then September hits, and it’s back to the hamster wheel. Staff callouts. Unfilled classrooms. Behavior escalations. Stress. Repeat.

And the worst part?
You’re not even sure what to change, just that something needs to.

Do you know the feeling?

I do!

Let’s look at this Summer as a Season of Opportunity!

Getting Ahead: Building a Strong Start for the 2025–2026 School Year

As early childhood leaders, summer is our window of opportunity, not just to breathe, but to build. While the pace feels smoother now with an extra hands-on deck, we know this rhythm doesn’t last forever. So how do we extend it beyond August? How do we stop the cycle of last-minute scrambles, staff callouts, and constant turnover?

It starts now.

Use this summer intentionally. Start thinking about the systems, expectations, and culture you want to see in the fall and take steps toward it today.

Begin with these 7 Summer Moves:

1. Communicate the Vision🔭

   Start talking with your team about what success looks like for the upcoming school year. Use staff meetings, check-ins, and even informal moments to cast a vision of stability, excellence, and teamwork.

2. Prep Early⏰

   Begin building fall classroom rosters now. Reach out to families for confirmations and transitions. The more prepared your rosters are, the less chaotic the first weeks will be.

3. Hire and Train Proactively📄

   Don’t wait for August. Start hiring and onboarding staff while your building is fully staffed. Use your college students as support to give full-time teachers time for peer mentoring and in-house training sessions.

4. Create Clear Expectations🔎

   Establish professional standards and non-negotiables. When your team knows what’s expected, consistently and respectfully, your program runs smoother, and morale stays high.

5. Plan for Callouts and Turnover🤒

   Build a reliable sub plan, create classroom support floaters, and train staff to step into different roles if needed. Preparing for the inevitable now prevents burnout later.

6. Engage Families Now👨🏾‍👩🏼‍👧🏽‍👦🏼

   Tour, enroll, and build relationships with new families over the summer to fill fall slots early and maybe even build a waitlist.

7. Design Your Year Ahead🗓️

   Draft your school year calendar now. Include professional development days, staff meetings, parent-teacher conferences, family events, and classroom cleaning days. This gives everyone, from staff to families, a clear roadmap.

Since 2020, so many of us have been stuck in survival mode.
But here’s the truth:
It’s time to get off the hamster wheel.

Intentional planning and clear expectations create a thriving, professional environment, one that supports teachers, guides children, and builds deep family trust. It’s how your center becomes the go-to early childhood program in your neighborhood.

Till Next Time,

Jen Sprafka🖍️

P.S. Want to see the exact checklist I use to prep for fall? Just reply; I'd love to share it.
P.P.S. Was this newsletter helpful? I'd love to hear your thoughts🤔💭