Giving Compass' Take:

· At Northglenn High School in suburban Denver, Chalkbeat interviews principal Sharee Blunt about her dedication to the students and staff of her institution, making the administration seem less distant. 

· How does having a more interactive principal change the atmosphere of school? Could the "birthday card delivery" method work elsewhere in building better relationships between administrators and students?

· Learn more about the importance of strong principals and accountability in student success.

Can you imagine marking the birthdays of more than 2,000 people?

Probably not, but Sharee Blunt, the principal of Northglenn High School, can. With the help of a massive spreadsheet and a talented office manager, she hand-delivers a birthday card to every student and staff member in her suburban Denver school.

Blunt talked about how recognizing birthdays helps her get to know students, what a mother’s emotional reaction made her realize, and why she gave a teacher a pass during a lesson that went awry.

CHALKBEAT: How do you get to know students even though you don’t have your own classroom?

SHAREE BLUNT: I get to know students by showing them that I genuinely care about them. Every morning I try to start my day by being out in the hallways and telling them good morning and to have a great day. I make every attempt to support our students at extracurricular activities such as concerts, sporting events, and banquets. I look for opportunities to bring the student voice into building decisions through the principal’s advisory committee that I established when I became principal.

Read the full article about Blunt's dedication to running a successful school by Ann Schimke at Chalkbeat.