Holiday weeks amplify everything—sensory needs, emotions, transitions, and parent anxiety. As leaders, you feel it first. And in these high-stress weeks, clarity and connection in our communication become the difference between a calm end-of-day handoff… and a simmering misunderstanding that lingers. Here’s what effective communication really protects during holiday season (and all year): 1. It stabilizes the child’s nervous system. When home and school share consistent messaging, kids feel predictable care. Predictability → regulation. Regulation → better engagement. 2. It prevents unnecessary conflict with families. Parents aren’t trying to be difficult—they’re overwhelmed. Short, steady updates prevent small concerns from becoming big confrontations. 3. It preserves teacher energy. Clear communication reduces the repeat explanations, hallway clarifications, and emotional labor your staff carries.A regulated teacher = a regulated classroom. 4. It strengthens your leadership presence. When you model grounded, non-reactive, relationship-first communication, your teachers copy it—and your families feel it. This is culture-building work, not “extra work.” Let's talk communication: What communication challenge tends to spike for your team during holiday weeks—and what strategy (big or small) has helped you keep things steady?

Welcome, @Barbara Borders ! We're so happy to see our group growing, and this is a great week to get to know everybody. Check out the calendar and add our live Collaboration Corner to your schedule if you can this week (1pm Wednesday EST). There's a pinned post with the recording from our last Collaboration Corner if anyone is curious! Also @everyone check out the "Start Here" under the Classroom tab for a tour and a welcome from Katherine and me, as well as the first video from The ULTIMATE Preschool Playbook. Check it out and let us know what you think!

This week has been all about how rhythm isn’t just routines—it’s the steady backbone that helps classrooms feel safer, smoother, and more connected, especially when the day gets unpredictable. Your turn: What’s one rhythm or ritual you saw this week that made the day run better for your teachers or kids?

Rhythm makes ideas stick. Simple beats = steadier focus. We’ve added a Classroom Rhythm Toolkit resource to The Playbook Exchange under the Classroom tab. It’s a menu of beat patterns and movement rhythms you can drop into lessons (math, literacy, even lunch). If you have a song, chant, or beat that works at your site, please post it in The Playbook Exchange so other directors can benefit too.

This week is all about rituals and routines— because small, repeatable moments are what help kids settle, shift, and stay engaged. Message to staff: “Pick one daily routine and use the same opening line and same closing line every single time. Short. Predictable. Repeatable.” Borrowable phrasing: Arrival: “Backpack + bottle on the shelf.” → “All set—centers.” Clean-up: “Touch what you’re putting away.” → “Done—handwashing.” Predictable openings and closings give kids a sense of safety—and that’s what makes transitions smoother. If you had to pick just one routine to streamline this week, which one gets your vote?