SamTastic Weekly Tip: 8/17/26 - Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First

This week’s Tip: Put Your Own Oxygen Mask on First

SAM teams focus on work they can do to improve the practice of teachers and the learning of students.  On airline flights, passengers are asked to put their own oxygen masks on first before helping others.  Does this apply to you own professional development?

Your SAM Daily Meeting, of course, is a kind of professional development causing reflection on your use of time using TimeTrack data.  Great!  Did you know there are other kinds of professional development available to you as a SAM team member?

1. Annual National SAM Conference: Look for the invitation in US Mail for this amazing opportunity.  Registration opens online Labor Day.  SAM teams use Title and professional development funds to attend.  Many ask business partners or service organizations to cover their cost.  See what a SAM conference is like: https://bit.ly/4cxGEw7  See info about this year’s conference: https://www.wevideo.com/view/4003300281  

2. HD videos of past National SAM Conference keynotes presentations are available online for your use: https://www.samprocess.com/conference-and-workshop-materials

3. The Marshall Memo is available to you as SAM team member at no charge.  This weekly digital publication summarizes the most important ideas, research, and best practices in K-12 education to help school leaders and teachers stay professionally current. Published every Monday, it acts as a curated distillation of the educational landscape, designed specifically for busy practitioners who lack the time to read through dozens of academic journals and industry magazines. Links to full articles are provided as well as a searchable archive, Click here to be added to the weekly mailing list: https://forms.gle/8XBPjgJKSsjTg6167

4. The Main Idea is available to you as a SAM team member at no charge.  This online service provides comprehensive book summaries, professional development (PD) plans, and leadership workshops tailored specifically for busy school and district administrators.  Each summary contains actionable professional development ideas, discussion prompts, and sometimes pre-made PowerPoint slide decks to help administrators easily facilitate workshops for their own school staff.   The service also includes a searchable archive.  Click here to be added to the weekly mailing list: https://forms.gle/ACrmUUPqtxFsYrCr7

Best for a SamTastic week,

Mark

Mark Shellinger, Director

National SAM Innovation Project

Register here for all day training for new SAM teams, New York City, September 24:   https://bit.ly/SAMTrainingNYC

Of course, new SAM teams can schedule online training at any time using the links, below:

If you are ready to start, click here to arrange for training:  https://bit.ly/NSIP_Training

If you would like to schedule an online meeting to discuss, click here:  https://bit.ly/NSIP_Meeting