There is something calming about the summer weeks in education. The pace shifts, the calendar breathes, and the noise of the school year begins to quiet just enough for leaders, teachers, and all those who serve school communities to pause and remember why the work matters. Why we CHOOSE to serve in education.
In my recent Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball conversation, Dr. Nicci Dowd offered a beautiful reflection on the gift of fellowship and the importance of walking alongside others in faith, service, and community. Her words were a gentle reminder that fellowship is not simply about being with others. It is about being known, encouraged, strengthened, and reminded that we are not meant to do this work alone. Serving in education is a ministry (Dowd, 2026). [Dr. Nicci Dowd]
Educational leadership can be deeply meaningful, but it can also be lonely. Leaders are often called to hold the vision, solve the problems, support the team, manage the unexpected, and remain steady for others. Research on educational leaders’ well-being reminds us that positive relationships, purpose, engagement, health, and meaning are important dimensions of flourishing in leadership (Doyle Fosco, 2022). In other words, leaders do not thrive by carrying the work alone. They thrive when they are connected to people, purpose, and practices that restore them. Sometimes it might be easier to withdraw during these summer months, but I encourage you to reach out to a colleague or friend you have not talked with in a while and listen, share, and take joy from the fellowship.
Fellowship is one of those restoring gifts. It creates space for honest conversation, shared wisdom, prayerful encouragement, and the quiet reminder that someone else understands the road we are walking. For educational leaders, fellowship may come through a trusted colleague, a mentor, a faith-filled friend, a professional learning community, or a simple summer conversation over coffee. These moments may seem small, but they can become anchors of belonging. My quick and random chat with Nicci today was an instant bucket filler and reminded me of just how important these brief moments of fellowship are to spark inspiration and creativity.
Belonging matters because school communities are relational communities. Research continues to affirm that educator well-being is shaped not only by individual habits, but also by the relational and organizational conditions of the school community (Cann et al., 2022). When educators feel supported, respected, encouraged, and connected to a shared mission, the culture of the school is strengthened. When leaders model that same need for connection, they give others permission to seek support as well.
This is especially important for school leaders who are constantly pouring into others. Emotionally supportive leadership has been linked to educator well-being, especially during seasons of challenge and change (Floman et al., 2023). Leaders who listen, encourage, regulate their own emotions, and offer meaningful support help create healthier school environments. Yet leaders also need spaces where they can receive that same encouragement. Fellowship reminds us that the encourager also needs encouragement.
Summer offers a natural invitation to renew these connections. It is a time to step back from the constant urgency of the school year and ask a few important questions:
Who helped me carry the work this year?
Who might need to hear from me?
Who reminds me of the good?
Who helps me reconnect with faith, purpose, and joy?
Who can I encourage this week?
These questions are simple, but they are powerful. A text message, a phone call, a walk with a friend, a handwritten note, or an invitation to meet for coffee, jump on a quick Zoom (thank you, Nicci) can become a moment of grace. In a profession where so many people give so much of themselves, reaching out is not one more task but an act of caring for ourselves and others.
For those of us called to serve in education, fellowship also strengthens mission. Research on teacher retention highlights the importance of collegial support, trust, shared purpose, recognition, and leadership practices that build relationships within the school community (Ball, 2023 & Lochmiller et al., 2024). When leaders cultivate belonging, they help create communities where people are more likely to feel valued and more willing to remain committed to the work.
I encourage those who serve in education to view the summer not as a retreat from the mission but as preparation to return to it with a renewed heart. We pause so we can listen. We reflect so we can learn. We reconnect so we can remember that the work of education is not meant to be carried out in isolation.
Hebrews reminds us to “rouse one another to love and good works” and to encourage one another (Hebrews 10:24). That encouragement is not accidental but a muscle meant to be practiced. It is a choice and a service to others. It is part of building communities where faith, service, and joy can take root.
So, during these summer weeks, reach out. Call the colleague who lifted your spirit this year. Send a message to the friend who always helps you see the good. Thank the mentor who helped you keep going. Invite someone into conversation. Make room for fellowship. I jam every day on praise and worship. I try to share a link to a song at least once or twice a week with those who come to mind as I pray through song. Please be encouraged to share how you stay connected. This is a blog for learning!
We are better when we walk together…
When we train our eyes to see the good, amazing things happen.
May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,
Denise
References
Cann, R. F., Sinnema, C., Daly, A. J., Rodway, J., & Liou, Y.-H. (2022). The power of school conditions: Individual, relational, and organizational influences on educator wellbeing. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 775614. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.775614
Doyle Fosco, S. L. (2022). Educational leader wellbeing: A systematic review. Educational Research Review, 37, Article 100487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100487
Floman, J. L., Ponnock, A., Jain, J., & Brackett, M. A. (2023). Emotionally intelligent school leadership predicts educator well-being before and during a crisis. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1159382. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1159382
Lochmiller, C. R., Perrone, F., & Finley, C. (2024). Understanding school leadership’s influence on teacher retention in high-poverty settings: An exploratory study in the U.S. Education Sciences, 14(5), Article 545. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci140505
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