For most principals, summertime doesn’t always mean a clean break from school. Most find themselves deep in planning for the new school year, shortlisting hires, deciding which training their teachers most need, and catching up with tasks they’ve long put off in the bustle of the school term—like cleaning out their desks.
That’s how Tony Cattani, principal of Lenape High School in Medford County, N.J., spent his first day of summer break. But he has bigger plans, which include sending a postcard to each of his 1,900-plus students over the summer to let them know their educators are thinking of them. It’s all part of an effort to boost their sense of belonging and connection with the school.