LEADING [AND WRITING] LIKE A PIRATE:  

Sailing with Principal and new co-author Beth Houf

B is for: Boy mom, Baseball practice, Band performances, Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc., and Beth Houf.  I recently had the privilege to sit down with this outstanding educational leader, principal and [adding another B to her personal and professional resume] Book co-author at ASCD’s annual conference Empower 17.  We talked about [Balancing] the demands of being a mother, dedicated professional, and sailing through uncharted territory this year as she co-authored her first book, Lead Like a PIRATE, with Shelley Burgess.

Thirty minutes into our conversation, it was clear:  You don’t become the 2016 Missouri National Distinguished Principal overnight, nor does it happen without a substantial amount of sacrifice and an unwavering resolve to do what is best for students, families, and staff.  She is committed to personal growth and sharing her experiences, celebrations, failures and challenges with educators across the globe.  She serves as a facilitator for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Leadership Academy, is a co-host of #SatChatWC [a weekly Twitter chat on Saturday mornings], a regular professional development speaker across the United States at schools and educational conferences, all while being a full-time mom and principal at Fulton Middle School in central Missouri.  

Beth has a reputation for leadership that shatters the status quo.  She models and communicates expectations which support her mission to create learning environments that provide uncommon experiences for staff and students.  Her passion for education often surfaces on social media outlets, in press releases, on organizational websites, and now her name is on a newly released educational title.  Yet, in all that she does and is, a striking quality about Beth is her humility. Her unmatched enthusiasm for education and quest for personal growth stem from a genuine place in her heart: her boys.  Beth’s professional passion is deeply rooted in what she wants for her two sons.  She said, “My why: my boys.  I’m driven to help create schools that I’m proud to have them be a part of.”

I caught up with Dave Burgess, author of the New York Times’ best-selling parent title Teach Like a PIRATE and President of Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc., in the ASCD Empower 17 Exhibition Hall.  In a sea of talented and passionate educational leaders, Burgess was quick to say, “Beth is an amazing leader and doing incredible work.  We are honored to have her become a part of the Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc. family.”  Dave’s wife and Beth’s co-author, Shelley Burgess, said, “In looking for a co-author for Lead Like a PIRATE, Beth was the obvious choice.  She is smart, talented, and an incredible leader who wholeheartedly embraces the PIRATE [Passion, Immersion, Rapport, Ask & Analyze, Transformation, Enthusiasm] philosophy.  It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with her on this book.”

Beth’s purposeful presence on social media connects her to a global PLN [Professional Learning Network] and accounts for a significant paradigm shift in her own professional growth.  As a connected educator she finds support and encouragement from educators who share her passions for leadership and uncommon learning environments.  Connect with this inspiring educator on Twitter [@BethHouf], her blog http://principalhouf.blogspot.com/, at one of many national education conferences, or in her new book Lead Like a PIRATE.