The Director's Planner: Week of May 19th, 2025
Closure signs, first aid kits, and empathy
Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and were able to get some much needed rest and relaxation as we near the end of the school year and start of our summer programming.
If you missed it, be sure to check out my newest post in The Notebook, No Tea, Just Team. It’s all about navigating gossip culture at your center and includes practical ways to shift your team’s dynamic toward trust and transparency. If you are feeling the tension, it’s definitely worth the read.
P.S. June’s free Resource Toolkit is dropping later this week! It’s packed with fresh ideas to help you connect with staff and families next month, so be sure these emails are hitting your inbox (not your spam folder.) You won’t want to miss it!
Now onto this week’s planner!
1 Monthly Focus
Prepare for Summer!
Last week, we tackled summer staffing—reviewing time-off requests and making sure you're stocked with summer essentials like sunscreen and bubbles. This week, it's time to shift gears and lock in the fun!
Whether you're heading off-site or bringing the magic to your center, now’s the time to finalize your summer field trip calendar.
✅ Confirm dates for all summer field trips or in-house experiences
✅ Book transportation if needed (buses fill up fast!)
✅ Reach out to vendors for on-site field trips (petting zoos, STEM activities, puppet shows, etc.)
✅ Draft and send permission slips to families
✅ Assign staff leads and confirm ratios for each event
💡 Pro Tip: Keep one printed master calendar in your office and another in each classroom so everyone is on the same page.
2 Thoughts to Consider
I. “Boundaries are important here. We have to know where we end and others begin if we really want to show up with empathy.” -Dare to Lead
I want to include the full quote here because this was really powerful to read this weekend:
“If struggle is being down in a hole, empathy is not jumping into the hole with someone who is struggling and taking on their emotions, or owning their struggle as yours to fix. If their issues become yours, now you have two people stuck in a hole. Not helpful. Boundaries are important here. We have to know where we end and others begin if we really want to show up with empathy.”
This hit home for me, especially as a leader in a profession where our entire job often feels like a practice in empathy. It is easy to get pulled into a personal struggle our staff is dealing with or frustrations from a parent, but this is a reminder that jumping down into the hole with them is not the solution.
Today, I want you to think for a moment. In the last couple of weeks, when have you allowed someone else’s issue to become your issue as well? I can name five instances off the top of my head without even thinking. Now, take a post-it note and write the above quote on it. The next time an issue pops up, I want you to think about how you can show up with empathy, while not taking on others’ emotions or owning their struggle as yours to fix.
II. “We cannot practice empathy if we need to be knowers. Perspective taking requires becoming the learner, not the knower.”-Brene Brown
This pairs powerfully with the idea of boundaries. As leaders, we’re often looked to for answers—but sometimes the most empathetic thing we can do is listen without fixing. When a parent vents or a teacher struggles, pause your inner problem-solver. Ask questions. Get curious. Practicing empathy means trading certainty for openness, and showing up with compassion, not a solution.
3 Action Items
I. Hang up Memorial Day closure reminder signs
Hang signs in your entry way and on classroom doors to notify families of next week’s Memorial Day closures! It’s always helpful to communicate closures through multiple channels—such as email, signs, or your childcare management system.
💡 Pro Tip: Grab my free Memorial Day Closure printables HERE. Just print and hang!
II. Complete your May fire & tornado drills
May is flying by, so let’s get our drills done and out of the way now! Reminder that if you don’t have an easy tracker from your licensing department you can grab my Fire + Tornado Drill Tracker to keep your preparedness plans organized and up-to-date!
III. Review and refill first aid kits
Do a quick check on classroom and playground first aid kits. Replace expired items, stock up on bandages and ice packs, and confirm teachers know where extras are stored.
💡 Pro Tip: Stay ahead of licensing checks by grabbing my free First Aid Kit Checklist + Director Log. The checklist helps classroom staff make sure each kit is stocked with essentials, while the log lets you easily track when each room was last reviewed. Most state licensing departments provide specific first aid kit requirements—this tool gets you started with the basics, but includes room to add anything else you need.
And that’s it for this week! Easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3.
As always, I am so grateful to all of my readers who share my work with other Directors in the field. Together we will do wonderful things!
