Diane Benson Harrington

Madison

Education and Leadership Writer at SmartBrief

Managing Editor at Freelance

Education writer at SmartBrief, journalist for 30+ years

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Articles

Why student success starts with teacher clarity, teamwork

3 weeks ago | smartbrief.com | Angela Lyon Hinton |Diane Benson Harrington

Spartanburg County School District Two is one of the fastest-growing districts in South Carolina. In the past three years, the district added nearly 1,500 students, and is now serving approximately 12,000 students, 65% of whom come from low-income households. As our student population has grown, it has become increasingly diverse, including children from Russian, Ukrainian and Hispanic backgrounds.
Mission and vision: The heartbeat of school leadership

1 month ago | smartbrief.com | Danna Diaz |Diane Benson Harrington

5 min read EducationEducational Leadership Every thriving organization operates with a purpose that transcends day-to-day tasks. For schools, this purpose is encapsulated in their mission and vision.
Online continuing education: Building a better you for career success

2 months ago | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

Online institutions like Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offer working professionals a host of important soft skills alongside a degree and certificate material. It is common for rising professionals to feel like they’re missing some key skills since so much of day-to-day deftness comes with experience.
How to try deeper learning, leading in 2025

Jan 20, 2025 | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

SmartBrief recently spoke with Dr. Jonah Schenker, the district superintendent of Ulster BOSES and an advocate for deeper learning. Click the screenshot above to watch the interview. The transcript is below. You can learn more about his views on deeper learning and deeper leading in a webinar and two-part interview we did with Schenker last year. Diane Harrington: Hello, I’m Diane Harrington, an education editor for Smart Brief.
How Principal of the Year Tracie Swilley creates a thriving school

Jan 16, 2025 | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

SmartBrief checked in with Dr. Tracie Anderson Swilley, who last year was named the National Association of Secondary Principals’ Principal of the Year. She shares how she keeps staff engaged and motivated, how important it is for educators to teach students soft skills — from getting organized to answering the phone — and how vital it is to show teachers why your school is the place they want to be.
How school districts can break the cycle of homelessness with alternative student transportation

Jan 16, 2025 | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

3 min read EducationTransportation Reliable rides to school can impact a student’s life more profoundly than you might think. Students experiencing homelessness face significant challenges well before the first bell rings — from where they will sleep to when or if they will eat to how they will get to school.
Breaking the ice: Building relationships with teachers post-winter break

Jan 8, 2025 | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

“A new year is not just about turning the page — it’s about writing a new chapter.”Educators experience not just one but two “new years”: one at the beginning of the school year and another in January. However, January is more than just the calendar resetting for educators. Instead, it is a time to deeply reflect, recalibrate and refocus their efforts for meaningful growth during the second half of the school year.
Technovation builds girls’ STEM, community muscles

Jan 6, 2025 | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

Step No. 1: Don’t be afraid of the unknown When Technovation Girls founder Tara Chklovski was little, her father, a former Indian Air Force pilot and innovator, told her to ask questions when she was unsure or afraid of something, because those feelings are just place markers for a lack of understanding. Learning new things gives you strength, he explained. Chklovski followed his advice and soon trained to be a physicist and an aerospace engineer.
Making decision-making decisive

Dec 18, 2024 | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

5 min read EducationEducational Leadership We are faced with countless decisions daily. What do we wear? How do we respond to a question that has no easy answer? Do we stop by that afterschool event to connect with parents, or do we head home to spend time with our own families?
Managing the push and pull of school leadership with humor

Dec 18, 2024 | smartbrief.com | Diane Benson Harrington

5 min read EducationEducational Leadership In school leadership, navigating the push and pull of ongoing daily demands requires a deliberate focus on what truly matters in a successful school.