Skip to main content

Power of Place

Author: Heidi Guarino

Trust as the Foundation for Connection

Late last week I quickly checked the news headlines, only to learn of the horrific school shooting in Bend, Oregon. I thought first of the lives lost tragically that day, their survivors, and all the children and families whose lives would never be the same. My thoughts then turned to the alleged assailant, a16-year-old student. All the usual questions came to mind: How did he acquire a gun? What were his motives? What was his mental state? Where was his family? How could this happen?

The Inner Landscape of School

Last week I attended my high school class reunion in my hometown, a suburb of Minneapolis. My only past reunion experience had been deeply disappointing, with too many people huddled […]

Making Space for Deep Learning

We need a new set of tools for a complex world in which there often is no one right answer. Power of Place aspires to bring these tools into a “third space” that welcomes complexity, is free of judgment, and creates a spacious environment for our best System 2 thinking. 

Reviving the Barn-Raising Spirit

Dear Colleagues and Friends, I am writing to you from 20,000 feet aboard a Delta flight back to Boston from Minneapolis, where I attended my Uncle Jerry’s funeral this past […]

Design for Belonging

Dear Colleagues and Friends, What does it mean to feel a sense of belonging? Whether you are a district leader, a school principal, or a classroom teacher, as you prepare […]

Introducing Our New Program Model

In her newly published book, “People-Based Learning: The Future of Learning is Human,” author Jane Shore draws from the cognitive and social sciences to remind us of the importance of […]

Q&A with Incoming Education Secretary Steve Zrike

Q&A with Incoming Massachusetts Education Secretary Steve Zrike  Steve Zrike has served as Superintendent of Salem Public Schools since 2020. For the past six years, Zrike has guided Salem through […]

Statement on Massachusetts Education Secretary Transition

As Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler steps down this week, we want to take a moment to say thank you. His leadership has been steady and thoughtful at a time of […]

Power of Place community, meet Diana. 

Diana Lebeaux is a passionate educator and leader who brings deep experience across classrooms, nonprofits, and school systems. A first-generation college graduate, Diana earned her teaching certification from Bates College, […]