A thought came to me recently as I was preparing for a publication that won't go to press for another four months: what data do I want captured in order to tell the story that I want to tell? This question is one which financial institutions ask every day and schools ought to think along the same lines. Schools could ask: -How many of my C students are progressing to B students? -Of my students who travel 20+ miles to and from school, how many report fatigue as an issue that prevents learning? -Of my students who are involved in a club or a team, how many show positive academic progress? And on and on. The key is this- capture the data that you will need to tell the story that you want to tell. At my school, we want to tell a story of technology improvements and the difference they make in the lives of students. Second, we want to tell the story that leadership programs produce further maturation in the leadership continuum. So what are we busy doing this week? Capturing the data that we'll need to tell our story in the Summer! Photo by: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=587