Welcome to the ‘25-26 School Year Message to Community School of Davidson

To the Community School of Davidson Families & Students,

Please view my brief video message below:

Be your best and Go Spartans!

Craig S. Smith

Executive Director

Community School of Davidson

#TuesdayThoughts (X posts) from May & June, 2025

A friend was having a challenging day yesterday and I sent them this:

Staying positive doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time.

It means that even on hard days you know that there are better ones coming.

Be Your Best.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset #leadership

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) May 6, 2025

“Small steps add up to complete big journeys.” - M. Dhliwayo

Enter w/ the mindset to Be Your Best, whatever your best looks like. Let's continue this mindset for the last weeks of the academic year.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset #leadership #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) May 13, 2025

It doesn't cost a penny to jolt those who are in dire straights w/ a blast of positive energy to help them get through the rest of the day. - @casas_jimmy, from #Culturize

Continue to Be Your Best...for those you are charged to lead. #TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset #leadership

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) May 20, 2025

If you want to be extraordinary, you have to get around the extraordinary people. Who better to teach you about being extraordinary than the extraordinary. - @Coach_Fleck, from Row the Boat w/ @JonGordon11.

Continue to Be Your Best.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset #leadership

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) May 27, 2025

"All of our dreams can come true-if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

Seemingly appropriate, on this Community School of Davidson #Classof2025 Graduation Day.

Continue to Be Your Best.

🎓👏#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset #leadership

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) June 3, 2025

If we are growing we are always going to be outside of our comfort zone. - @TheJohnCMaxwell @Maxwell_Leaders

Continue to Be Your Best w/ a #GrowthMindset and a willingness to be uncomfortable.#TuesdayThoughts #leadership

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) June 10, 2025

"To practice attunement: Set the intention, shift into calm, stay curious, listen with your body, and invite reflection."

When the Best #Leadership Skill Is Just Being Present:https://t.co/bkrMbZWcGt c/o @HarvardBiz

Continue to Be Your Best.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) June 17, 2025

“Submariners are a special brotherhood, either all come to the surface or no one does.” - Vice Admiral R. Golosov

[h/t @jonsrennie's 10 #Leadership Lessons I Learned Living on a Nuclear Submarine]

Be Your Best.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) June 24, 2025

Thank you for viewing,

CS

The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.

Final Day of ‘24-25 School Year Message to Community School of Davidson

To the Community School of Davidson Families, Students, and Staff,

Please view my video message below:

Have a wonderful summer and continue to be your best!

Craig S. Smith

Executive Director

Community School of Davidson

#TuesdayThoughts (X posts) from March & April, 2025

“The only person you need to compare yourself with is who you were yesterday.” -Rushton Hurley

Continue to Be Your Best. Do not worry about anyone else's best; just focus on being the best version of yourself.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) March 4, 2025

Rest when you're weary. Refresh & renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work. - Ralph Marston

This seems perfect after an incredible #FreshTake2025 on Friday.

Refresh when needed, to Be Your Best.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) March 11, 2025

Transparency...does not always equate with "liking what you hear." But the conversation (and dialogue) is the focal point of transparency.

Continue to Be Your Best by fostering transparency through the opportunity to dialogue.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) March 18, 2025

When you feel like complaining, shift your attention to something that you're grateful for. - @TalentsmartEQ

Be Your Best by shifting your perspective through positive statements to reinforce the good.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced #Mindfulness

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) March 25, 2025

Five Things to Do Instead of Complain:

1. Practice Gratitude
2. Praise Others.
3. Focus on Success.
4. Let Go.
5. Pray & Meditate.

[From @JonGordon11's "The No Complaining Rule"]

Continue to Be Your Best.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced #Mindfulness

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) April 1, 2025

Even if you have a 99% approval rate (which is impossible anyway), that's still one out of 100 who is unhappy with you.

Don't focus on that 1%. Just Continue to Be Your Best.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) April 8, 2025

Want to quickly assess if your school, team, or organizational culture is one of SHARED ownership?

Listen to how often you hear "we", "us", & "our" ...compared to..."I", "mine", & "their".#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) April 15, 2025

Great things come from 3 things: Commitment, Hard Work, & Strong Finishes. - G. R. Blair

To the CSD Community, welcome back from what I hope was a relaxing Spring Break. Continue to Be Your Best to finish the school year STRONG.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) April 22, 2025

7 Habits of People W/ Remarkable Mental Toughness:

"Mental strength is like muscle strength–no one has an unlimited supply. So why waste your power on things you can’t control?"

Focus on Being Your Best.https://t.co/ynpbPhKBL6 @Inc #TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) April 29, 2025

Thank you for viewing,

CS

The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.

Spring Break 2025 Send-Off Message to the Community School of Davidson

To the Community School of Davidson Families, Students, and Staff,

Please view my video message below:

Continue to be your best,

Craig S. Smith

Executive Director

Community School of Davidson

#TuesdayThoughts (X posts) from January & February, 2025

#Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge. - Simon Sinek

Be Your Best through "generous leadership", to take care of others and allow each of them to develop, grow, and thrive.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) January 7, 2025

Principal & Teachers. Teacher & Students. Coach & Athletes. Etc.

SHARED OWNERSHIP:

It needs to be “us”, “we”, & “our.”

It can’t be “them”, “I”, & “their.”

Be Your Best through shared ownership.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) January 14, 2025

"As a leader, when you demonstrate vulnerability and are honest, you free others. You free people to expose their roadblocks and their fears; they feel more empowered; and their performance improves."

Be Your Best by "taking off the mask."#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) January 21, 2025

Healthy competition isn't necessary a bad thing, when you are competing with YOURSELF to continuously improve...

Be Your Best, every day...knowing our "best" looks different each day.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) January 28, 2025

There is a lot you cannot control in the world. But you have complete control of your enthusiasm and attitude.

Continue to be your best.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) February 4, 2025

Thinking that a #leadership position makes you a leader is like thinking that wearing an #NFL jersey makes you a professional football player.

Be Your Best through authentic leadership & embrace everything that comes w/ what we are tasked.#TuesdayThoughts #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) February 11, 2025

I don't know if being positive solves problems, but I do know being negative doesn't. - @ToddWhitaker

Be Your Best w/ positive, optimistic (GENUINE) energy to collaboratively overcome our challenges and celebrate our successes.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) February 18, 2025

"Look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder."

Continue to Be Your Best when you feel like complaining and shift your attention to something that you're grateful for.#TuesdayThoughts #Leadership #GrowthMindset #nced

— Craig S. Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) February 25, 2025

Thank you for viewing,

CS

The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.