Andrew Jordan Principal, Superintendent in Illinois and the 2022 Illinois Principals Association Principal of the Year, has published an open letter urging individuals to tackle challenges by focusing on one practical step at a time. The letter, shared on July 28, 2026, addresses anyone feeling overwhelmed by problems in schools, workplaces, or communities.
Drawing on his experience as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, Jordan emphasizes that waiting for ideal conditions often leads to inaction. He recalls transforming an underused school library by moving furniture from storage and painting walls—a small project that created a popular student space and later supported grant funding. “The goal wasn't to make it perfect. The goal was to make students want to walk through the door,” he writes.
Jordan highlights research supporting his approach. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that nearly one in five U.S. public school students attends a rural school. The Learning Policy Institute has found that regular progress monitoring can improve student intervention success by nearly 20 percent. RAND research indicates that shorter review cycles lead to quicker improvements than annual planning. The U.S. Department of Education links strong family and community engagement to higher attendance and academic performance.
Jordan offers actionable steps for readers, such as identifying one problem to improve this week, spending 15 minutes organizing a space, or asking someone what would make their week easier. He encourages consistency over drastic change: “Small adjustments made consistently usually beat one big adjustment made too late.”
The letter concludes with a call to choose one action and commit to it for seven days, then share the message with others. Jordan’s career has focused on practical leadership, community partnerships, and grant-supported initiatives to create lasting impact.
