Mark Crotty
@crottymark.bsky.social
Consultant w/ Educators Collaborative, sharing expertise in search, transition, strategy, governance, and all things independent-school related.” Educational ethicist philosopher.” Learnavore, Possibilian, Imaginator. Husband, dad. Liverpool FC fanatic.
Just dropped post #3 on Independent Thinking: “Hope as a Renewable Resource.”
It’s about independent schools, communal relationships, and the radical idea love might be a social good.
Craving a little optimism? Read it. And if it resonates, subscribe.
crottymark.substack.com/p/hope-as-a-...
It’s about independent schools, communal relationships, and the radical idea love might be a social good.
Craving a little optimism? Read it. And if it resonates, subscribe.
crottymark.substack.com/p/hope-as-a-...
Hope as a Renewable Resource
“Let’s build a society where it’s easier for people to be good to each other.”—Dorothy Day
crottymark.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Just dropped post #3 on Independent Thinking: “Hope as a Renewable Resource.”
It’s about independent schools, communal relationships, and the radical idea love might be a social good.
Craving a little optimism? Read it. And if it resonates, subscribe.
crottymark.substack.com/p/hope-as-a-...
It’s about independent schools, communal relationships, and the radical idea love might be a social good.
Craving a little optimism? Read it. And if it resonates, subscribe.
crottymark.substack.com/p/hope-as-a-...
If you're part of the independent school world (or just interested in education) you might enjoy my free Substack "Independent Thinking." It's an emergent series of meditations. The latest post considers School vs Learning and the larger purpose of education. crottymark.substack.com/p/school-ver...
School Versus Learning
A meditation on what school is, what it could be, and why real learning might not fit the system.
crottymark.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 3:39 PM
If you're part of the independent school world (or just interested in education) you might enjoy my free Substack "Independent Thinking." It's an emergent series of meditations. The latest post considers School vs Learning and the larger purpose of education. crottymark.substack.com/p/school-ver...
Independent Thinking, my new Substack,
is a series of meditations on independent schools, drawn from decades of practice and reflection. I proclaim...and I question.
Subscribe, share, respond. Or just read and reflect. Let’s think independently, together.
crottymark.substack.com!
is a series of meditations on independent schools, drawn from decades of practice and reflection. I proclaim...and I question.
Subscribe, share, respond. Or just read and reflect. Let’s think independently, together.
crottymark.substack.com!
Independent Thinking | Mark Crotty | Substack
Independent. Imaginative. Inspiring.
Celebrating the bold ideas and diverse voices shaping independent schools—and challenging the status quo with fresh perspectives and daring questions. Click to re...
crottymark.substack.com
September 15, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Independent Thinking, my new Substack,
is a series of meditations on independent schools, drawn from decades of practice and reflection. I proclaim...and I question.
Subscribe, share, respond. Or just read and reflect. Let’s think independently, together.
crottymark.substack.com!
is a series of meditations on independent schools, drawn from decades of practice and reflection. I proclaim...and I question.
Subscribe, share, respond. Or just read and reflect. Let’s think independently, together.
crottymark.substack.com!
Every @lfcr.bsky.social trophy is special, but this year’s title feels extra sweet. Smiles and tears. #ynwa #BackOnOurPerch
April 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Every @lfcr.bsky.social trophy is special, but this year’s title feels extra sweet. Smiles and tears. #ynwa #BackOnOurPerch
If you’re a marketer trying to lure me as client via mass email, that email shouldn’t be riddled with errors, full of cliches, and visually unappealing. Yet it’s amazing how many of those I receive.
I see @schneiderb.com reading this and shaking his head.
I see @schneiderb.com reading this and shaking his head.
April 17, 2025 at 2:15 PM
If you’re a marketer trying to lure me as client via mass email, that email shouldn’t be riddled with errors, full of cliches, and visually unappealing. Yet it’s amazing how many of those I receive.
I see @schneiderb.com reading this and shaking his head.
I see @schneiderb.com reading this and shaking his head.
“Nothing more frightening for a defender than a smiling Mo Salah.”—perfect line from commentator today. #YNWA @lfcr.bsky.social @iloveliverpool.bsky.social
April 13, 2025 at 1:52 PM
“Nothing more frightening for a defender than a smiling Mo Salah.”—perfect line from commentator today. #YNWA @lfcr.bsky.social @iloveliverpool.bsky.social
Beautiful rainbow over Statue of Liberty on Alki in West Seattle this afternoon. Maybe sign of hope…
(Wish I could say I took it. Found on West Seattle blog, and credit goes to someone named Karen Carlson.)
(Wish I could say I took it. Found on West Seattle blog, and credit goes to someone named Karen Carlson.)
April 9, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Beautiful rainbow over Statue of Liberty on Alki in West Seattle this afternoon. Maybe sign of hope…
(Wish I could say I took it. Found on West Seattle blog, and credit goes to someone named Karen Carlson.)
(Wish I could say I took it. Found on West Seattle blog, and credit goes to someone named Karen Carlson.)
What? Why?
I live in Seattle. Something I ordered was coming from NY. It arrived at Seattle distribution center on Wednesday—then went to Sacramento. Back to Seattle last night and supposed to be delivered today.
At least it’s the day I was told it would arrive…
I live in Seattle. Something I ordered was coming from NY. It arrived at Seattle distribution center on Wednesday—then went to Sacramento. Back to Seattle last night and supposed to be delivered today.
At least it’s the day I was told it would arrive…
March 22, 2025 at 3:51 PM
What? Why?
I live in Seattle. Something I ordered was coming from NY. It arrived at Seattle distribution center on Wednesday—then went to Sacramento. Back to Seattle last night and supposed to be delivered today.
At least it’s the day I was told it would arrive…
I live in Seattle. Something I ordered was coming from NY. It arrived at Seattle distribution center on Wednesday—then went to Sacramento. Back to Seattle last night and supposed to be delivered today.
At least it’s the day I was told it would arrive…
Great leaders help people see the value in their work--not just in how a role contributes to a system, but in some profound sense of meaning and purpose.
March 14, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Great leaders help people see the value in their work--not just in how a role contributes to a system, but in some profound sense of meaning and purpose.
We all know you can tell a lot about someone by how they treat service workers.
I’ve concluded the second best way might be behavior in the gym.
@mikevachow.bsky.social, as fellow gym frequenter, you agree?
I’ve concluded the second best way might be behavior in the gym.
@mikevachow.bsky.social, as fellow gym frequenter, you agree?
Mike Vachow (@mikevachow.bsky.social)
Use every man after his desert, and who should 'scape whipping?
STL
mikevachow.bsky.social
March 14, 2025 at 12:50 AM
We all know you can tell a lot about someone by how they treat service workers.
I’ve concluded the second best way might be behavior in the gym.
@mikevachow.bsky.social, as fellow gym frequenter, you agree?
I’ve concluded the second best way might be behavior in the gym.
@mikevachow.bsky.social, as fellow gym frequenter, you agree?
Kind of mind-blowing that today marks 5 years since colleges and schools started moving online because of Covid.
March 10, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Kind of mind-blowing that today marks 5 years since colleges and schools started moving online because of Covid.
To extend this notion further: high quality leaders know there is strength in acknowledging, and even deliberately showing, their weaknesses.
People who can’t handle criticism are unfit to lead.
Weak leaders fear dissent as a threat to their power. They silence their critics to shield their egos.
Strong leaders welcome dissent as an opportunity for growth. They silence their egos to learn from their critics.
Weak leaders fear dissent as a threat to their power. They silence their critics to shield their egos.
Strong leaders welcome dissent as an opportunity for growth. They silence their egos to learn from their critics.
March 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
To extend this notion further: high quality leaders know there is strength in acknowledging, and even deliberately showing, their weaknesses.
Great leaders shrink themselves so others may grow, not erase others so their own ego grows.
February 21, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Great leaders shrink themselves so others may grow, not erase others so their own ego grows.
If you’re looking to tweak, modify, revamp a system, make sure you have a fundamental grasp of the how’s and why’s that went into it reaching its current state.
February 20, 2025 at 5:30 PM
If you’re looking to tweak, modify, revamp a system, make sure you have a fundamental grasp of the how’s and why’s that went into it reaching its current state.
We’re seeing in real time that quality leadership never has been about “moving fast and breaking stuff. Any toddler can pull that off.
February 19, 2025 at 4:16 PM
We’re seeing in real time that quality leadership never has been about “moving fast and breaking stuff. Any toddler can pull that off.
One ironic limitation of education is that while the goal is to prepare students for the future, so much of school focuses on the past and the right now without considering the larger implications.
February 18, 2025 at 3:42 PM
One ironic limitation of education is that while the goal is to prepare students for the future, so much of school focuses on the past and the right now without considering the larger implications.
Reposted by Mark Crotty
At NWAIS, there is one thing that will never change: we LOVE serving our schools.
Through good times and challenging times, we can promise that our mission to help schools fulfill their own missions is central to everything we do.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Through good times and challenging times, we can promise that our mission to help schools fulfill their own missions is central to everything we do.
Happy Valentine's Day!
February 14, 2025 at 7:21 PM
At NWAIS, there is one thing that will never change: we LOVE serving our schools.
Through good times and challenging times, we can promise that our mission to help schools fulfill their own missions is central to everything we do.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Through good times and challenging times, we can promise that our mission to help schools fulfill their own missions is central to everything we do.
Happy Valentine's Day!
When making important decisions, protocols and proclamations can be powerful.
But not when, in Faulkner’s words, they are “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
And then it sure isn’t leadership.
But not when, in Faulkner’s words, they are “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
And then it sure isn’t leadership.
February 14, 2025 at 2:12 PM
When making important decisions, protocols and proclamations can be powerful.
But not when, in Faulkner’s words, they are “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
And then it sure isn’t leadership.
But not when, in Faulkner’s words, they are “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
And then it sure isn’t leadership.
You know large-scale leadership is failing when so many calls for action include “more than ever”…and it doesn’t feel hyperbolic, but quite possibly accurate.
February 13, 2025 at 1:31 PM
You know large-scale leadership is failing when so many calls for action include “more than ever”…and it doesn’t feel hyperbolic, but quite possibly accurate.
I just realized that, since moving over here, I haven’t missed Twitter/X at all as a platform.
I do, however, miss some folks I wish would come on over.
I do, however, miss some folks I wish would come on over.
February 11, 2025 at 8:32 PM
I just realized that, since moving over here, I haven’t missed Twitter/X at all as a platform.
I do, however, miss some folks I wish would come on over.
I do, however, miss some folks I wish would come on over.
I'm tired of articles about the "secrets of" and "x steps" to great leadership.
It's not secret, complicated, or formulaic.
Work hard at being the best possible human you can be. You'll lead whether by title or example.
It's not secret, complicated, or formulaic.
Work hard at being the best possible human you can be. You'll lead whether by title or example.
February 10, 2025 at 4:45 PM
I'm tired of articles about the "secrets of" and "x steps" to great leadership.
It's not secret, complicated, or formulaic.
Work hard at being the best possible human you can be. You'll lead whether by title or example.
It's not secret, complicated, or formulaic.
Work hard at being the best possible human you can be. You'll lead whether by title or example.
Where was this awesome book when I was a school head? @schneiderb.com has written useful gem in School Marketing the Right Way.
www.amazon.com/School-Marke...
www.amazon.com/School-Marke...
Amazon.com
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www.amazon.com
February 8, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Where was this awesome book when I was a school head? @schneiderb.com has written useful gem in School Marketing the Right Way.
www.amazon.com/School-Marke...
www.amazon.com/School-Marke...
Reposted by Mark Crotty
February 7, 2025 at 11:21 PM
The more a leader relies on flexing their strength, the weaker that leader ultimately is.
February 7, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The more a leader relies on flexing their strength, the weaker that leader ultimately is.
Funny how so much of my energy used to be about “changing the system.”
Still applies in certain ways, but mainly I’m hoping the system holds.
Still applies in certain ways, but mainly I’m hoping the system holds.
February 6, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Funny how so much of my energy used to be about “changing the system.”
Still applies in certain ways, but mainly I’m hoping the system holds.
Still applies in certain ways, but mainly I’m hoping the system holds.