Effective school leadership requires resilience during high demands to deliver results. Scott A. Laliberte provides educational leaders with strategies and resources to build mental, physical, and emotional strength, using a balanced leadership philosophy inspired by athletic training. Through reflective exercises and leadership development tools, school leaders gain essential resources to maintain motivation, meet daily challenges, and sustain their focus on purpose in education leadership. K–12 school and district leaders can use this book to: Practice mindful awareness to respond, rather than react, to situations - Integrate physical, mental, and emotional health practices to optimize daily performance - Enhance decision making in times of crisis using stress management strategies - Build leadership capacity to sustain long-term performance - Reconnect with purpose through clarity of motivation and volition Contents: Introduction Chapter 1: Focusing on Leadership Capacity for Optimal Performance, Career Sustainability, and Wellness Chapter 2: Leaders Learning From Elite Athletes Chapter 3: Managing Stress Reactions Chapter 4: Exploring Optimal Physical Preparation for Leadership Chapter 5: Getting Good-Quality Sleep and Dealing With Fatigue Chapter 6: Learning About Emotional Regulation and the Leader Chapter 7: Exploring Motivation and Volition as a Vital Source of Support Chapter 8: Putting It All Into Practice Epilogue Resources and References Index “With heartfelt honesty and practical strategies drawn from his own journey, Scott A. Laliberte masterfully bridges the worlds of athletics and leadership, presenting a framework for sustained well-being and peak performance.” -- Tina Boogren , education expert and author “ The School Leader’s Game Plan is a leadership road map that challenges every school leader to soar and not settle.” -- Timothy Kanold , education expert and author “ The School Leader's Game Plan , Scott A. Laliberte tackles the variables that hinder leaders from successfully balancing their own well-being with the demands of their job and provides the key elements and implementable strategies necessary for leaders to achieve and sustain optimal health and performance.” -- Jonathan Vander Els , education expert and author “Scott A. Laliberte’s The School Leader's Game Plan is both inspiring and practical, offering tools that immediately resonate with the realities of leadership. What sets this book apart is its focus on fostering resilience and growth in ways that feel personal and actionable, making it a standout resource for any leader striving to make a lasting impact.” -- Michael Burde , director of secondary teaching and learning, Wyoming Public Schools Through compelling examples, insightful strategies, and actionable tasks, Scott A. Laliberte masterfully connects the world of leadership with the mindset and strategies of a championship athlete. His practical advice empowers leaders to build a foundation of resilience, adaptability, and focus, all while keeping their eye on the bigger vision of their lives.” -- James Neihof , educational consultant for Green River Region Education Cooperative Scott A. Laliberte is a career educational leader, consultant, presenter, and leadership coach. He passionately believes in the impact of school leaders on both student learning and the long-term sustainability of educational systems. He brings over 35 years of experience in schools to the work, having spent time as a teacher, curriculum administrator, principal, and superintendent in New Hampshire. In 2022, he made a professional transition from working in schools to advancing the development of educational leaders. Scott currently works with both aspiring and practicing leaders through his consultancy, Standard Shift Consulting, LLC. Throughout his career, Laliberte has demonstrated his strong belief in the impact of school leadership on student learning in a variety of different ways, ranging from his long tenure as a member of the board of directors at the New Hampshire School Administrators Association to his frequent professional development presentations on leader well-being and skill development. He has presented nationally on the topic of leadership capacity and has served as a mentor to many leaders who are new to the role. Prior to writing for Solution Tree, Laliberte wrote recreationally for many years, having published two short stories with the New Hampshire Writers’ Project Anthology of Teachers Writing , an article for the New Hampshire Journal of Education , a script for a children’s summer theater production of a musical, and a novel he self-published in 2006. This is his first book on the topic of school leadership. Scott gained exposure to competitive athletics as a member of the football team at the University of New Hampshire, where he was a two-year starter on the offensive line, and received all conference honors following h