In an open letter published July 28, 2026, Andrew Jordan, superintendent in Iroquois County, Illinois, and the 2022 Illinois Principals Association Principal of the Year, offers a straightforward message to anyone feeling overwhelmed by challenges: meaningful progress rarely starts with perfect conditions; it starts with one practical step. Drawing on years as an educator and school leader, Jordan argues that waiting for everything to line up perfectly usually means nothing changes.
Jordan recalls walking into a school library that had become quiet and underused, with students sitting in hallways during study periods because they had nowhere comfortable to work together. Instead of asking what to buy, the team asked what they already had. "We found tables sitting in storage, moved furniture from other rooms, and painted the walls. The goal wasn't to make it perfect. The goal was to make students want to walk through the door," Jordan writes. That small project became a space students actually wanted to use and later supported grant funding because the idea had already shown results.
The lesson applies beyond schools, Jordan notes, whether improving a workplace, neighborhood, family routine, or personal habits. He also emphasizes the importance of preparation, consistency, and showing up, lessons he learned long before becoming superintendent. "When you organise races, there isn't much room for excuses. People expect things to start on time and run smoothly. Schools deserve that same level of organisation," he says. Jordan advises that small adjustments made consistently usually beat one big adjustment made too late.
Research supports the power of small, consistent actions. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, nearly one in five U.S. public school students attends a rural school. The Learning Policy Institute has reported that regular progress monitoring can improve the success of student interventions by nearly 20 percent. RAND research has found that schools using shorter review cycles can improve outcomes more quickly than those relying only on annual planning. The U.S. Department of Education has linked strong family and community engagement to higher student attendance, stronger academic performance, and improved school climate.
Jordan encourages readers to take small actions this week, such as identifying one problem to improve, organizing a space, asking someone what would make their week easier, or celebrating a small success. "You don't need perfect conditions. You need people who are willing to start," he concludes. The open letter aims to remind readers that lasting change often begins with one small decision, and Jordan invites sharing the message with others who might need that reminder.
