3 Practices to Make the Last 30 Days Count

3 Practices to Make the Last 30 Days Count

From Change Starts Here by Franklin Covey Education

May 5, 2026 · 9 min

About this episode

Dustin Odham discusses how to make the last 30 days of the school year meaningful through intentional practices.

In this episode of Change Starts Here, Dustin Odham challenges the "spring fever" mentality that sweeps through schools during the final stretch of the year. Rather than just counting down the days and winding down expectations, Dustin urges leaders and educators to finish with intention. Sharing a powerful story about "legacy projects" at Mechanics Grove Elementary, he illustrates how giving students ownership and purpose can completely transform the energy of a building. Reflect on what your students will truly remember about the school year and learn three simple, actionable moves to maximize the final 30 days: naming the moment to elevate its significance, creating ownership through contribution, and celebrating impact and effort over mere compliance. Make sure the end of the year feels meaningful, not just survived. Host: Dustin Odham (FranklinCovey Education) Timestamps: 00:00 The final stretch 00:37 The spring fever mindset 01:27 Legacy projects in action 01:59 What changed? 03:14 Making the end meaningful 03:45 What will they remember? 05:01 The year in review 06:12 Three actionable moves 07:15 Change how the story ends 08:42 Closing

People in this episode

Host: Dustin Odham

Topics covered

  • education
  • leadership
  • student engagement
  • end of year
  • legacy projects

Keywords

  • spring fever
  • legacy projects
  • student ownership
  • celebration
  • meaningful education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: FranklinCovey Education

Places: Mechanics Grove Elementary

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