The Match Weekly Content

The Match | Enough

By Chad Thomas | March 19, 2026 |

Word: Enough Sentence: Enough is learning to trust your worth, honor your effort, and recognize when no more is required. Passage: I spent years asking if…

The Match | Ownership

By Chad Thomas | March 12, 2026 |

Word: Ownership Sentence: Ownership is the courage to say, “This part is mine.” Passage: Ownership sounds simple. In practice, it rarely is. It is hard to…

The Match | Progress

By Chad Thomas | March 5, 2026 |

Word: Progress Sentence: What used to knock you down can become the very place where progress takes root. Passage: Progress is hard to see in ourselves.…

The Match | Rhythm

By Chad Thomas | February 26, 2026 |

Word: Rhythm Sentence: Rhythm is knowing when to push, when to pause, and when to let time do its work. Passage: After leaving the principal role…

The Match | Humor

By Chad Thomas | February 19, 2026 |

Word: Humor Sentence: Humor keeps connection alive when the work gets heavy. Passage: When schools, organizations or companies are under pressure, humor is usually the first…

The Match | Agency

By Chad Thomas | February 12, 2026 |

Word: Agency Sentence: Agency is when people feel the power to shape what happens next. Passage: When I became a principal for the first time, I…

The Match | Loyalty

By Chad Thomas | February 5, 2026 |

Word: Loyalty Sentence: Loyalty is staying committed to the purpose, especially when the story gets messy. Passage: Most people think loyalty is allegiance to a person.…

The Match | Integrity

By Chad Thomas | January 29, 2026 |

Word: Integrity Sentence: Integrity is the safest value we have and the one that gets misused the most. Passage: He was a new student. Sixteen. Quiet.…

The Match | Choice

By Chad Thomas | January 22, 2026 |

Word: Choice Sentence: Your identity isn’t an inheritance; it’s the sum total of the small choices you make each day. Passage: We start choosing earlier than…

The Match | Legacy

By Chad Thomas | January 15, 2026 |

Word: Legacy Sentence: Legacy is how you leave people, not what you leave behind. Passage: This week, a former student of mine graduated from college. When…

The Match | Culture

By Chad Thomas | October 30, 2025 |

The Match each week: One word. One sentence. One passage. Word: Culture Sentence: The behavior of the leader becomes the culture of the team. Passage: You…

The Match | Consistency

By Chad Thomas | October 23, 2025 |

If The Match has sparked something for you, I’d be grateful if you shared it with someone. That’s how this community grows. Word: Consistency Sentence: Consistency…

The Match | Joy

By Chad Thomas | October 16, 2025 |

A small spark each week to help you live with heart and keep your fire lit! Word: Joy Sentence: Joy often grows from the soil of…

The Match | Patience

By Chad Thomas | October 9, 2025 |

The Match Newsletter: A small spark each week to help you keep your fire lit. Word: Patience Sentence: Patience is the pause that turns reaction into…

The Match | Hope

By Chad Thomas | October 2, 2025 |

Each Week: One Word. One Sentence. One Passage. Word: Hope Sentence: Hope is the pulse that keeps our hearts moving forward. Passage: In my 20-plus years…

The Match | Clarity

By Chad Thomas | September 25, 2025 |

Let’s light this week’s Match! Word: Clarity Sentence: Clarity is what waits on the other side of our greatest challenges. Passage: I became a teacher because…

The Match | Listening

By Chad Thomas | September 18, 2025 |

Thank you for being a part of the Match Community. Each week a small spark to keep your fire lit! Word: Listening Sentence: When we only…

The Match | Belonging

By Chad Thomas | September 11, 2025 |

Let’s light this week’s Match! Each Week: One Word. One Sentence. One Passage. Word: Belonging Sentence: Belonging is the core of human connection. Passage: When I…

This Week’s Match: Courage

By Chad Thomas | September 4, 2025 |

Let’s light the Match! Word: Courage Sentence: Courage is leading from conviction instead of comfort. Passage: In life and leadership you will always be tempted toward…

The Match: Story

By Chad Thomas | August 28, 2025 |

We just finished our first month together! Thank you for joining the Match Newsletter. Each Week: One Word. One Sentence. One Passage. Word: Story Sentence: If…

News/Media

Washington Post: A Chicago High School Helping Refugee Students Navigate American Life

By Chad Thomas | August 5, 2021 |

Roger C. Sullivan High School in Chicago serves as a historic…

Chicago Sun-Times Refugee Thanksgiving

By admin | November 6, 2019 |

At Sullivan High School, students from refugee and immigrant families…

Sullivan High Receives $25M Renovation

By admin | September 5, 2019 |

After years of planning, Sullivan High celebrated a $25 million…

K-12 Dive: Listening to and Caring for Staff

By admin | January 4, 2019 |

Sullivan High’s principal, Chad Thomas, emphasizes that building trust and…

Chalkbeat: Caring for His Teachers

By admin | January 2, 2019 |

Chad Adams‑Thomas, principal of Sullivan High School, made a personal…

Washington Post: A Chicago High School Helping Refugee Students Navigate American Life

By Chad Thomas | August 5, 2021 |

Roger C. Sullivan High School in Chicago serves as a historic…

Chicago Sun-Times Refugee Thanksgiving

By admin | November 6, 2019 |

At Sullivan High School, students from refugee and immigrant families…

Sullivan High Receives $25M Renovation

By admin | September 5, 2019 |

After years of planning, Sullivan High celebrated a $25 million…

K-12 Dive: Listening to and Caring for Staff

By admin | January 4, 2019 |

Sullivan High’s principal, Chad Thomas, emphasizes that building trust and…

Chalkbeat: Caring for His Teachers

By admin | January 2, 2019 |

Chad Adams‑Thomas, principal of Sullivan High School, made a personal…