School Leader Lab

During Tuesday's Learning Lab, APLA 2024 leaders focused on leveraging social intelligence and antiracism frameworks to create caring and challenging environments for staff and students. Here's how we spent our time: ✊🏾 Applying the 3 I's framework to analyze how race and racism manifest in school-based scenarios 📈 Analyzing the six domains of social intelligence and identifying current strengths and growth areas 🗺️ Creating stakeholder maps to guide critical conversations and strengthen key relationships Takeaways from our leaders: "I used to think I was being empathetic by letting people off the hook, but now I realize that true empathy means both supporting and challenging." "I used to think I had the language to talk about race, but now I know that racism manifests in many forms, and that despite intent, I can still cause harm. This awareness has deepened my commitment to conscious leadership." "I used to think relationships were secondary to our work, but now I understand they are primary. Without strong relationships, we can't create the trust needed for transformational change." The real power of this session was watching leaders move from awareness to action, identifying concrete steps to disrupt inequitable practices, inspire others to make progress on challenges and create better outcomes for our students. #EducationalLeadership #EquityInEducation #SchoolLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #SocialIntelligence Aviv Foundation District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS)

🎓 DC PLC School Visit Reflection The DC PLC, with Teach For America D.C. and Virginia, was privileged to visit Sela Public Charter School last Friday to learn about their innovative Hebrew immersion program. Thank you, Josh Bork and the entire Sela community, for opening your doors to us! What stood out was witnessing their exceptional co-teaching model in action. Seeing these partnerships flourish in your classrooms inspired leaders to strengthen their own co-teaching practices back home. Key takeaway: Co-teaching isn't just an aspiration - it's achievable. The secret? Investing in intentional team building. Thank you for modeling what's possible when educators genuinely collaborate. Education Forward DC, Rashida Young

Leadership Lesson: Trust & Influence 🔑 "Results move at the speed of trust." This powerful truth emerged during our last TLC session exploring the importance of trust in our schools. What stood out was our leaders' commitment to: 👂💭 Practice active listening ❓ Asking “What else could be happening that I haven't considered?”' 💡 Understanding that we build influence through our interactions Key takeaway: Authentic leadership lies in our ability to build trust and influence positive change. Thank you to our incredible teacher leaders for engaging deeply with these concepts and modeling thoughtful leadership in practice.

🔊 Annual PSA: Never let your staff go into a break wondering if you value them. 🛋️ Sitting on the couch watching holiday movies is a great time to look for a new job. 👨👩👦👦 Having family and friends repeatedly tell you, "That place doesn't appreciate you; you should just find a different role," is a great way to lose a rockstar who feels overlooked. Want to retain high-impact employees? Here are a few of the little things you can do between now and the break (and all year long): 🥇 Be explicit about value. Don't assume people know you want them around. "Sarah, your guided reading instruction - with those targeted small groups and consistent running records - is transforming how our kids read. I really want you continuing this work in your classroom next year. Is there anything you need from me as your manager that I'm not thinking about yet?" You can affirm their impact and future without promising role changes. 👋 Say hello first. From our experience with many leaders, those who take the time to greet their staff in the hallway have higher approval ratings from their reports. You might be walking past staff and not even realize it. Remember: you see 30 teachers daily; they see one principal or AP. ⚡ Split feedback: Give positive and developmental feedback as separate conversations when you observe them. Skip the feedback sandwich - it feels fake. 🌱 Show trust through actions: Let them lead projects without micromanaging. Bring visitors to their classroom unannounced, showing your confidence. Ask questions before making assumptions when issues arise. 📅 Make recognition routine: Create consistent ways to acknowledge wins and support growth. One-off gestures are nice; sustained investment is better. Tough love moment- If showing your appreciation and sharing the value you see in others feels overwhelming or draining, remember what it feels like to spend the summer recruiting or starting the school year down 3-4 staff members. We work with schools that had zero vacancies in the Fall. Being fully staffed is not a myth, even now. List the top ten folks you want back next year and start there.

Students and staff at Drew Hunter Middle School showcased their innovative "Hunter Huddle" program during our first Delta PLC School Visit. This dynamic session demonstrated how daily affirmations and constructive challenges drive student excellence. Leaders discussed and shared impactful strategies for fostering both student and teacher leadership, sparking rich discussions on best practices. Noted one leader, "Observing and collaborating with new leaders offered fresh perspectives on student engagement." Thank you to Aviv Foundation for their generous, continued support.

🎯 School leaders, feeling overwhelmed by education policy headlines? You're not alone. We're excited to share our latest resource: "A School Leader's Guide to Understanding Federal Education Policy Proposals" 📚 We wrote this guide to help you analyze: 🛣️ The role of the Department of Education and what changes are being proposed 🏫 Historical context that can help inform what may come next 🎯 The impacts of self-censorship and what you can do as a school leader to prevent it "When policies and practices threaten to disrupt our schools, educators must remain grounded in what we know works: culturally relevant teaching, high expectations, and unwavering support for all students." - Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings Download our free guide to more deeply understand what's behind the headlines and lead with confidence. Together, we can ensure every student receives the education they deserve. https://lnkd.in/evMYzgby

🌟 Thank You for helping us go From Challenge to Change! 🌟 This Giving Tuesday, we were blown away by the generosity of our community. Together, your contributions have made a real difference in helping us foster school systems led by skilled, long-time leaders. We’re thrilled to share a special message from our Executive Director, Erica Beal, who wanted to personally thank you for your support. 👉 https://lnkd.in/edJsFS49 Your generosity drives our mission forward, and we’re excited to continue sharing the impact your donations make possible. Keep an eye out for stories in the coming weeks on how you’re helping to transform education for communities that need it most. 🙏💙 #GivingTuesday #ThankYou #GiveLocalTogether #FromChallengetoChange #LeadershipMatters

📢 Giving Tuesday Update! We’re so grateful for the support we’ve received so far! Thanks to our incredible community, we’ve raised $8,180 to support the development of resilient, transformative school leaders. But we’re not finished yet! With 54% left to go, every contribution brings us closer to reaching our goal of covering cohort tuition for a Ward 7 or 8 leader and empowering more school leaders to create positive, inclusive learning environments for students. Why support School Leader Lab? Our leaders are transforming schools, especially for Black and Brown students who deserve to see themselves reflected in strong, inspiring leadership. Let’s keep the momentum going! Join us in making a lasting impact. Thank you for helping us go from challenge to change! Leadership matters! 💙 🔗 Donate Now: https://lnkd.in/eS4a_Bgk #GivingTuesday #GiveLocalTogether #FromChallengetoChange #LeadershipMatters

⏰ 📢 Power Hour Push ⏰ 📢 💬 “If it weren’t for School Leader Lab, I would have not only left DC education but the profession altogether.” At School Leader Lab, we know the vital role that principals play—especially in low-performing schools where improvement depends on strong leadership. With your support, we can raise $18,000 to cover the cost of tuition for a Ward 7 or 8 participant, removing financial barriers so that more leaders can access this transformative training. 💪 Give what you can between 12 and 1 PM ET and help us unlock an additional $1,000! Spur Local is awarding this prize to the nonprofit with the most donors during this hour. Every donation counts! 🔗 Donate Now: https://lnkd.in/eS4a_Bgk #GivingTuesday #GiveLocalTogether #FromChallengetoChange #LeadershipMatters 

🎓 Meet Ryan Tauriainen, Ed.D, Executive Director at Teach For America D.C. and Virginia 🎓 Despite their documented importance, school leaders typically have limited high-quality opportunities for professional development after they are placed in their role. The most common opportunities tend to be “one-shot” conferences and workshops that do not reflect best practices of sustained development over time, with an emphasis on practicing new skills and receiving coaching. School Leader Lab is the only organization in DC that provides leadership development training at this level. In partnership with Teach For America D.C. and Virginia, School Leader Lab launched DC’s only Professional Learning Community (PLC) that brings together principals from both district and charter schools to observe best practices at each others’ schools and grow together. Read how Ryan's vision for this PLC became a reality with School Leader Lab's support. 🔗 Donate Now: https://lnkd.in/eS4a_Bgk #GivingTuesday #GiveLocalTogether #FromChallengetoChange #LeadershipMatters