This month, I step into the executive director role at Great Schools Partnership (GSP). I am beyond excited to work alongside such a talented and dedicated staff and board to advance our mission to support, challenge, and collaborate with educators and communities to achieve educational excellence and equity. As I transition in my role at the organization, I have spent the summer both in moments of intense learning and onboarding as well as reflective thinking and creative imagining. What is at the core of “good” leadership? What have I learned? How can I take that forward in my new role?
Simply put, good leadership requires continual learning. Over the past two years in my role as managing director of engagement and networking at GSP, I have had the opportunity to learn an incredible amount from our staff, school partners, school communities, and students. Much of my time at GSP over the past two years was spent building relationships and trust with school and district leaders from across New England and the country. A quick review of my calendar reveals I have connected with over 500 school and district leaders—in person over coffee, on phone calls in the car, via Zoom, and at conferences. These leaders came to GSP in moments of vulnerability and challenge, seeking support to improve outcomes for their students.
Our meetings often centered around working together to find ways to help build the capacity of their teams, center student voice, engage the community, strengthen their curriculums, and ensure equitable outcomes for students in their school community. I have seen state-level leaders teeming with frustration over policy that restricts efforts to diversify and support their educator workforce, and superintendents welling up with tears as they have had to cut budgets and teacher positions. I have seen directors of curriculum and instruction struggling to ensure assessments are fair and aligned and principals grappling with how to increase teacher morale in their building. Each of these connections offered a lesson and chance to learn from a dedicated educational leader in the field.
In Emergent Strategy, adrienne maree brown reminds us, “What we practice at the small scale sets the patterns for the whole system.” Below are a few critical ways of being and leading that I have learned over the past few years in my work with educational leaders. Each of the learnings I have described below started at the small scale as I heard stories and examples from one school, one district, one educator, or one student. As I continue in my leadership and learning at GSP, I look forward to the many opportunities to continue to engage in each small scale connection as it builds upon the greater pattern and ultimately has impact at the large scale on a more equitable education system for our students.
Leadership Lesson #1: Listen Deeply
A few years ago, Springfield Public Schools engaged in a series of extensive community engagement efforts as they built their Portrait of a Graduate for the district. Thousands of community members offered insights and feedback as the district worked to build a vision of student success that was grounded in the voices of their families, educators, students, and larger community.
Listening deeply meant listening to many voices—over 2,000! Listening deeply also meant listening to the right voices—students, families, educators, and community leaders. It also meant listening within the local context—which required translation in Nepali, Somali, Spanish, Arabic, and Vietnamese.
In the fall of 2022, I had the chance to be a part of a listening session with students in the district. There was a flurry of Post-Its, chart paper, thoughtfully crafted questions, a talking piece, and follow up steps for the event. Amid that flurry, there was also space intentionally carved out to ensure every voice was heard—a moment designated for each student to hold the talking piece and share their idea of what success looks like for a Springfield Public Schools graduate. The leadership move of stepping back and making space for student voice and for deep listening from adults is critical. Equity-centered leadership requires deep listening.
Leadership Lesson #2: Center Connection
For many years, GSP has been deeply engaged in a long-term initiative focussed on diversifying the educator workforce across New England. Last fall, I joined our team at UMass Lowell for the [Re]building the Teacher Workforce Summit; during the summit, I had the chance to listen and learn from leaders from the higher education world—from non-profits and state-level leaders to district administrators. The power of the event did not rest with any one of these inspiring leaders, but rather in the connections forged across the sectors and the ideas and support that was shared in service of racial equity. Powerful leadership centers connection.
Leadership Lesson #3: Be Patient
In a recent meeting this summer with leaders from the Manchester School District, I learned of their new Dual Language Immersion program that will kick off this fall. This will be a first-of-its-kind in the state and will offer an opportunity for students in Manchester to learn in both English and Spanish. In listening to these leaders describe the new school and the plan for its growth over the coming years, I was struck by the faith and patience required to take a student-centered idea and invest in a long term plan for growing it and building success over time. Building systems and supports for students that are inclusive and responsive to their specific context is not a quick project and requires long-term investment. In this meeting, I was reminded of the patience strong leaders need to push good and equitable ideas toward success over time. Impactful leadership requires patience.
A Final Thought
As I step into my new role as the executive director of Great Schools Partnership, I’m grateful for all the people and experiences that have prepared me to lead effectively and compassionately. Who’ve taught me to listen deeply, center connection, and be patient. Who’ve taught me to lead through service with students at the center.
GSP has a bright and impactful future ahead—and I’m so grateful for the staff and board members who will help realize our potential, and for the educators around the U.S. with whom we’ll work to achieve educational excellence and equity.
Here’s to the next leg of our journey.