Lessons In Leadership


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    iStock/SDI Productions

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    Sponsored by Identity Automation

    5 strategies to get leadership buy-in for MFA

    Leverage these 5 strategies to get MFA buy-in from non-technical leaders and secure your district!

    By Susan M. Bearden, CETL • Nov. 4, 2024
  • Superintendent Tony Watlington crouches at a desk to talk to an elementary student during a school visit in August 2024.
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    Permission granted by School District of Philadelphia
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How Philadelphia is accelerating learning recovery with an ambitious 5-year plan

    Propelled by impressive academic recovery metrics, Superintendent Tony Watlington has curriculum rollouts, facilities improvements and more on the agenda.

    By Oct. 22, 2024
  • Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles examines a document during a visit to Navarro Middle School.
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    For Houston superintendent, there’s nothing piecemeal about school turnarounds

    Appointed to lead Texas’ largest district during a state takeover last year, Mike Miles is embracing a model of wholescale systemic change.

    By Oct. 1, 2024
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    Permission granted by Megan Kogut, Laura Bishop Communications
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How a Pennsylvania superintendent factors community into innovation

    For Matthew Friedman, prioritizing consistent communication is key to ensuring Quakertown Community School District can embrace future-ready learning.

    By Aug. 29, 2024
  • Topeka Superintendent Tiffany Anderson holds up a stop sign while serving as a crossing guard on a school day. Three students are shown crossing the street.
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    Boots on the ground: Topeka superintendent meets families where they are

    For Tiffany Anderson, engaging with the community in authentic, unstructured ways is essential to understanding and addressing learning barriers.

    By July 25, 2024
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How stoic philosophy influences a New Jersey superintendent’s approach to leadership

    Being mindful of what you can and cannot control is key to remaining calm as a school leader, says Brigantine Public Schools’ Glenn Robbins.

    By June 27, 2024
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    Permission granted by Santa Ana Unified School District
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How student voice informs change in a California district

    The rollout process for a district graduate profile led Santa Ana Superintendent Jerry Almendarez to implement ongoing student input sessions.

    By April 25, 2024
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How a Chicago-area district embraces community engagement amid political divides

    With two school boards to answer to and pushback from a vocal parent rights group, careful communication is key for this superintendent.

    By March 29, 2024
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    iStock | Francesco Ridolfi

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    Sponsored by Kognity

    Can inquiry-based learning transform classrooms and equip students for real-world challenges?

    Turn passive learners into problem-solving stars. IBL transforms science education for success in the classroom and beyond.

    March 11, 2024
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How prioritizing culture boosted attendance, academics in a Virginia middle school

    Shampriest Bevel, who began her principal role mid-pandemic, says it was critical to put student and teacher voice first and “focus on what people really needed.”

    By Feb. 29, 2024
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    FatCamera via Getty Images
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    5 insights from top school administrators in 2023

    We’ve highlighted some key insights on community voice, union negotiations and crisis management more from this year’s conversations.

    By Jan. 2, 2024
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    Hispanolistic via Getty Images
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    Sponsored by Pearson

    3 common misconceptions about SEL — and how educators can address them

    Learn how educators can work with families to understand their resistance and work together to foster acceptance.

    Nov. 13, 2023
  • This is a headshot of Suzanne Lacey, superintendent of Talladega County Schools in Alabama.
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    Permission granted by Talladega County Schools
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    This rural Alabama district hit the fast lane on 1:1 devices years before the pandemic

    Over her 16 years leading Talladega County Schools, Suzanne Lacey has prioritized innovation and partnership with local industries like NASCAR.

    By Oct. 23, 2023
  • This is a headshot of Sue Mariani, superintendent of Duquesne City School District in Pennsylvania.
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How a Pennsylvania superintendent set out to restore her district’s secondary grades

    With middle grades returned, Sue Mariani aims to sustainably bring high school back to Duquesne City School District in a system under receivership.

    By Sept. 27, 2023
  • Deborah Wortham, superintendent of Roosevelt Union Free School District in New York, is pictured speaking into a webcam during a video address to her school district.
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    Retrieved from YouTube on August 30, 2023
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How a New York superintendent found her passion in school turnarounds

    The Roosevelt Union Free School District’s Deborah Wortham says the most important questions students have of leaders are, “Do I care? Am I visible?”

    By Aug. 30, 2023
  • LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho speaks at a city council meeting in May.
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    Retrieved from LA City Clerk.
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    Q&A // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    What should superintendents keep in mind in union negotiations?

    LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho says talks may exceed budget comfort zones, but that may be necessary based on economic realities.

    By July 14, 2023
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    Permission granted by Los Angeles Unified School District
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    Q&A // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    How NAEP scores are adding urgency to Los Angeles’ math, reading push

    As a member of the assessment’s governing board, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is all too familiar with the gravity of pandemic learning loss.

    By July 13, 2023
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    Permission granted by Fly Five
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    Sponsored by Fly Five

    Paving the way for positive behavior with mindfulness

    Mindfulness practices in the classroom can help students to reset, refocus, and remain in control.

    By Fly Five • July 3, 2023
  • This is a headshot of Justin Jennings, superintendent of Youngstown City School District in Ohio.
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    Permission granted by Youngstown City School District
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    Lessons In Leadership: For Ohio superintendent, focus on student skills is key to broader local economy

    Youngstown, Ohio, was hit hard by the decline of the local steel industry, but Justin Jennings sees part of his role as equipping students to attract new fields to the region.

    By May 30, 2023
  • This is a headshot of Iranetta Wright, superintendent of Cincinnati Public Schools.
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    Lessons In Leadership: Cincinnati superintendent invites community to ‘Be Present’ for students

    For Iranetta Wright, the entire community has a stake in providing support and resources for student success, including through direct volunteerism.

    By April 19, 2023
  • This is a headshot of Derek McCoy, principal of North Carolina's Havelock Middle School.
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    Lessons In Leadership: A North Carolina principal details why middle school is more than academics

    Social media and pandemic fallout are only compounding the hurdles that come with a critical period of brain development, says Derek McCoy.

    By March 31, 2023
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    How 4 school leaders use communication, transparency to battle community divisions

    Amid growing politicization, administrators are working to cultivate community with authenticity, visibility and meeting people where they’re at.

    By March 23, 2023
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    Permission granted by Roanoke City Public Schools
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    Lessons In Leadership: Roanoke superintendent puts equity in action through career and technical ed

    For Verletta White, navigating and avoiding misunderstandings is a matter of listening, identifying pain points and finding common ground.

    By March 1, 2023
  • This is a headshot of Michael Lubelfeld, superintendent of North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, Illinois.
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    Lessons In Leadership: How a suburban Illinois district revisited safety after tragedy

    Following an Independence Day parade mass shooting, Superintendent Michael Lubelfeld began his district’s response with community engagement.

    By Jan. 26, 2023
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    Светлана Зайцева via Getty Images
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    Column // LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

    Lessons In Leadership: 5 key takeaways from a year of school leader conversations

    In case you missed any of 2022’s installments, we’ve highlighted some leading insights on student voice, community engagement and more.

    By Jan. 3, 2023