May 15, 2025

Dear Educator,

Change is hard. What makes it hard is often less about how strongly people believe in the new initiative or direction and more about the uncertainty, the grief of what we’re letting go, and the fear of what’s ahead. Even when we know that staying the same carries greater risks, navigating change can feel daunting.

That’s why naming the change process is so critical. This week’s Bright Spot comes from our work with leadership teams who are using Bridges’ Transition Model to understand and lead through change, both logistically and emotionally.

With Gratitude,

Leading Through Change

By making space to name feelings and stages of transition, leaders are building the muscle to move through uncertainty with clarity and care.

In Encinitas Union School District, leaders did just that. As they rolled out a new report card this year aligned to learner-centered outcomes, they paused to reflect on what’s working, where it’s hard, and what comes next.

From celebrating early wins to listening deeply to feedback, they’re showing that real transformation is built not just on strategy—but on trust, reflection, and shared leadership.

When leaders intentionally leverage change management strategies—like Bridges’ Transition Model—they create space for both structure and humanity in the process. It’s not just about implementing something new; it’s about leading people through it with empathy, clarity, and purpose.

This approach builds trust, strengthens leadership capacity, and ultimately makes change not just possible, but sustainable.

Whether at the school or district level or within the classroom, what frameworks do you use to lead your community through change? I'd love to see your resources! Reply directly to this email to share.

Learner-Centered Collaborative's Co-CEO, Devin Vodicka, leads participants through this leadership course to define who they are as learner-centered leaders, explore ways to build relationships with their team by prioritizing relational trust, and leverage a human-centered design process beginning with empathy to create a proposal for change. Learn more about the course.

Resources to advance your learner-centered practice

🎙️ NEW PODCAST: Rethinking High School with AI and Human Connection. "Teachers being open to researching and experimenting with AI, there's a lot to learn. We (as learners doing a project) learned every day what ChatGPT is really doing. So I feel like teachers using it and experimenting is really interesting and cool." Listen here.

🛠️ When to Leverage AI Cheatsheet. "When it comes to technology, there are two variables that are often in tension with one another: efficiency versus the value of human interaction. These two variables can be helpful guardrails when determining how AI can best serve you, your classroom, school, and/or district." Download this tool.

👩‍💻 Learner-Centered AI Mini Course. "Whether you’ve been dabbling with ChatGPT and other AI tools or this is all new to you, this course will dive into how AI is changing the world, including education. It will give you actionable ideas and tools you can use to supercharge yourself as an educator (and save time) and empower your students in a learner-centered learning environment." Start learning here.