Esteemed Colleague,

Real change happens when leaders embrace relationships, shared purpose, and deep collaboration, creating schools that function as dynamic, interconnected communities. When educators work together, trust each other, and share responsibility, small actions can lead to big, lasting improvements.

If we want to create learning environments where every student thrives, we need a leadership mindset that embraces relational trust, collective efficacy, and distributed leadership. In my latest blog, let's look at how these three building blocks lead to sustainable, meaningful change for students, families, educators, and communities alike.

With anticipation for our shared journey,

Establishing a shared vision, mission, and values is a critical first step on any learner-centered journey. But, how do you avoid the change management trap where your vision and all its possibilities end up on a shelf, gathering dust?

The key to lasting change lies in transforming aspirations into actionable plans. That’s why creating a blueprint—an intentional roadmap for change—is essential.

In Santa Ana Unified School District, we’re partnering to operationalize their Framework for the Future by identifying "Big Moves" and defining measurable success over the next three years. These Big Moves focus on a select number of transformative actions that align with the district’s vision and have the power to make a significant impact on learning outcomes.

This method honors the Pareto principle where 20% of the work produces 80% of the results. Big Moves are all about identifying that 20%.

Meaningful change requires clarity, focus, and sustained effort. Our team is here to support you. We offer customizable guidance to ensure your goals become a reality—whether through vision-setting, defining priorities, or navigating the change process.

Let’s co-create a plan that meets your unique needs and helps your community thrive. Together, we can bring your learner-centered vision to life. Reach out to discover how we can help catalyze this important work.

Events & Webinars

WEBINAR RECORDING: Reimagining Education Through Innovative School Design (Watch the recording)

Designing the Future of Public Education (email us to learn more)

February 23-25, 2025 | Dallas, TX

Spring Connections Gathering: Mineola Public Schools (learn more about Connections)

March 12-13, 2025 | New York, NY

Deeper Learning 2025 (register here)

April 2-4, 2025 | San Diego, CA

JOIN US AT OUR NEXT EVENT

"A Design Team at Lynwood USD came together to unpack their Discovery Day findings to define opportunity statements to guide their bell schedule and graduation policy redesign. On day two, they set off for an Inspiration Visit to Circulos in Santa Ana. The team explored their high school block schedule as a means to support small learning communities and competency-based, real-world learning experiences." ~Brittany Griffin (read more about rethinking time in schools)

"A dynamic and thoughtful group of educators, counselors, parents, and school and district leaders in Del Mar Union School District convened for two days to develop their Scorecard to support implementation of their strategic plan and their Portrait of a Learner. The team collaborated to identify key outcomes, success metrics, and data sources to guide growth and share the story of the work with their community." ~Meg Parry

"We launched our Competency-Based Community of Practice and had a great time together, getting to know the community and finding commonalities amongst our bright spots and challenges. We will be meeting monthly this spring for discussions and consultancies to learn from and with each other." ~Bryanna Hanson

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE WORK WITH PARTNERS

Great leadership isn’t about working alone—it’s about building trust, fostering collaboration, and empowering others to create meaningful change. That’s why we’re thrilled to recognize Joseph Clevenger as our Catalyzer of the Month for his unwavering commitment to relationships, partnerships, and collective impact in education. Learn more about Joseph's impact and leadership here.