Creative Leadership Solutions

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Leadership is about influence, not control. The strongest schools grow when leadership is shared across the team. When more people lead, more people learn. How are you creating opportunities for others to lead? #EdLeadership #SchoolLeadership #InstructionalLeadership @AllysonApsey @DruTomlin4Edu @BoykinBryan @burgessdave

Teams improve when leaders create psychological safety. Safe teams share ideas. Safe teams take risks. Safe teams learn from mistakes. That culture is built through partnership—not programs. What’s one mistake that turned into a great learning moment? @AllysonApsey @BoykinBryan @DruTomlin4Edu @burgessdave

Listening is leadership. Before offering advice, try asking one more question. School improvement is strongest when it’s built through partnership—not delivered as a program. Listening opens the door to shared problem-solving. #EdLeadership #SchoolLeadership #InstructionalLeadership @AllysonApsey @DruTomlin4Edu @BoykinBryan

Grades that include factors other than a student’s level of mastery, lose validity for instructional decision making, GPAs, college entrance, etc. Extra credit should extend learning, not be earned by bringing tissues, hand sanitizer, etc. @mccartyann @AllysonApsey

Our very own @DouglasReeves discussing the important topic of AI! @AllysonApsey @DruTomlin4Edu

Grading reform isn’t about changing numbers. It’s about changing meaning. A grade should communicate: ✔ What students know ✔ What they can do ✔ What comes next in their learning When grades guide learning, they serve the real purpose. ⁦@mccartyann⁩ ⁦@AllysonApsey⁩

A grade should answer one question…What has the student learned? Not: ❌ How compliant they were ❌ How many extra credit points they found ❌ How organized their binder was When grades reflect learning, everyone benefits. ⁦@mccartyann⁩ ⁦@AllysonApsey⁩ ⁦

The Key to Secondary School Success: Getting 9th Grade Right Contributing Author: Dr. Douglas Reeves Kaaron Andrews studied the relationship between 9th-grade student performance, graduation, and subsequent post-secondary success. Read the latest Research Wednesday here - tinyurl.com/RW031126

Grades should tell us what students know/can do & what is yet to be learned. Let’s don’t use grades that “punish” a slower learning progression, behavior, lack of family involvement, etc. Including anything other than a student’s level of mastery in grades, skews the purpose.

We don’t need more complicated grading systems-we need clearer ones. Start grading reform with 3 questions: * What do our grades actually communicate? * Are they fair? * Do they improve learning? If the answer isn’t clear, simplify it. ⁦ @mccartyann⁩ ⁦@AllysonApsey⁩

Overbuilding intervention won’t fix inconsistent Tier 1 instruction. Collaborative Learning Teams create alignment in standards, rigor, and assessment. Consistency first. Acceleration follows. ⁦⁦@mccartyann⁩ ⁦@AllysonApsey⁩ ⁦@DouglasReeves⁩ ⁦⁦

“90% of strategy is execution”. Let’s have meetings & go do the BIG work in classrooms & on our campuses. Let’s make schools/districts places where all students grow & staff are collaborative & supported. When we collectively believe we can, WE CAN! @mccartyann @AllysonApsey

Meetings are easy. Collective follow-through is harder. If nothing changes in classrooms, the team isn’t finished. ⁦@mccartyann⁩ ⁦@AllysonApsey⁩ ⁦@DouglasReeves⁩ ⁦@melsteph0801⁩

Collective efficacy is powerful, but it isn’t accidental. It grows when teams analyze evidence and adjust to instruction together. Belief follows impact. ⁦@mccartyann⁩ ⁦@AllysonApsey⁩ ⁦@DouglasReeves⁩ ⁦@melsteph0801⁩

We’ve all heard the saying “Hope is not a strategy”. I love that our CLS team partners with schools & districts in moving beyond hope… to establishing truly impactful collective efficacy. Collaborative Learning Teams, yes please! #bettertogether @mccartyann @AllysonApsey

Do Audiobooks Count as Reading? Dr. Douglas Reeves While surveys show over 40% of U.S. adults think listening to a book isn’t real reading, Brian Bannon, Chief Librarian of New York PL disagrees in this Nov. 23, 2025 article. Read the latest Research Wednesday post here: tinyurl.com/RW030426

CLS March Newsletter PLCs Done Right Explore how Collaborative Learning Teams can move from routine meetings to measurable impact. From strengthening structure to anchoring conversations in student evidence, learn practical ways to align adult practice and drive results. tinyurl.com/CLSNewsMarch20…