Laura Devine Johnston

A simple shoutout can boost morale and show your community the great work happening at your school. ✨ (Inspiration via P @LatreiciaAllen)

Tough conversations with Ss' families are bound to land on your plate. Here, your fellow leader describes a framework for moving forward: Step 1: Prepare for the initial meeting Step 2: Conduct an investigation Step 3: Circle back (Via @edutopia) edutopia.org/article/handli…

This bingo board can help encourage your staff to make time for themselves. (Inspiration from P @drmccrayspeaks)

PSA: 📣

As a leader, you're constantly inundated with requests and action items that feel important. How do you prioritize? (Via leader @E_Sheninger) esheninger.blogspot.com/2024/08/priori…

💡💡💡💡 (Via leader @SustainTeaching)

❤️ hearing from 204 superstars- ⁦@unshush⁩ . Happy senior year ⁦@worst_david⁩ . Keep going ⁦@WVHSStipp⁩ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the…

I was listening! Great topic of belonging. Lead on! .⁦@keels226⁩ ⁦@BrookdaleBobcat⁩ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the…

As school leaders head back before staff arrive, those first few days can feel both energizing and isolating. But that solo time is incredibly valuable. Here’s what the latest research and top experts say great principals should focus on in these early days: 1. Recenter on Vision and Strategy Michael Fullan reminds us in The Principal that coherence is the foundation of effective leadership. •Revisit your school’s vision and mission •Identify 2–3 high-leverage focus areas for the year (such as engagement through cooperative learning or strengthening Tier 1 instruction) •Ask yourself: “If this year is a success, how will students, staff, and families experience it differently?” @MichaelFullan1 2. Prepare the Physical and Emotional Environment Todd Whitaker has said that “the culture of a school walks in the building before the principal does.” •Walk every hallway, classroom, and shared space •Refresh key areas with intention—this might mean reorganizing a staff lounge or updating student celebration boards •Ensure your building reflects excellence before anyone else steps inside @ToddWhitaker 3. Design Your Feedback and Coaching Systems Robyn Jackson’s work (Never Underestimate Your Teachers) emphasizes the importance of structured support and growth. •Draft your classroom walkthrough plan and feedback calendar •Build coaching tools aligned to your schoolwide focus areas •Prepare your first five feedback conversations before school even starts @Robyn_Mindsteps 4. Make the Welcome Personal Elena Aguilar’s coaching research points to the power of connection. •Write a short, personalized welcome note to each team member •Record a brief message or video sharing your excitement and vision for the year •Design a meaningful welcome-back experience that reminds your team they matter @brightmorningtm 5. Study the Right Data Paul Bambrick-Santoyo and Douglas Reeves both stress the importance of early, focused data work. •Review not just test scores but engagement, attendance, and discipline patterns •Identify a few key indicators to track weekly •Let your early data drive your first PD sessions and instructional priorities @DouglasReeves The best leaders don’t wait for the team to arrive to start leading. These first few days are your chance to set the tone, clarify the path, and prepare the runway so your staff can take off. #LeadershipMatters #InstructionalFocus #SchoolCulture #PrincipalsLeadFirst #VisionDrivenLeadership

Do you have new principals starting this school year? Investing in new principal training is investing in your district's future! Learn more about DuPage Mentoring here: files.constantcontact.com/a919637d601/49… #DuPagePrincipalsMatter

Collective Teacher Efficacy is not a slogan. It’s a system. John Hattie ranks Collective Teacher Efficacy as the #1 influence on student achievement—with an effect size of 1.57. But too often, it’s used as a buzzword without understanding what it really takes to create it. So what does it look like in action? 1. Common Goals + Shared Clarity “When educators believe that together they can impact learning, it becomes a powerful driver of success.” – Jenni Donohoo Schools with CTE don’t just have “mission statements”—they have laser-focused, measurable goals that everyone knows and works toward. That means: •Clearly defined learning outcomes •Aligned PLC goals •Instructional practices that are anchored in student data 2. Embedded Collaboration True collaboration isn’t just meeting together—it’s working together toward student outcomes. According to Donohoo, teams must: •Analyze student work regularly •Engage in joint problem-solving •Use protocols that focus on impact, not just planning This means moving beyond “what are we teaching?” to “what worked, for whom, and why?” 3. Leaders Who Create the Conditions Hattie and Fullan emphasize that leadership matters most when it builds teacher belief and action. That looks like: •Protecting time for high-quality collaboration •Modeling vulnerability and data-informed decisions •Celebrating progress based on evidence, not just effort 4. Evidence of Impact You can’t build efficacy without results. Teachers need to see: •Growth in student learning •Patterns of success from specific practices •Reflection tools that track progress over time Regularly asking: What is our evidence that students are learning better because of what we did? 5. Psychological Safety and Trust Without trust, CTE can’t exist. That means creating a culture where: •It’s safe to share failure •Staff value learning over looking good •Feedback is normalized, not weaponized. You don’t declare collective efficacy—you build it through systems, leadership, and focused work. When educators believe they can—and actually see they are—making a difference, the entire school moves forward. #CollectiveEfficacy #InstructionalLeadership #JohnHattie #Donohoo #PLCThatWorks #LeadingLearning #StudentImpact #SchoolCulture #TeacherGrowth @VisibleLearning @MichaelFullan1 @Jenni_Donohoo

Do you have new principals starting this school year? Investing in new principal training is investing in your district's future! Learn more about DuPage Mentoring here:. files.constantcontact.com/a919637d601/49… #DuPagePrincipalsMatter

Congratulations to Dr. Judy Hackett, who was officially sworn in today as the newest member of the ISBE Board! Dr. Hackett has been a passionate and purpose-driven public school special educator and leader for over 45 years. Read Dr. Hackett's bio: okt.to/jpVTfI

Culture is lived in the hall.

Way to go, Dr.!!! Love your research topic!

Great principals don't just walk the halls—they build relationships in them.

Principal tip: when needed to cover a class always go off script for at least 10-15 minutes to write the classroom teacher notes of appreciation!

The best PD can occur in the classroom down the hall. That's the idea behind P @Nickiatquest's peer observation "punch card."

Join us next week on 1/27 to learn more about Tier 1 #PBIS - a free, virtual event. Register today! #PBS #MTSS buff.ly/4g2uU4I