Building and nurturing a
leader-based organization starts with embracing the correct mindsets, and
then executing purposeful leadership actions.
I 32 Leadership
t was as vivid as yesterday – I received a phone call from my deputy superin- tendent asking me to lead the trans- formation of a middle school that had
been identified as one of the “persistently lowest achieving” schools in the nation. To say I was overwhelmingly excited would be an understatement. I saw infinite possibili- ties: Not just the rewarding opportunity to transform a school, but also an opportunity for me to go through a personal and profes- sional journey of transformation. Although I was a veteran middle school
principal who had led an 800 API middle school to recognition as a California Distin- guished School and a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, I had always yearned for something beyond the traditional values of success. Like most leaders, I keep my passion for education ablaze by continually creating conditions that make a profound difference. With that in mind, I accepted the challenge. Fast forward three years to spring 2013:
For two consecutive years, our school has gained a total of 80 API points, averaging
40 points per year and reaching our 700 API milestone. While these numbers were significant as federal and state recognized indicators of achievement, the story behind the numbers is much more compelling. Our most authentic measure of success lies in what we have accomplished in coaching, mentoring, and in growing leaders from within to develop the right mindset and to execute purposeful leadership actions.
Creating networks of leaders In a demanding educational landscape,
transforming schools entails investing in the professional growth of school leaders. These leaders have an enduring influence on effec- tive teacher practice. Hence, a focus on the following questions guided me in molding networks of leaders from within: 1. If schools are truly places that foster
learning for all, what evidence do we have that our current practices in mentoring and
By Kathrine Morillo-Shone
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