Leadership Changes Everything

Being a true leader is not just a title, it involves taking action. If you find yourself in the position of leading a team at your school for the first time this year, these strategies will help you get comfortable in your new role.

Building strong relationships between K-12 leaders and administrators fosters trust, collaboration, and psychological safety. Discover strategies to proactively develop these essential connections, ensuring a successful partnership that drives student achievement and school improvement.

New assistant principal? Discover four strategies to excel in your first year and build a strong foundation for success.

Are you, or do you know someone who is, starting their career as a principal this school year? Check out our best strategies for ensuring your first year is a success.

As a school leader, your actions have a pronounced effect on school culture. With a new school year approaching, use these ten strategies to center culture in your leadership actions.

Belonging in schools goes beyond inclusion; it's vital for well-being, academic success, and community building. Here’s how K-12 leaders can foster a greater sense of belonging in their school communities.

Increasing your emotional intelligence means concentrating on consistent, reflective actions that build empathy, strengthen relationships, and allow you to see other perspectives. Use these four strategies to enhance your daily EQ.

Being a principal involves management of not only operations and curriculum, but emotions and relationships. Discover what emotional intelligence (EQ) is and why it's crucial for effective school leadership.

As summer continues, we’re back with another set of six strategies to help principals and other K-12 leaders relax, refresh, and get ready for the school year ahead.

Summer is a great time for reflection—both about your school community and your own leadership needs. Here are some questions—and accountability strategies—to get you ready for next year.

The summer offers K-12 leaders much needed downtime and a chance to charge your batteries after a whirlwind school year. Take time for yourself and your leadership with these actions.

Wondering whether the principalship is in your future? Explore your principal readiness through these 10 self-reflection questions.

The best leaders have a guiding set of values that not only drive their own “why,” but how they cultivate their school’s mission and vision. Here are eight of those qualities.

The best K-12 education leaders know “joy” is more than a feeling—it’s a foundational goal of teaching and learning. Explore five ways leaders can keep joy at the forefront of their schools.

If you’re a K-12 education leader, you’re most likely always wishing for more time—especially as the end of the year approaches. We’ve outlined several strategies to help you get some precious hours back, both right now and in the long term.

Teacher Appreciation Week acknowledges the importance of teachers in our schools, but genuine appreciation requires sustained support. Here are a few ongoing, systemic strategies school leaders can implement to empower teachers.

Adopting a coaching mindset as a school or district leader helps your teachers, staff, and aspiring leaders see—and reach—their potential. Strengthen your mindset with these strategies.

If developing an AI policy feels overwhelming, consider focusing on developing preliminary AI usage guardrails. Use these four questions to guide your thinking and your next steps.

Assistant principals drive instructional leadership, manage school operations, support teachers and staff, ensure student wellbeing, and much more. Here’s how to balance—and embrace—the diverse responsibilities that come with the role.

The right data can tell the story of your school or district, both in the present and future—and that’s why the best education leaders place a high value on data literacy.

Thinking about moving into school leadership? Or know someone who is? Here are ten essential mindsets and professional learning insights—along with ten popular blog posts—to support your path forward.

In honor of National Assistant Principal (AP) Week, we’re focusing on the critical role APs play in our schools and how we can leverage these education leaders for even greater impact.

There are likely multiple generations of leaders, teachers, and staff in your school or district working together to ensure student success. Harness the benefits of this age diversity with these strategies.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have a powerful lineup of uplifting quotes from K-12 education leaders and New Leaders alumnae. Read on and feel empowered.

Cultivating a school- or district-wide growth mindset happens through design, not by chance. Consider these growth-building strategies as you’re bolstering the learning and leadership of your teachers and staff.

Explore highlights from our 2023 report, Bold Visions, Bold Solutions: Redefining How Schools Are Led. Thank you for joining us in the pursuit of excellence in our nation’s schools.

When conducted consistently, stay conversations and exit interviews can help school and district leaders proactively understand and address the needs and future plans of teachers and staff, among other benefits.

Spring is here (or around the corner!), and schools and districts need to end strong and prepare for next year. Here are best practices to manage and lead both successfully.

Resilience—the ability to move through and grow from difficult times—is a key characteristic of great educational leadership. Here are six strategies that resilient leaders prioritize to get through challenging times.

Artificial intelligence (AI)’s influence in education is already significant, yet learning about it can be daunting. We explore what AI is, its educational applications, and considerations for thoughtful AI implementation.

Ever dream of starting a new school? Here’s how one New Leaders alum and his team transformed a question into a thriving middle school community.

Strategic planning isn’t done when the plan is complete—your next step is creating excitement and alignment around your district’s vision through a comprehensive communications strategy. Here’s how to get started.

One of the most important characteristics of a great school leader is that they’re committed to developing future leaders. Here are four actions that strengthen that commitment.

In honor of Black History Month, we have an incredible lineup of uplifting quotes from K-12 school leaders and New Leaders alumni. Read on and feel inspired!

Ensuring all students in your district reach their potential begins with a strategic plan—a map to enable you to fulfill that vision. Consider these questions as part of your planning this year.

As a school leader, there’s a lot on your plate. When that pressure spills over, it can lead to burnout. Here are four tips to proactively manage burnout before it begins.

Students excel when they feel seen. The same is true for school leaders. Here’s how one New Leaders alum experienced the impact of our leadership coaching in her school.

Prioritizing equity isn’t just about asking questions—it’s about listening to the answers and taking action. Hone your equity-listening skills for all groups within your school community with these strategies.

Our Fellowship is the focus of a case study by the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Learn how the Fellowship came to be and how we are developing transformational school leaders.

An equity-focused education leader asks the tough questions that challenge and dismantle the systems and practices that don’t serve everyone at your school. These self-reflections can help initiate those conversations.

Here are ten leadership actions—and ten popular blog posts—that explore the many aspects of effective school leadership. Dive in today and jumpstart your leadership skills.

Effective communication is the foundation of high-performing schools and districts—where there’s good communication, there’s also trust, transparency, and strong relationships. Strengthen your own communication skills with these four strategies.

This time of year offers a natural time for reflection, especially for school and district leaders who don’t always take the time to celebrate their wins. Here are the ways you make a difference.

Looking for that burst of inspiration on-the-go? Try a podcast. Convenient and engaging, here are a few podcasts to jump-start your professional learning in the new year.

Everyone could use a few more minutes or hours in their day—and we know that’s especially true for school and district leaders. We’ve put together a list of our top tips to make the most of your time.

In addition to acting as data champion, a key part of a school leader’s role in building a data-driven school culture is to create the conditions for that culture to thrive. We outline three practical steps to get there.

School leadership does not have to be lonely. Here’s how one New Leaders alum and principal relies on her New Leaders cohort for support and guidance—and how you can too.

Self-reflection is the key to personal leadership and it can help fuel a healthy school culture, advance more equitable outcomes, build effective teams, and more. Learn how.

When gathered and analyzed effectively, student data elevates instructional practices and improves student learning. Here are a few ways visionary school leaders can be the data champions of their schools.

Discover how one district, in partnership with New Leaders, developed leaders of teams, leaders of schools, and leaders of systems in tandem—and is driving instructional excellence and equity at scale.

The best leaders are those who prioritize continuous learning. We’ve put together a list of everyday strategies to keep you learning, even when you’re short on time.

A solid teacher retention strategy requires school leaders to proactively create the conditions—and ask the questions—that make teachers want to stay in their roles. Here are a few ways to ensure you’re cultivating that environment year-round.

Our nation’s schools need well-prepared leaders. Leaders at every level in the K12 education ecosystem have a role to play in supporting the next generation of principals. Here’s how.

So much of school leadership depends on being able to build strong and lasting relationships with the diverse groups within your school community. We break down these groups—and the actions school leaders can take for each.

In honor of National Principals Month, we have an amazing lineup of motivational quotes from principals and New Leaders alumni. Read on and feel the inspiration!

All students benefit from culturally responsive schools—but not all students have access to them. Here are a few ways school leaders can play a critical role in promoting culturally responsive practices schoolwide.

Unpredictable and rewarding are often how school principals describe their days. Here’s a snapshot of what one of those days could entail—and why effective school leadership makes a difference.

One quality great principals possess is leaning into adaptive leadership—a method that helps them and their school community thrive in the face of constant change. Is it a mindset, a practice, or both?

From teacher to assistant principal, learn how one New Leaders Fellowship alum stepped into school leadership to be for her students what was missing in her education journey.

One quality of a great principal is having the belief that your school, students, and teachers can perform at exceedingly high levels—and creating the conditions to make it happen. Here’s how to balance belief and action.

Job-embedded leadership coaching can deepen your impact this school year. Discover how it works and why leaders and educators at every level find it beneficial to achieving ambitious goals.

Looking to build capacity and community within your school? Time to give distributed leadership some thought. Here’s a look at what it is, what it looks like in practice, and questions to guide your implementation.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re sharing real stories of K12 leaders who exemplify the belief that all children are capable of extraordinary things. Read on.

Students are the foundation of our schools—so it makes sense that they have a say in their education and their school culture. Consider these strategies to cultivate and elevate student voice throughout their school career.

Self-awareness, sometimes called a ‘hidden superpower,’ is essential for K12 leaders to cultivate. Learn how to do the inner work, so your leadership actions (external work) deliver better student outcomes.

This time of year, you want to hit the ground running with instruction—but you also want to ensure your school culture is welcoming and inclusive for everyone. Here’s how to do both.

Onboarding gives new teachers and staff a solid foundation for the school year ahead—and a focus on building trust will only continue that momentum. Here are a few ideas to consider.

Recommitting to your passion as an education leader—and to pursuing your own professional learning—are the building blocks for success in this new school year. Here are resources to help.

Investing in solid onboarding not only helps new school hires feel supported from the start, it also creates long-term belonging, which is key to retention. Level up your school onboarding with these strategies.

When we talk about resiliency, it’s usually through the lens of our students. However, it’s important to nurture resiliency among our teachers, staff, and ourselves, too. Here’s how to build more resilient school teams.

Meaningful professional development is a key reason principals stay in their roles. Here’s what that looks like in Vancouver Public Schools—and how it is motivating one principal to keep growing.

When families and schools trust one another and work together, students achieve more—and everyone feels like they’re on the same team. Consider these actions to level up your family engagement strategy.

Want to do more for the students in your community? Here are tried-and-true ways K12 educators and leaders can explore opportunities to step into more leadership roles and amplify their impact.

Summer is a perfect time to take a look at your school vision and make sure it still resonates. Here are a few questions and resources to guide you.

Student achievement, rigorous curriculum, a positive culture—elements of high-performing schools—are easier to achieve when joy is present in your school and in your leadership. Here’s how to find more joy.

Hear from three key leaders—New Leaders CEO, our chief financial and strategy officer, and a fellow from our National Aspiring Principals Fellowship—on how we can transform schools for the better.

We invite you to restore, retool, and recommit with us this summer. Start by celebrating everything you and your team accomplished last school year—because doing so can set the tone for the fall.

Mott Haven Academy Charter School is the first of its kind to serve students and families impacted by the child welfare system. Discover what is motivating Haven Academy for next year.

The practice of “finding flow” can help school leaders and their teams uncover additional levels of joy and satisfaction in their daily work. Here’s what flow is—and how to nurture it.

Great literacy instruction requires more than great teaching—it requires great leadership. Learn how to apply a 4-part action planning process to chart a course forward for your school or district.

Teacher retention is a pressing issue this time of year. Learn how one New Leaders alum is putting systems in place to value and retain her top talent.

This spring, over 50 New Leaders alumni and current New Leaders participants gathered in Memphis, Tennessee. Learn how one district and local foundations are supporting the development of leaders at every level.

A team isn’t merely a group of people—it’s a group of individuals with a variety of important leadership qualities. Consider these four characteristics as you’re assembling your next team.

The path to school leadership is always unique. Discover why one New Leaders alum is excited to step into the principal role for next school year.

Hear from nonprofit leaders, school and district leaders, and two Latinx educators pursuing principalship on what more we can do to boost more equitable representation in schools.

Reflection is essential for growth as a leader and team member, but reflection also makes teams stronger. Develop successful teams with these four reflection tips.

The inaugural cohort of the National Aspiring Principals Fellowship is principal-ready and looking to lead. Go behind the scenes of their leadership seminar and see what the Fellowship does best.

While well-intentioned, encouraging self-care among teachers isn’t a substitute for broader changes that signal they’re supported and appreciated. As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, here’s what to focus on instead.

Developing teachers into leaders builds pipelines for high-quality leaders for high-need schools. Here’s how a network of schools in South Carolina is partnering with New Leaders to create career pathways.

Research shows that students excel and schools thrive when they are led by diverse, committed, effective, and resilient leaders. Here are five qualities that drive teachers to become principals.

We continue to share real stories of women leaders at every level who serve as powerful and positive forces for change. May they inspire you to step more into leadership too.

“Innovation” is touted as the solution to many challenges within K-12 education. But how do schools begin their innovation journey? Creating a culture where innovation thrives is a good start.

Effective communication is more than what is said or posted on a website or social media. Strong K12 leaders use communication to move their vision forward. Here’s how.

Pre-planning for next year can help K12 principals, teachers, and staff return in the fall with some much-needed peace of mind. Here’s what to concentrate on before school lets out.

“Stay conversations”—intentional discussions to express appreciation for high-performing teachers and leaders and get insight on whether they plan to remain in their roles—can help retain your best educators.

Assistant principals play a vital role in our schools. Here’s how one New Leaders alum is developing the vice principals in her district to be coaches and instructional leaders.

Now is the time for leaders to focus on effective time management and listening to your school community. Set yourself up for success now and next school year, too.

Educators of color face unique challenges when advancing into school leadership. Yet, new public-private partnerships are removing financial barriers for aspiring principals. Learn how.

Districts across the nation are struggling with recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers. Here’s how one New Leaders alum is changing that landscape in his district.

When teachers and staff are psychologically safe, they feel comfortable contributing ideas and feedback without fear of repercussion. Here’s why that matters and how you can cultivate it in your school.