Leading? Start Here

Seasonal

We often mark the beginning of the school year with the first bell, the laughter in hallways, and the hum of classrooms coming to life. But if you’re a school leader, you know the truth: the year starts long before the first student walks through the door. It begins in the quiet moments of planning, the courageous decisions made over the summer, and the invisible labor of building schedules, staffing, and systems that hold the whole thing together.

Each school year offers a chance to not just reset systems, but to re-ground our community in purpose and possibility. That work begins not just with plans and calendars, but with questions—real ones—that invite collaboration, clarity, and care. The first question I asked was, “Do I feel connected to the mission, the people, and the work in a way that fuels me?“

After that one is out of the way, I go through a series of questions I shared on Instagram. Below is a deep dive with resources for each question.

VIsion: where are we going?

What is our shared commitment to how we want school to feel this year—for staff, students, and families?

The key here is shared commitments. Whether a staff member is in their first or twenty-fifth year, co-creating a shared vision for the school experience builds ownership, encourages collaboration, and sharpens our collective focus.

I used Post-it notes to kick off this activity—but the tool isn’t the point. What matters is creating a thread that weaves through everything else. The ideas generated can’t just live on a chart paper once and be forgotten.

As the school leader, I kept a running record of our conversations and frequently referred back to them—during weekly team meetings and again at the midpoint of the year. We used those touchpoints to celebrate our wins, reflect on where we’d grown, and realign our priorities based on the needs that surfaced.
Our school was far from perfect—but this process gave us clarity, helped us stay grounded in our purpose, and reminded us that progress is a shared journey.

culture: Our commitments

Start-of-year messages shouldn’t just be inspirational—they should be directional. Share a focused vision with 2-3 specific priorities for the year. Ground them in where your school has been and where it’s headed, and leave room for your team’s fingerprints.
The vision should answer: What’s most important now? What will it look like in action? Why does it matter?

RESOURCE: HERE is a simple PD for engaging staff the vision for the year.

boundaries: what matters

This one’s personal. I used to think leading meant always showing up strong. But the truth is, clarity, care, and sustainability aren’t in conflict—they’re interdependent.
I leaned on three core moves:
– Coaching with intention
– Communicating with transparency
– Creating space for reflection and shared ownership

What I wish I’d done better? Protecting my peace so I could lead with presence and model the kind of balance I wanted my team to believe was possible.

development: our growth

Early in the year, work with your leadership team to name their development goals. Once the year gets moving, it’s easy to lose sight of the wins, direction, and growth that’s happening under the surface.

When teachers explore what they care about—whether through leading a committee, trying a new strategy, or attending a PD session—they grow in ways that fuel the whole school.

RESOURCE: Sample teacher coaching tracker and kick-off coaching meeting agenda.

success: seeing our wins

Success isn’t just end-of-year data. It’s also the small moments: the first “aha,” a teacher’s risk-taking, the student who found their voice.
Build in space to notice and name progress early. Schedule awards, team stepbacks, and data days from the start so you’re not chasing time—you’re protecting it. This not only keeps the goals visible, it keeps the energy and alignment alive.
Celebrating progress isn’t extra. It’s essential.

RESOURCE: Here is a yearly event calendar

This year, don’t rush past these questions. Sit with them. Share them. Use them to bring your team in—not just to your vision, but to a shared experience of leading, growing, and celebrating together. Let me know if you have questions about the resources! I am here to help.

PIN FOR LATER!

JOIN THE COLLECTIVE

Tanesha B. Forman

I'm a current middle school administrator who loves breaking down complex topics and providing opportunities for educators learn, reflect, practice, and implement methods that foster equity and anti-racism. I believe we win together!

Behind the Blog

Hi, I'm Tanesha.

I’m a current middle school administrator who loves breaking down complex topics and providing opportunities for educators learn, reflect, practice, and implement methods that foster equity and anti-racism. I believe we win together!