Clarify, Coach, Connect

| This leader demonstrates how effective school leadership requires holding both the big picture and the daily realities in balance—clarifying vision, building culture, developing others, and staying close to the work.

When I arrived as principal of my current high school, I had completed four years of difficult school turnaround work in Harlem, NY. That was my first time ever leading a school, and I learned some hard lessons on what it takes to build a community that puts student learning first. The lessons and mistakes did not stop coming once I got to my next school, but I was better—more seasoned and prepared.

It was clear to me that not everyone was on the same page when it came to our shared vision and beliefs as a Catholic educational institution. Clarifying the vision and modeling the mindset were the first two priorities I had when I arrived in the summer of 2021. This wasn’t something I came up with myself but was instilled in me through some great mentors who made it clear that if you want to lead well, you have to start with root beliefs—those things that we believe as a community that you must believe if you want to work here. We hire for and fire for these things. It’s important to surface them with a group and get agreement from everyone.

On the first day of professional development that year, I used the same PowerPoint I had used in Harlem. It did not go well. Nothing we came up with as a group stuck. More importantly, I did not get that critical majority to buy into the process. It felt gimmicky. What I later realized was that this school already had meaningful words and phrases that people already said. Trying to make new ones to replace longstanding ones like “Home of Champions” was not only an uphill battle—it was not very smart strategically.

The challenge was that if you asked several people, “What does ‘Home of Champions’ mean to you?” you’d get a range of different answers. Instead of creating new beliefs, we took the time to define the ones we already held. That clarity stuck. Now, we immerse ourselves in those shared convictions constantly—whether in interviews, new hire orientations, or conversations with students and families.

The impact has been simple but powerful: we’re united in who we are and what we believe. As a leader, that clarity is essential—not only to lead effectively, but also to guard against behavior that runs counter to those beliefs.

Upholding shared beliefs is tough but necessary work. It is probably the most important work I do. When someone’s words or actions don’t align, I address it directly. A teacher once told me half his class was failing because students didn’t respect him. I asked, “Is the purpose of your class for students to learn to respect you?” It was a difficult conversation, but a necessary one.

I’ve also learned that the right mindset must be reinforced publicly. During enrollment season, I addressed faculty who had begun asking, “Why is that kid here?” I reminded them: “Some educators believe great schools are made up of great admissions departments that get the smartest kids. We don’t believe that. We believe great schools are made up of talented adults who do what’s best for kids every day.” That year, our student growth data proved it—22% in English and 16% in Math—clear evidence that adults make the difference.

In my own growth as a leader, I’ve learned to coach my leadership team rather than solve every problem. When I catch myself jumping to solutions, I pause and ask, “Is this mine?” It’s a reminder to listen deeply and ask tough questions instead of taking over.

And though I’m more strategic now, I stay close to the work. I often sit in the school atrium to answer emails, making myself visible and available. Conversations that happen there spark ideas—like our new all school morning meeting, which has already transformed communication, culture, and consistency.

Finally, I visit classrooms weekly and film great teaching in action. Sharing those clips in Monday PD helps our teachers learn from one another, celebrate colleagues, and see what high performance looks like at the school. That’s leadership at its best—clarifying vision, developing others, and staying close to the work.