Monthly eNewsletter – October 2025
Our collective power expands when we support each other to foster the unlimited potential of each and every student.
PLANS in Progress: From Fear to Shared Growth
Engaging stakeholders is central to CLEE’s USDOE grant-funded PLANS Program. Opening yourself up to feedback and leadership from families, students, and staff can feel overwhelming. What if the feedback is negative? What if it makes you look bad? What if people only focus on what isn’t working?
Several leaders admitted to feeling this way as they began engaging in focus groups and community asset and needs mapping. One said plainly, “It put me in a vulnerable place to have to admit to things that are not perfect.”
Then something different happened. Communities were eager to share their perspectives – and they wanted to help. Instead of tearing schools down, families and students expressed pride and support. A parent shared, “I appreciated being selected and hope opportunities like this continue. We don’t usually get asked what’s working and how we could improve it.” As the process continued, leaders began to trust it too. One reflected, “I loved having parent involvement in the group to get a wider variety of perspectives.”
This shift is powerful. Feedback wasn’t about blame, it was about belonging. Families, students, and staff wanted their schools to succeed, and they valued being invited in. A parent reflected, “The discussion pushed me to think about the challenges teachers face. It made me step out of my comfort zone and consider perspectives different from my own.” A teacher added, “Our differences have a commonality: wanting what’s best for teaching and learning, and recognizing that the school is not a silo. We need to better connect with the community in deeper ways.”
That’s part of our PLANS work – the courage to be vulnerable, the trust to let others in, and the transformation that happens when feedback, both the positive and the challenging, fuels shared pride, stronger ideas, and lasting improvement. The real question for all of us is: What would it look like for you to let others in, and what transformation might be waiting on the other side?
Find Power in Feedback at Fall Meeting
If you’re ready to put this mindset into practice, join us in Rhode Island November 13-14, 2025 for CLEE Fall Meeting. Over two days of small groups, workshops, and hands-on practice, you’ll give and receive feedback, explore dilemmas with peers, and strengthen your leadership in ways that directly support each student’s success.Together, we’ll practice the courage to be vulnerable, the trust to let others in, and the transformation that happens when feedback becomes a resource, not a danger.
It’s not too late to join us at Fall Meeting. Register today and experience how shared insight fuels stronger ideas, deeper connections, and lasting improvement.
“The experience last year at Fall Meeting was the most beneficial and fulfilling experience I have had related to any PD I have attended. The networking, collaboration, practicing of the dilemmas, and learning/being was validating by hearing that others in the field are experiencing the same things as I am.”
-Fall Meeting Participant
Are financial considerations holding you back? Scholarships are available – Please apply if finances are a barrier for you to attend.
Instructional Rounds – Leadership Insights through Classroom Visits
Classrooms are the heart of schools, but leadership responsibilities can limit your time spent in them. Instructional Rounds give leaders a structured way to observe classrooms, gather insights, and reflect collaboratively. This practice is not about evaluation; it is about understanding what drives student success.
Instructional Rounds at Woodridge Elementary and Blackstone Academy
On September 18, 2025, PRN alumna Marisa Jackson (’17) welcomed the current PRN cohort to Woodridge Elementary School in Cranston, RI, for an Instructional Rounds visit. Principal Jackson, who now serves as principal of Woodridge, proudly leads a school recognized in 2023 with the National Blue Ribbon Award as an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School.
During the visit, Principal Jackson highlighted leadership strategies grounded in the Core Leadership Practices and shared Woodridge’s progress on strengthening its Tier 1 program. She also introduced a problem of practice and a focus question to guide aspiring principals as they observed classrooms, gathered evidence, and engaged in collaborative reflection during the feedback protocol.
The PRN cohort also visited Blackstone Academy Charter School in Pawtucket, RI, learning from Head of School, Kyleen Carpenter. Blackstone Academy is a high school grounded in social emotional learning, community and independent inquiry. During the visit, Head of School Carpenter shared the school’s emphasis on increasing rigor, specifically within proficiency-based assessments. Aspiring principals visited classrooms noting the differences and also similarities between an elementary and secondary instructional program. This component of Instructional Rounds helps aspiring principals learn to lead in varied contexts.
The instructional rounds experience was highly impactful for the aspiring principals. One AP reflected, “Being a part of these instructional rounds was eye-opening for me. We get so carried away in the four walls of our own schools that I think sometimes we forget the realities that exist in other spaces.”
The PRN extends sincere gratitude to Marisa Jackson and Kyleen Carpenter for opening their school and practice to the cohort. This experience not only broadened participants’ perspectives but also provided an invaluable opportunity to learn from transformational leaders.
“I loved these instructional rounds. Being a classroom teacher, I rarely get insight on other spaces. I also have only ever been in one school- so I loved being able to explore other districts’ missions and visions. I also loved the reflection protocol and plan to bring this to our district.”
– PRN Aspiring Principal
PLANS provides coaching, resources, and a network to help you turn school and district goals into real, lasting impact for students, staff, and school leaders. This support is available in CT, MA, and RI at no cost for schools or districts.
This USDOE grant-supported program combines individualized coaching, high-engagement learning sessions, anytime learning resources and data monitoring – all designed to fit your schools’ priorities and support measurable outcomes.
With PLANS, your school and district can:
- Improve student learning outcomes in ELA, math, and for students with the greatest academic needs
- Retain and grow school leaders and teachers, reducing turnover and building capacity
- Achieve school-wide goals through shared leadership and focused improvement strategies
- Engage families, students, and staff in meaningful school improvement
- Streamline improvement processes so they integrate with your existing school goals
- Align leadership practices across schools and teams to sustain progress over time
Continue the work of collaboration and student-focused leadership in person this fall. CLEE Fall Meeting will bring together educators and leaders from across the country for two days of hands-on practice, deep reflection, and shared learning.
Small Groups
Participants will spend a majority of their time giving and receiving feedback and sharing dilemmas and facilitating tools in small groups that model a Community of Practice.
Workshops
We will spend time sharing our practices, tools, and learning in topic-based workshops presented by the CLEE Community.
Evening Reception
Immediately after our closing on the first day we will have a reception to network and share in a relaxed setting.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Barbara Mullen will join us as the keynote speaker for the 2025 CLEE Fall Meeting, bringing her bold vision and steadfast dedication to student-centered leadership. Known for her deliberate and confident advocacy for each and every student.
Ready to take the next step in your leadership journey? For over 25 years, CLEE’s Principal Residency Network (PRN) has helped aspiring leaders step into principal roles with confidence. Join an info session to learn how to get certified in RI or MA while gaining real-world experience.
Virtual Info Sessions
• November 5, 2025
• January 13, 2026
• February 3, 2026
• March 2, 2026
4:30 – 5:30 pm
Professional Development to Fit Your Needs
Each session will tap the expertise of all participants and grow your knowledge, skills, and dispositions to collaborate to impact student outcomes.
CLEE’s Collaborative Leadership Package
Bundle three of our most powerful learning experiences, Fall Meeting, Facilitator Training, and Community of Practice, for only $1800 (a savings of almost $500).
Each month, CLEE offers a question or two to help you reflect on what you are experiencing. Thinking about the importance of questioning and what your answers mean is one more step in your growth as a leader.
Join CLEE on social media to follow the monthly questions and share your answers.