Ever been in one of those planning meetings that drag on forever, with everyone talking, but nothing really moving forward?  We’ve all been there. Strategic planning is a critical part of any organization—whether it’s a school, a nonprofit, or a business—but it doesn’t have to feel like a never-ending marathon of meetings. We like to think of strategic planning in two phases, each with its challenges for organizations. Planning the plan Implementing the plan In this blog (the first of a two-part series), we’ll highlight innovative strategies to help organizations streamline the most crucial phase of planning—“ planning the plan. ” This phase is often the most time-consuming and challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Let’s dive into how organizations can rethink their approach to strategic planning. The Challenges of Strategic Planning: Planning the Plan Strategic planning can often feel like trying to plan a road trip with a car full of backseat drivers. On paper, it seems simple ...

The Challenge of Midterm Accreditation Reports School accreditation is a challenging, important process that requires ongoing documentation and reflection. One crucial component of this journey is the midterm review, which takes place three years after a school's Action Plan has been put into place. During this phase, schools assess their progress toward goals that were agreed upon at the start of the accreditation cycle. Unlike the initial accreditation, which involves input from a broad array of stakeholders and an in-depth, often 100-page Self-Study, the midterm review is a streamlined progress update.  Yet, it brings its own unique challenges: Scope and Content: Schools often struggle with knowing how much to report. The midterm report isn’t about re-evaluating goals but documenting progress and lessons learned. How detailed should this report be, and how should evidence from the past three years be gathered? Resource Use and Time: Schools must decide who to involve in the m...

How Lynn Sawyer and Lindsay Prendergast Are Changing the Goal of the Typical Workshop We’ve all been there. You attend a workshop, the kind that sparks fresh ideas and opens doors to new possibilities. The excitement in the room is palpable, educators are inspired, and strategies that could change the way students learn are shared. We leave energized and return back to the classroom.   But then something happens. Life back at school gets in the way. The day-to-day routines, meetings, and endless to-do lists begin to pile up, and the excitement slowly fades. "Both supervisors and teachers want the supervisory process to result in positive interactions and continuous growth in practice." - Lynn Sawyer Whether you're an educator or a consultant, this is a challenge we all strive to overcome. We see it time and time again: workshops that ignite enthusiasm but don’t always translate into lasting action. It’s not for lack of trying. Educators are passionate, committed, and eag...

Does the following checklist look, or sound, familiar to you? Pedagogical focus for the following school year is agreed upon Professional Development dates are confirmed on the calendar The amazing workshop leader or consultant is booked Teachers implement what they learned on the PD day(s) in their classrooms to enhance student learning How often do you check ALL of the boxes? Which box is typically the most important? Which box is the one typically left unchecked? Why? And more importantly, how can we improve in this area? My guess is that most of us, if not all of us, agree that the final box for the questions above proves to be the most challenging. But why? The bottom line is that without the chance to continue learning about the topic and actively using the tools/strategies delivered during the PD sessions, people simply revert back to what they have in the existing toolbox because they haven’t truly experienced deep learning of the content presented. So, how can we provide for ...