Spring Systems Reset: Convening School Leaders To Plan For More Productive And Effective Year Ahead
Elevate 215 hosts second Leadership Lab event in West Philadelphia, bringing more than 30 schools together for collaborative planning sessions
PHILADELPHIA, PA – Earlier this week, Elevate 215 hosted the second of its Leadership Lab series at the TGR Learning Lab in West Philadelphia. The Leadership Lab brings opportunities for school leaders to spend the day reflecting, collaborating, and thinking strategically for the next school year with peers from district, charter, and faith-based schools, all serving historically underserved students across the city.
“School administrators rarely have the time to think strategically about the coming year, and this program is designed to meet that need,” said Dr. Letisha Laws, Deputy Chief of School Based Initiatives for Elevate 215. “By helping school leaders identify pain points and discuss practical solutions among their peers, we hope to foster a more collaborative approach to student success.”
School leaders began the day by participating in small group workshops designed to help identify and plan for meaningful school-wide shifts in the coming school year. Individuals were encouraged to share real challenges with their peers, receiving structured feedback and sharing best practices for solving issues and expanding skill sets.
“The Leadership Lab gave us clarity and affirmed what we need to accomplish for the coming year to push our students even further,” said Dr. Jury Segers, Principal of Imhotep Charter High School. “We learned that so many of our peers share the very same issues and were willing to candidly contribute their thoughts and solutions. This opportunity reminds us of the power of collaboration and what we can accomplish together. It also provided us with an opportunity to plan next steps as a team, leaving the learning lab with a fresh approach to meet our needs.”
Leadership Consultant Jeff Pestrak led a session called Plan for the Summer and School Year, which laid out strategies for schools to strengthen their teaching and learning for the next school year. A second session entitled Managing Change, led by Dr. William Hayes, offered leaders a guide for leading people through transition and sustaining change effectively. The day ended with dedicated team planning time with access to veteran school leaders, ensuring participants leave with a concrete action plan.
“Using the frameworks provided in these sessions, we started creating plans for addressing some of our most pressing school-wide systems based issues,” said Mercedes Mason de Gomez, Director of Talent Management at Pan American Academy Charter School. “Working collaboratively with peers from a diverse network, all with similar student populations and needs, provided a space for thought partnership with individuals we rarely see or meet.”
The series represents a sustained investment by Elevate 215 to strengthen leadership and school quality across the city. The Leadership Lab continues that legacy—bringing together leaders from more than 30 schools, including several in which Elevate 215 has invested over $10 million during the past decade, as well as schools beyond our portfolio.
Read more about our programing held earlier this school year here.