Blog
The Relay blog is a space for educators, school leaders, and changemakers committed to expanding opportunity for every student. Here, we share practical strategies, classroom insights, research, and stories from schools and communities across the country. Grounded in practice and shaped by the experiences of educators in the field, these perspectives are meant to inspire connection, spark new ideas, and support the important work happening in classrooms every day.
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January 5, 2026
The Power of a New Year Culture Reset in K–12 Schools
January offers schools a rare gift: a natural reset point. After the intensity of the fall semester, leaders and teachers have the chance to pause, reflect, and intentionally re-center their school culture around the values and behaviors that help students thrive. A well-executed “culture reset” isn’t about starting over—it’s about realigning the community and giving everyone a fresh, focused beginning.
July 22, 2025
Prioritizing Teacher Appreciation and Wellness: Summer Tips for Administrators
May 8, 2025
Creating Classroom Culture Through Collective Dialogue
Small but powerful language adjustments represent a fundamental mindset shift in how educators approach student engagement.
April 14, 2025
Five Steps for Sustaining Your Passion as an Educator
Relay professor and author MaryAnn DeRosa likens the teaching profession to scaling Mount Everest—a challenging yet rewarding endeavor demanding persistence and passion. She shares five strategies for keeping educators going in tough times.
December 20, 2024
Relay's Impact in Texas
Relay teachers are making a big difference in Texas, according to a new study by researchers at Texas Tech University. Relay-trained teachers got high marks for student academic growth, teacher retention, BIPOC representation, and low suspension rates.
October 21, 2024
Relay Graduate School of Education Pioneers AI-Powered Teacher Simulators with Major Seed Funding
Funding from NewSchools Venture Fund will help Relay develop a program that will provide early-career teachers with real-time feedback, blending AI technology with human coaching.
Spotlight on: Relay's People
June 17, 2025
Employee Spotlight: Antwan Allen
In this month’s Employee Spotlight, learn how Antwan’s passion for teaching led him from the Harlem school he once attended to becoming a professor, curriculum designer, and mentor at Relay. A former principal and one of the key architects of Relay’s practice-and feedback-based 2.0 curriculum, Antwan shares what drives his work and why diversifying the teacher workforce is a mission he leads with heart.
May 14, 2025
Employee Spotlight: LaResha Jola-Isiba
This month, we are thrilled to feature Relay’s Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, LaResha Jola-Isiba. From aspiring lawyer to educational operations leader, LaResha’s journey has been anything but conventional. After discovering her passion during a volunteer stint in D.C. schools, she pivoted from the courtroom to the classroom and eventually into school operations, where she found her true calling. Since joining Relay in 2019, LaResha has brought her problem-solving mindset and people-first leadership to every space she enters, helping teams align resources and talent toward shared goals. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outside with her husband and daughter, watching football, and decorating sweet treats. In addition, Her most fulfilling passion project is personal finance coaching, through which she helps people reach their financial goals.
