Customized Coaching and Training
Customized partnerships with schools and districts to build the instructional leadership skills that drive student achievement at scale.
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Instructional Leadership: The Engine of Student Success
What happens in the classroom matters.
But it’s what happens outside the classroom - as leaders create the systems and culture in a school, so teachers can effectively plan - that provides the fuel to light the fire of student learning.
Drawing inspiration from the most successful school systems, we’ve seen the power of a few foundational practices that empower teachers to deliver rich lessons and continuously grow in their craft. And it’s up to leaders to shape these for student success.
Key Instructional Leadership Drivers
- Equity-centered school culture
- Data-driven instruction
- Instructional planning
- Observation and feedback
- Strategic planning
- Aligned professional development
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The Power of “Vertically Aligned” Leadership Teams
We believe in the transformative power of vertically aligned teams: those where school teams, principal supervisors, and system-level leaders are all aligned on the same goals and practices.
One of the most impactful roles is the principal supervisor. With influence over several principals, they play a pivotal role in bringing about profound and enduring changes for the benefit of students, at scale.
The Relay Approach
People, Purpose, and Practice
Since 2013, Relay Graduate School of Education has developed over 9,000 leaders through year-long fellowships, coaching, and support. Collaborating closely with local leaders, we embark on a journey to co-create a customized plan that meets your needs - often over several years. Our aim is to ensure seamless alignment and tangible impact within the local education system. We offer:
- A dynamic team of seasoned coaches and facilitators
- Research-backed, practice-based professional development
- A process that lays the groundwork for sustainable, continuous improvement
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People
Identify Core Team
Together we select the schools, supervisors, and system leaders best positioned to work together for student growth.
Purpose
Identify Goals
Through conversation, observation, and data, we collaboratively identify focus areas.
Practice
Professional Development
Leaders attend interactive, engaging whole group workshops to learn key skills and frameworks.
Adopt New Systems in Schools
Leaders work with Relay coaches to adapt what they learned to their context and set up new systems such as weekly data meetings or observation and feedback cycles.
Practice/Refine
Leaders work with their teacher teams to grow new instructional skills and refine new systems, continuing to consult with coaches.
See it in action
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Services
Our customized training and support packages are tailor made to support your district's goals and budget. The quantity of participants served and the depth of coaching will dictate the price.
Vision Setting
Baseline Assessment
To kick off the partnership, Relay and local leaders delve deep into that school or district’s data, culture, and systems. This includes:
- Pre-visit preparation and artifact review
- Site visit and collaborative school walkthroughs with Relay (2 days; up to 4 schools)
- Follow ups including virtual interviews with local stakeholders
- A debrief/action planning session which leads to a tailored scope of work to address priority challenges and opportunities in instruction and school culture
Professional Development at Scale
Highly Engaging, Hands-On Workshops
At various points in the partnership, leaders from across the school or district come together for transformative workshops and all day trainings.
These are:
- Research-backed, practice-based, and equity-centered, in order to develop skills leaders can use right away
- Led by our team of expert facilitators, drawing on years of experience in what works in schools
- Designed to address the needs of leaders from different levels - from school teams to principal supervisors - to increase impact through collective learning
Coaching
School Based Coaching
- Regular joint school walk-throughs with a defined focus, designed to generate actionable insights drawn from multiple classrooms or even campuses
- Debrief sessions to co-create next steps next steps and implementation plans
Virtual Coaching
- Support for individual leaders or small groups.
- Designed to provide more coaching at a lower cost than in person, exponentially increasing impact.
- Helps leaders internalize and adapt key systems and structures to their context, to foster high outcomes for all students.
Executive Coaching
- Dynamic thought partnership with the organization's senior instructional leaders.
- An opportunity to co-create sustainable pathways for embedding best practices in instructional leadership across the community, ensuring a lasting impact.
“The individualized coaching and feedback sessions have challenged my thinking and pushed me to identify skills to be developed, strengths to celebrate, and strategies for school and district-wide improvement. It has sharpened my focus on achieving our established goals.”
Robin Davson
Executive Director of Safety, Culture, and Climate, New York City Department of Education
Start your journey today
Complete our interest form to learn more about the programs available near your location, as well as the application process.