The Center for Model Schools

The Center for Model Schools Practical strategies for K12 educators. Culture, instruction, data, trust, & growth. Join us at the Model Schools Conference in Nashville 6/27-6/30

Some leadership stories begin with a breakthrough. This one began with a warning: staff turnover was not sustainable.The...
08/17/2026

Some leadership stories begin with a breakthrough. This one began with a warning: staff turnover was not sustainable.

The leadership team at Gunn Junior High Fine Arts Academy came to the Model Schools Conference ready to learn. They immersed themselves in ideas about culture, then returned home and built a blueprint around shared values, aligned behaviors, and visible artifacts.

The work moved from inspiration to implementation, and the school saw a 10-point gain in assessment proficiency and a move from a C rating to a B rating.

In 2026, the journey came full circle. The team returned as a Model School, sharing their implementation story and growth in student learning with other educators.

That is the power of learning in community: bring an idea home, make it your own, measure the growth, and return ready to help someone else move forward.

Swipe through their story.

What strategy have you brought back from MSC and put into practice?

Let's get your classroom feeling less like a ghost town a more like a hub of high-level learning!At Model Schools Confer...
08/10/2026

Let's get your classroom feeling less like a ghost town a more like a hub of high-level learning!

At Model Schools Conference, this high-energy, interactive session helped educators identify common barriers to ambitious instruction — from the Escape Artist to the Digital Drifter — and respond with rapid instructional pivots you can try in your classroom.

From quick culture-building routines to set the tone from the moment students walk in, the Power of the Die can shift instruction in real time.

Classrooms should feel less like ping-pong and more like a block party — full of purpose, energy, thinking, and connection.

A collection of strategies from Model Schools that have transformed their learning environments. Zero of them cost money...
08/05/2026

A collection of strategies from Model Schools that have transformed their learning environments. Zero of them cost money. 👇

01 — Teachers doing summer home visits before day one
02 — Living and modeling a school-year slogan on actual t-shirts, not just a poster
03 — Leaders naming which data actually matters
04 — Relationships before anything

All of these are choices.

Which one does your school already do well? 💬 What do you do that has made an impact?

📍 Save the dates: June 27–30, 2027 · Nashville. Link in bio.

Before students can take academic risks, they need to feel safe enough to try.The beginning of the school year is more t...
08/04/2026

Before students can take academic risks, they need to feel safe enough to try.

The beginning of the school year is more than a time to teach procedures — it is a time to build trust, create belonging, and establish the routines that help students know what to expect.

When classroom routines are clear and consistent, students feel more secure. When they feel seen, known, and valued, they are more willing to participate, ask questions, make mistakes, and stretch their thinking.

That is where deep learning begins.

Safety and trust do not happen by accident. They are built through intentional greetings, predictable structures, relationship-building moments, shared expectations, and a classroom culture where every student knows: You belong here, your voice matters, and it is safe to try.

As the school year begins, take time to build the foundation. The routines you establish, the trust you create, and the belonging you nurture will make it possible for students to take the academic risks that lead to real growth.

The way we start the school year matters.Before the routines, the schedules, and the full pace of the year take over, we...
08/03/2026

The way we start the school year matters.

Before the routines, the schedules, and the full pace of the year take over, we have an opportunity to begin with intention: to decide what we want students and staff to feel, know, and experience when they walk through our doors.

That starts with establishing a common vocabulary so everyone is speaking the same language about learning, expectations, support, and success. It grows through trust — built in small moments, consistent actions, and the belief that every person in the building matters.

And when the work feels complex, strong educators and leaders know how to make it simple. Clear priorities. Shared language. Strong relationships. Practical next steps.

Start the year with intention. Build trust early. Make the complex simple. Create the conditions for students and staff to thrive.

When was the last time a student changed your life?As educators, we often talk about the powerful ways teachers, leaders...
07/28/2026

When was the last time a student changed your life?

As educators, we often talk about the powerful ways teachers, leaders, and school staff change the lives of students — sometimes in ways they may never fully realize.

The fact is, students change us, too.

They teach us patience. They remind us why relationships matter. They challenge our assumptions and stretch our thinking.

It’s the student who came back years later and reminded you that you mattered. Sometimes it’s the student who simply made you better.

Take a moment today to think about a student who changed your life. What did they teach you? How did they shape the educator — or person — you became?

Because the impact of education goes both ways.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a first-year principal?Starting the year as a first-year principal is exci...
07/27/2026

What is one piece of advice you would give to a first-year principal?

Starting the year as a first-year principal is exciting, meaningful, and probably a little overwhelming. There are schedules to build, relationships to form, systems to learn, and a school community ready to be led with heart.

Maybe it’s about building trust, listening before changing, protecting your calendar, being visible in classrooms, supporting teachers, connecting with families, or remembering that you do not have to have every answer on day one.

Drop your best advice below. Your words might be exactly what a new principal needs to hear as they begin the school year.

Educators are famous for bringing work home — the grading, the planning, the emails, the worries, and sometimes even the...
07/21/2026

Educators are famous for bringing work home — the grading, the planning, the emails, the worries, and sometimes even the emotional weight of the day.

But protecting your energy matters, too.

One powerful way to reduce stress and burnout is to create a boundary: leave work at work when you can. Close the laptop. Let the papers wait. Give yourself permission to go home and be fully present in your own life.

Because you can care deeply about your students and still protect your peace.

Bring joy into your day when you can.

Prioritize pause for yourself.

Preparing for back to school is about filling your personal cup.

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