Webinars

As Markets Change, So Must Schools: Clarity and Action

We reviewed the McKinsey finding that 70% of organizational change efforts worldwide fail. In our experience, many schools fail to gain clarity on mission, vision, demographics, and academic philosophy before embarking on a change effort. In other words, schools grab onto solutions before they fully understand the challenge. The K12 Change Lab process begins with a 6-month period in which teams explore, investigate, read, and collect data, as we encourage them to “fall in love with the challenge, not the solution.” Before embarking on change, successful teams identify what is essential to their school’s value proposition and can never change. Schools invest heavily in strategic planning, but often fail to invest in implementation (recorded 1/6/26).

Panelists

• Iswari Natarajan, Head, St. Mary’s Academy (Denver, CO)

• Josh Cobb, Head, Graland Country Day School (Denver, CO)

• Nina Lopez, Head, Bixby School (Boulder, CO)

• Kristen Medler, Middle School Director, Dawson School (Lafayette, CO)

Creating and Sustaining a Culture of Change

We explore how schools can create cultures where change is welcome, normal, and continuous - where conflict is depersonalized and courageous conversations are welcome. Building a culture of change is one of the hardest things a school community can do, as we'll discover (recorded: 2/12/26).

Panelists

• Russell Shaw, Head, Georgetown Day School (Washington, DC)

• Shelly Luke Wille, Head, Children's Day School (San Francisco, CA)

• Bo Adams, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Aspen Country Day School (Aspen, CO)

• Andrew Sherman, Vice President, Latin America, Cognia (Quito, Ecuador

How Can Schools Grow Faculty Leaders and Foster Collective Efficacy?

In a responsive organization where change is continual, every employee is a leader. We explored how schools can create an internal leadership pipeline by identifying teams of faculty thought leaders and giving them the time, space, and support to explore a strategic challenge, as in the K12 Change Lab approach. We also explored the related concept of collective efficacy, which educational researcher John Hattie has identified as the single most powerful influence on student learning. Collective efficacy occurs when teachers use evidence of student learning to improve learning outcomes (recorded 1/22/26).

Panelists

• Peggy Procter, Head, Echo Horizon School (Culver City, CA)

• Andy Davies, Head, Marin Horizon School (Mill Valley, CA)

Making School Change: Common Obstacles and How to Avoid Them

Numerous obstacles to school change fall into the “Clarity” or “Action” parts of the school change process (recorded 12/11/25).

Clarity. Schools often... 

• Lack clarity on mission and vision, e.g., trying to be all things to all people.

• Pursue too many strategic priorities at once. Therefore, the leadership team cannot fully support the change.

• Select a team without the necessary influence, skill set, and social capital.

• Do not explore all dimensions of a challenge, and

• therefore lock into a solution too early.

Action: Teams often…

• Are not supported with standing time to work and accountability structures. Therefore, the team gets distracted by the competing demands of their jobs.

• Experience resistance from teachers and other community members due to a lack of engagement, input, and trust.

• Do not have enough data or feedback to achieve alignment on a specific, concrete solution.

• Do not have enough professional learning time to implement the change and shift the faculty culture.

Panelists:

• Lori Strauss, Head of School, The Field School (Washington, DC)

• Page Stites, US Director, The Field School (Washington, DC)

• Marti Champion, Head of Middle School, Graland Country Day School (Denver, CO)

• Phu Tranchi, Head of School, TREE Academy (West Hollywood, CA)

• Kristen Goggin, K8 Director of Teaching & Learning, Head Royce School (Oakland, CA)