Caroline Hill’s Post

Let's speak the future into existence by articulating our values and shaping relationships that promote leadership, justice, and inclusion. In times of disruption, it's crucial to resist the urge to revert to the familiar and safe. Remember, racism and inequality are products of design, but they can be redesigned. Let's create a better tomorrow together! #EducationalVision #EquityAndInclusion 🌟 https://lnkd.in/eYmJcXpk

It's way too late for me to be working and probably way too early for me to be sharing this, but I'm so jazzed about this so I'm sharing NOW. For four years, Toni H. and I have operated School Leadership for Social Justice. We have shared a message of possibility and promise in education and maintained a relentless focus on equity and justice in K-12 schools and have traveled all over the country inspiring and educating teachers, school administrators, and district leaders, and, for a couple of business novices, we've seen unbelievable success. But for the last two of those four years, as we've gotten really clear on our message, our method, our intended impact, and our target audience, we began to realize that our name didn't sufficiently capture the depth nor breadth of our work nor what we fundamentally believe about how to achieve equitable outcomes for kids. So, we've been praying and thinking and praying some more about who we are and what we do and how to best reflect that in our organization's name. Then...BOOM! One day as I was working on a proposal for one of our schools, it hit me! School Excellence Solutions. We are in passionate pursuit of equitable outcomes and we believe that is achieved through excellence! Effective, excellent leadership and exemplary instruction are the keys to equitable outcomes. We often hear the phrase 'excellence and equity,' but excellence IS equity! And when excellence is the standard, equity will be the outcome. Much more to come (after I do all the strategic rebranding things like cleaning up the website and changing all of our collateral and renaming all of our social media pages, etc.), but for now... Goodbye, SLSJ. Hello, School Excellence Solutions. #samework #samemission #sameleaders #sameimpact #NEWNAME #schoolexcellencesolutions

Last October, David Wilsey shared his visionary idea: How could we spark a discussion among current students, alumni, faculty and staff on decolonization within the Master of Development Practice (MDP) at the University of Minnesota? 💡 Since then, it's been an insightful and joyful journey partnering with Jen Mein, Lighthouse Global, and Dave. We crafted a facilitation plan that aimed to amplify voices across two parallel tracks – one in-person, one virtual – converging in a post-workshop newsletter for cross-pollination. 🌐📝 The outcome? A rich tapestry of ideas and considerations, a grid for MDP faculty and staff to navigate the complexities of decolonizing an international development practice degree. And do you know what the true indicator for success was? Alumni and current students reaching out after the sessions were completed, invested in figuring out how they could help the program achieve next steps. It's been a privilege to be part of a process that transforms daunting challenges into stakeholder-driven solutions, shaping the future of the MDP program one conversation at a time. 🌍💬 #Decolonization #CommunityEngagement #StakeholderDriven

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨 - 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁. For our schools to truly thrive, we need collaboration and buy-in from every stakeholder — students, staff, parents, and district leaders. Each group brings a unique perspective, and when we work together, the impact is extraordinary. Students: Their voices matter. When we involve them in decisions and create opportunities for ownership, they become active participants in their education, not just spectators. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳: Collaboration among teachers and staff fosters innovation and ensures we’re meeting the diverse needs of our students. A united team is unstoppable. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: When families are engaged and feel like partners, it creates a bridge between home and school that strengthens outcomes for all students. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: Support and alignment with district goals allow schools to thrive within a larger vision while addressing local needs. When we all buy into the same vision — one centered on student success — the possibilities are endless. Let’s continue to break down silos, invite diverse voices to the table, and commit to working as one team for the success of all students. . . . #leadershipineducation #collaboration #studentsuccess #partnershipsmatter #educatorslead #makegoodchoices #principallafontaine #ps200 #schoolcommunity  #50daysstrong  #safeandsupportive #gratefulprincipal #educationmatters  #principallife #firstyearprincipal #proudprincipal 

🌊 Insightful Currents: Navigating Data Together 🌊 Today, Assistant Principals at Pathways in Technology Early College High School Brooklyn took the plunge with a fishbowl activity, presenting data sets that led to dynamic discussions on student attendance, staff engagement, grading criteria, and curriculum framework. 📊 Data isn't just numbers—it's a compass guiding us to understand where our schools stand and what we need to implement for the success of every community member. Let's ride these insightful currents to a brighter future! 📈 #DataDriven #Leadership #EducationInnovation #PTECHBrooklyn #McKenziesAdventures McKenzie's Adventures LLC Rashid Ferrod Davis Harold I. Brian Lewis Will Ehrenfeld

🚀 The Power of Collaboration in Early Education “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller At ConnectED, we’ve witnessed the transformational power of collaboration in creating equitable, high-impact systems for children and families. Whether it’s aligning with community leaders, educators, or policymakers, partnership is the key to solving complex challenges in early education. Here’s how collaboration makes a difference: 🤝 Shared Vision: Bringing diverse voices together to design innovative solutions. 💡 Better Outcomes: Leveraging expertise and resources to strengthen programs. 🌍 Lasting Impact: Creating systems that are inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. Success Story: One recent partnership helped a school district secure funding for Universal Pre-K expansion while developing a framework to support teachers and staff with professional development. The result? Stronger teams and more children accessing quality education. What partnerships have made the biggest impact for you? Let’s celebrate collaboration and explore how we can work together to drive even greater change. Drop a comment or message me—I’d love to connect! #EarlyEducation #Collaboration #EquityDriven #LeadershipDevelopment #Impact

There are a lot of organizations out there that claim to be all about the students and equity. Then, you dig a little deeper and you see that they have the same people on their board of directors and staff. We can’t rely on the same methods of sticky notes and chart paper to achieve equity. Performative equity means doing equity as if it is a performance for your own personal self-worth versus the collective good of our students. What does performative equity look like? I think the world saw the perfect example of the Australian “breakdancer”. In my latest newsletter, I talk about the following performative equity avatars: The horn-tooters, the finger pointers, the platform hoggers, the "What About Me?", the "I'm just saying" folks, and the "All Lives Matter" chanters. Are you subscribed? Join our newsletter for the fun! Here’s the thing: There is no single "right" or "wrong" way to approach equity work, but there is a way to bring people into the conversation rather than push them out. This isn't a contest of "I’m more equitable than you are"—it’s about engaging in an ongoing reflective practice that centers our students in every aspect of our programming, curriculum, and instruction. By focusing on genuine allyship and continuously challenging ourselves to grow, we can create an educational environment that truly serves all students. Have you pre-ordered your book yet? https://lnkd.in/gZQ2Fp3c #STEM4Real #STEMforALL #EducationalEquity #TeachersOfInstagram #PrincipalsOfInstagram #Leadership #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #STEMEducation #InclusiveEducation #EquityInEducation #TeacherLife #PrincipalLife #EdLeaders #STEMTeachers #DiversityInSTEM #EducationForAll #InnovativeTeaching #SocialJusticeInEducation #EmpowerEducators #ScienceForAll

What happens when schools embrace democratic principles and empower all voices in decision-making? The answer: equitable, inclusive learning communities where students, teachers, and families lead together. Explore how democratically run schools redefine leadership and equity in education in our latest blog: https://lnkd.in/ezHhSTe7 How could shared leadership transform your school or district? Let’s start the conversation. #SharedLeadership #DemocracyInEducation #EquityInSchools #InclusiveLeadership #EducationInnovation

Calling all higher ed professionals: Get prepared for a politically-heated Fall with this free webinar, "Strengthening Your Students' Civic Muscles," where we'll delve into how 14,000 college students are cultivating the leadership skills we need for a pluralistic future. 🌟 In today's rapidly changing world, empowering students with the tools to engage in meaningful civic action is more crucial than ever. This webinar will explore innovative approaches to civic education that inspire students to become proactive leaders and problem-solvers. 👥 What to Expect: - Insightful discussions on building civic muscles and fostering active participation. - Strategies for implementing experiential learning in diverse educational settings. - Real-world examples of the impact this programming has on students and campuses. Join us to learn how you can cultivate a culture of civic engagement and collaboration on your campus! 🗓️ Date: August 14th, 2024 🕒 Time: 2 P.M. Eastern / 11 A.M. Pacific 🔗 Register Here: https://hubs.li/Q02KjhK00 #CivicEngagement #HigherEducation #ExperientialLearning #UnifyAmerica

It’s been a busy and fantastic first week for our college community! Yesterday, we all came together for our first whole school assembly, where our College Captains, alongside Principal Jacqui Layfield, introduced the 2025 theme: UNITY. Each year our student leadership team are set the task of developing a theme for the year ahead that guides and inspires our community. More than just a word, unity can turn a group into a team, a school, a family. It’s about lifting each other up, celebrating successes, and knowing that every one of us—students, teachers, and staff—plays a role in shaping our culture and building our community. Students and staff were encouraged to consider how they will each individually bring unity to life this year by living out our core values: Excellence – Strive to be better than you were yesterday. Integrity – Do what’s right, even when no one is watching. Creativity – Think big, ask questions, and take bold steps. Service – Small acts of kindness make a big difference. Community – Lift others up, include, encourage, and support. So …. this year is a fresh start—an opportunity to challenge ourselves and be a positive force in our school, by being brave enough to try, kind enough to include and determined enough to grow. #luthercollegecroydon #exceptionalfutures #unity #studentleadership #community #learningtogether #learningtobe #learningtocontribute