Education Excellence

Kristina chats with Rhonda Lauer, president and CEO of Foundations, Inc., about the importance of “heart” and passion in educational leadership. (Before Kristina came along, Rhonda was the youngest school principal ever in Philadelphia.) When you take care of the hearts and happiness of your school leaders, it translates into improved student achievement, Lauer says. Everyone collects data, Lauer notes, but the key question is what leaders do with that data. It’s also critical to model and customize your coaching of school leaders, she points out. Another important concept: After-School Programs, which reinforce what students need, such as literacy and grade-level reading. Leaders learn how to align their after-school programs to what their students are learning in the regular school day. Running a “learning” organization, Lauer learns from a multitude of sources, including her parents, children, and grandchildren; the people she works with; other educators; and by observing what’s happening at schools in the