Insights from our Leadership 101 Cohort
Leadership 101 is a program designed for current Brooke instructional staff who aspire to transition into leadership roles within the next few years. The program aims to prepare participants by mapping pathways and introducing school leadership concepts and strategies.
We sat down with Brooke Roslindale Assistant Principals, Jill Bernstein and Nicholson Durand, who participated in the first cohort and later transitioned to leadership roles. They shared their motivations, key takeaways, and the impact the cohort had on their Brooke experience.
What inspired you to join the Leadership 101 cohort?
Jill: I had been interested in leadership for a few years and recognized that I lacked the skills and knowledge needed to be a school leader. I had experience with mentoring and the academic aspects of a leadership role, but I was unfamiliar with the administrative and big-picture responsibilities.
Nicholson: I wanted to ensure I was well prepared for my year as assistant principal. I love learning and saw the cohort as a great opportunity.
Which readings from the program had the most influence on your understanding of instructional leadership?
Jill: The book that has really stuck with me is Good to Great by Jim Collins, specifically his notion that you must have the right people on the bus, in the right positions to be successful. As a school or network, we cannot meet our goals without a strong, vision-aligned team.
How did the interactions with colleagues from different Brooke campuses enrich your experience in the program?
Nicholson: It was dope. Even the time to connect with people from my own campus was great as we don’t always have dedicated time to share our pedagogies, stories, research.
Jill: Despite being one network, our campuses have different celebrations, behavior systems, structures, etc. and hearing different perspectives and approaches that support the same mission pushed me to think more creatively and openly about my practice and how I might lead.
In what ways has the program influenced your approach to instructional leadership?
Nicholson: Trying to get other people to see the big picture. I think that is still one of my working goals but something that influenced my approach moving forward.
Jill: In all of our discussions, we always brought it back to the kids and how every decision we make as teachers or leaders has to be for them. As a leader, I try to keep all my decisions, feedback, and ideas grounded in that idea – what’s best for kids?
How did the cohort help you address any personal or professional challenges in your journey towards leadership?
Nicholson: That sadly not everyone will have the same vision. And when those individuals make it hard to achieve a goal, sometimes they get to be let off the bus.
Jill: I remember a few group discussions about the importance of having hard conversations with staff and how to have those conversations that gave me a new perspective and approach for tackling them.
What was the most valuable lesson you learned from the Leadership 101 cohort?
Nicholson: School leadership is multidimensional (so much goes into it that people don’t see), but it is important to have and see the big picture. At times not everyone will see the small steps needed to get to the big picture but you have to remember the goal to push the boulder up the hill.
What advice would you give to future participants of the Leadership 101 cohort?
Nicholson: Listen to others to see what their stories are. Seek out knowledge cause you never see the full picture. Ask questions to help you see what the big vision is and how certain steps help get there.
Jill: Be ready to question your own practices and Brooke practices. One goal of the leadership team is to improve our school and network and that only happens when we’re ready to reflect and make changes.