2026 ACSA Women in School Leadership Forum

Who This Is For
Women in school leadership at every level – from Executive Assistants to Superintendents. If you have a boss, a peer, or a team… this session is for you.

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The Problem
Most leaders are consulting, advising, and directing their way through conversations they think are coaching. The result: closed thinking, missed insight, and influence left on the table.
And here’s the part nobody talks about: the most important conversations you need to get right aren’t always with your direct reports. They’re with your peers. Your board. Your boss.

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The Approach
This is a practicum, not a lecture. We start with a reset – because most people in education have a very specific mental model of what coaching is. (Instructional coaching and executive coaching are almost opposites.) Once we clear that up, we get to work.
You’ll watch live demos. You’ll practice in pairs. You’ll leave having experienced coaching firsthand – not just heard about it.

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Key Takeaways

• Distinguish coaching from consulting, mentoring, and directing – and use each one intentionally
• Practice high-leverage questions that open thinking instead of closing it
• Apply coaching as a power skill laterally and upward – where much of your real influence lives

In today’s complex and demanding school environment, women leaders are navigating increasing expectations while working to build strong instructional systems and ensure equitable outcomes for all students. This session reframes “grit” as more than perseverance, it becomes a strategic leadership approach grounded in purpose, intentional action, and system-wide impact.

From Grit to Greatness challenges leaders to move beyond doing it all themselves and instead build the capacity of those around them. Grounded in real-world leadership experience and research on inclusive and transformational leadership, this session focuses on how leaders can expand their influence, strengthen systems, and create sustainable change.

Participants will engage in guided reflection, collaborative discussion, and practical planning aligned to real leadership challenges. Activities are designed to support immediate application at the site and system level.

Key Audience Takeaways:

1. Apply at least two strategies to build staff capacity through aligned systems and shared leadership
2. Implement practical approaches to strengthen teacher confidence and improve instructional outcomes
3. Develop a clear framework for designing inclusive systems that support every student through strong Tier 1 practices