Everyone Could Use a Coach.
Who’s Yours?
Leadership Coaching & Development
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We Help You Help Your Team
We’ve coached teachers, division heads, program directors, assistant directors, and Heads of Schools. We believe coaching is foundational, and we draw on our experience working in classrooms, schools, camps, and after school programs to create space for you. This could look like many things, and we can provide one-time or ongoing support, such as:
1-on-1 Coaching Sessions for Top Leadership
1-on-1 Coaching Sessions for Teachers (in place of full-time coach)
Retreats & Full-Day Work Sessions
Strategic Planning
Culture Assessments & Planning
See Projects Below We’ve Worked On
Project: Preparing Directors to Lead @ Farm & Wilderness
Since the Spring of 2022 F&W has welcomed new directors to 5 of its 7 camps. Onboarding and supporting so many new Directors in a complex organization of 7 distinct programs was an incredible challenge and need of the organization. The new directors were highly qualified. However, they needed to “learn the ropes” quickly and effectively in a changing organization. It required not only specific learnings but also building out weak organizational systems.
How’d We Make It Happen?
Designed & Facilitated Director Retreats - Each retreat was uniquely tailored to the evolving needs of the Director group, blending onboarding, collaboration, and reflection. Through intentional work sessions and group assessments, we fostered stronger bonds and identified ways to improve collective effectiveness, ensuring each retreat left the team more aligned and empowered.
Intentionally Designed Meetings with Rotating Leadership Roles - To build the Directors’ capacity to lead high-level meetings, we introduced rotating roles for notetaking and facilitation. While we provided structure and ensured agendas were clear, each Director had the opportunity to develop their leadership muscles, fostering a sense of ownership and confidence in guiding the group.
Systems Assessment & Creation - We conducted a deep dive into collaboration systems, balancing the unique needs of each Director and camp with the broader goals of the organization. By identifying gaps and creating streamlined processes, we improved coordination during both the off-season and the busy summer months, ensuring smoother operations across the board.
Ongoing Coaching - Weekly one-on-one coaching sessions allowed us to address each Director’s individual challenges while keeping the team tightly coordinated. Through targeted questions and consistent support, we helped them break through obstacles, stay aligned with organizational goals, and respond effectively to their camp’s needs.
Director Competency Model & Report Cards - We developed a new competency model outlining the key skills and confidence required for effective camp leadership. Using this framework, we created a tracking and feedback system that provided each Director with a personalized “report card,” offering actionable insights and coaching to help them grow and excel in their roles.
Results
The impact of our work with the Directors at Farm & Wilderness was both profound and measurable. Over time, the Director group grew in confidence, competence, and cohesion, leading to positive ripple effects across the entire organization.
Stronger Leadership: Directors reported feeling more capable and confident in their roles each summer, with noticeable improvements in their self-efficacy and leadership skills. This growth was reflected in their coaching sessions and their increasingly positive Director Report Cards year over year.
Systems That Scale: The systems we co-created didn’t just stay at the Director level—they were adopted by Directors for their own leadership teams. This signaled not only their confidence in the systems but also their ability to lead and innovate within their camps.
Happier Families, Safer Camps: Several camps saw measurable improvements in their Net Promoter Scores (NPS), reflecting happier families and a stronger sense of trust in the organization. Additionally, some camps experienced a reduction in incident reports, indicating safer and better-run programs.
Improved Staff Retention: A number of camps reported year-over-year improvements in staff retention, with staff members expressing greater trust in their Directors and a stronger connection to the organization’s mission.
Stronger Collaboration Across the Organization: Through consistent reflection on ways of working, the Directors developed deeper trust and alignment with each other and the broader organization. This shift not only made their roles feel more secure but also fostered a culture of collaboration and mutual support, enabling the entire organization to operate more effectively.
By investing in the Directors’ growth and creating systems that empowered them to lead effectively, we helped Farm & Wilderness build a culture of trust, safety, and excellence—one that continues to thrive and evolve.
Project: Coaching a Head of School @ The Sharon Academy
The Sharon Academy is a young independent school in Sharon, Vermont. In the last 5 years it has had both a new Head of School come on board and had the Chair of the Board change several times. The Head of School has an innate and deep knowledge of the school’s culture and where it’s going. However, she needed support actualizing that mission through strong individual habits, intentional culture, and robust systems. In particular, she needed supporting around creating feedback structures for herself and staff.
How’d We Make It Happen?
Biweekly Coaching Sessions – We created a system of biweekly coaching sessions to coach the HoS through various concerns and issues that arose, using our knowledge of leading schools, teams, and creating academic programs.
School Observations – We participated in several school observations and talked with students and staff about their current views on the school and what could be improved.
New HOS Goals & Reporting Systems – We created a series of goals with specific inputs and outputs for the HoS (the first such system she had experienced) and create a reporting system that was simple for her to complete and simple for the Board to understand.
Results
Our work with The Sharon Academy’s Head of School (HoS) and leadership team led to meaningful, measurable improvements across the school community. By focusing on strong habits, intentional culture, and robust systems, we helped create a foundation for long-term success and confidence in the school’s direction.
Improved Retention & Satisfaction: Over time, the school saw gradual improvements in staff and student retention, as well as increased satisfaction among staff, students, and families. These shifts reflected a stronger sense of trust and alignment within the school community.
Stronger Behavioral Supports: The HoS’s confidence in implementing Tier 1 behavioral supports created a calmer, more supportive school environment. Teachers and staff felt more equipped to address challenges, and students benefited from a more structured and nurturing atmosphere.
Confidence at Every Level: The HoS grew more confident in her leadership, and this confidence rippled through the school. Teachers trusted her vision, the Board felt assured in her ability to lead, and the entire community felt more secure about the school’s future.
A Culture of Growth & Feedback: Inspired by the Danielson Framework, the HoS and her team are now finalizing a teacher feedback process—a significant milestone that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago. This shift reflects a deeper commitment to professional growth and continuous improvement.
Through coaching, observation, and the creation of clear goals and systems, we helped The Sharon Academy build a stronger, more confident leadership team and a school culture rooted in trust, collaboration, and growth.
