The 12-Week Action Plan for Starting the School Year

Instructional Leadership When Stakes Are High

Matt Renwick

Jul 18, 2025

The 12-Week Action Plan for Starting the School Year

Instructional Leadership When Stakes Are High By Matt Renwick

Summary for Educators 

Matt Renwick’s article The 12-Week Action Plan for Starting the School Year offers a practical roadmap for principals—especially new leaders—navigating the high expectations of district leadership while striving to implement meaningful instructional change. Written in response to a first-year principal whose superintendent demanded immediate student growth without offering support, Renwick outlines strategies for balancing relationship-building with accountability in the critical first months【https://mattrenwick.substack.com/p/the-12-week-action-plan-for-star....

The Challenge of Unrealistic Demands

Renwick begins by acknowledging the unrealistic expectation of “turning around” a school within one year. Sustainable school improvement typically takes five to seven years, yet principals may find themselves pressured by district leaders seeking rapid results. While test preparation can yield short-term gains, it often undermines long-term student and teacher engagement. Renwick advises leaders to respond professionally by documenting their efforts and demonstrating progress, even if systemic change requires more time.

Weeks 1–2: Engage the Superintendent

The first priority is building a relationship with the superintendent. Renwick suggests approaching this with curiosity: ask the superintendent to share how they achieved quick results in the past and whether they’ve seen other principals succeed similarly. If the superintendent does not provide actionable guidance, principals should outline their own improvement strategies via email, inviting feedback to foster transparency and co-ownership of the process. This early communication establishes trust and signals a collaborative approach.

Weeks 3–4: Document and Share Progress

During the next phase, leaders should begin documenting their school’s learning journey publicly. A weekly staff newsletter is an effective tool for communicating progress, highlighting instructional strategies, celebrating student successes, and sharing teacher initiatives. Including images, quotes from students, and positive anecdotes helps bring the school’s story to life. Renwick encourages principals to send this newsletter not only to staff but also to school board members and district leaders, ensuring that progress is visible beyond the building.

This practice serves a dual purpose: it keeps stakeholders informed and provides the principal with a running record of initiatives and outcomes. By framing challenges and solutions transparently, principals shape the narrative of school improvement and reinforce a culture of accountability.

Weeks 5–12: Maintain Consistent Communication

Renwick likens ongoing communication with the superintendent to a coaching relationship. Principals should view each interaction as an opportunity to build trust, share insights, and invite feedback. Monthly check-ins, whether through emails, newsletters, or even small gestures like sharing resources, keep the superintendent engaged.

If electronic communication is ignored, principals can adapt—sending printed newsletters or using shared documents as dialogue journals. The goal is to make it difficult for district leaders to remain uninformed, while framing communication as partnership rather than confrontation.

Protecting Yourself and Your School

Despite best efforts, some principals may still face unresponsive or unsupportive district leaders. Renwick stresses the importance of keeping detailed records of every communication, initiative, and outcome. This includes newsletters, emails, classroom observation data, and anecdotal feedback from students, families, and staff. By maintaining a comprehensive portfolio of evidence, principals can demonstrate their commitment and protect themselves from unfair evaluations.

If nonrenewal becomes a reality, this documentation provides a defense at the board level, showing not only student outcomes but also the leader’s diligence in fostering school growth.

Leadership Mindset

Above all, Renwick emphasizes maintaining professionalism and calm. Principals cannot always control district expectations, but they can control their response. Leading with integrity, humility, and persistence ensures that even in challenging circumstances, they remain effective advocates for students and teachers.

Conclusion

Renwick’s 12-week action plan provides new principals with a structured approach to balancing relationship-building, instructional leadership, and accountability. By engaging superintendents early, documenting progress consistently, maintaining open communication, and safeguarding evidence of their efforts, principals can navigate high-stakes expectations while setting the foundation for sustainable change. The key lesson is that leadership requires both strategic action and resilience: even when timelines are compressed, effective leaders keep their focus on long-term improvement while demonstrating short-term progress.

Source: Matt Renwick, The 12-Week Action Plan for Starting the School Year: Instructional Leadership When Stakes Are High, July 18, 2025. https://mattrenwick.substack.com/p/the-12-week-action-plan-for-star...

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com