A Season of Renewal: Carrying Growth into the Summer Months 

As another school year wraps up, we want to pause and recognize the incredible work you’ve been doing. Early childhood administrators, providers, and those who support this field carry a special kind of leadership that shapes not just classrooms but entire communities. You have guided your teams through challenges, celebrated big and small triumphs, and held space for children, families, and educators to thrive. While summer in our field doesn’t mean everything stops, it still offers a natural moment to reflect and reset.

In the ongoing rhythm of early childhood work, summer may offer us a time to pause and take stock, even as the work continues. Coaching teaches us that some of the most powerful growth happens not during the busy hustle but in moments of thoughtful reflection. What have you discovered about yourself as a leader this year? Where have you seen your teams shine? Where have you stretched and learned in new ways? These questions aren’t just tasks to check off but invitations to deepen your practice and strengthen your leadership.

A coaching mindset reminds us that every experience — even the difficult or messy—carries learning potential. Instead of focusing on what didn’t go perfectly, you can shift toward curiosity: What did this teach me? How can I carry this insight forward? This kind of reframing builds resilience, not just in ourselves, but in the teams we lead. And when you model a growth mindset, you encourage others to adopt one too, creating a culture where learning and improvement are part of the daily rhythm.

As you continue through the summer months, give yourself permission to both work and dream. Coaching isn’t just about solving immediate problems; it’s also about holding space for possibility. What new ideas have been quietly nudging at the edges of your mind? What opportunities excite you when you imagine the year ahead? Take time, even in small pockets, to nourish those sparks. Inspiration often arrives when we step back and give ourselves room to imagine.

Finally, remember this: your work matters deeply.

Your impact on young children’s lives — through the teams you lead, the environments you shape, and the relationships you nurture — creates ripples far beyond the day-to-day. You are building the foundation of future learning, confidence, and connection.

As you move through this summer, carry the knowledge that you are part of something profoundly important and beautiful. Keep shining, keep leading, and keep dreaming — we can’t wait to see you continue to create.

As we enter the summer season, we wanted to let you know that we’ll take a short break from the newsletter to rest, recharge, and gather fresh ideas for the months ahead. We’ll be back after the summer, ready to continue supporting you on your growth and development journey.



Thank you for being part of this community. We can’t wait to reconnect after the summer. Until then, we wish you a summer filled with moments of learning, rest, and renewal.

Submitted by,

Rasheeda Coston, Director of Coaching rascos@pakeys.org   

Barb Willier, Coaching Coordinator, barwil@pakeys.org 

The Pennsylvania Key   

A portion of the content in this article was generated with the assistance of AI technology. While the AI system has contributed to the writing process, human editors have reviewed and edited the final output to ensure accuracy and quality.