Leading the Way - January 27, 2026

Leading Moments From Across the District

Cultivating Leadership from Within: Strengthening Self-Awareness, Ownership, and Impact Through the 5 Exemplary Practices of Effective Leadership

Earlier this week a group of K-12 educators engaged in our latest Staff Leadership Excellence Certification workshop providing our team with dedicated time and space to deeply explore the 5 Exemplary Practices of Effective Leadership. Through purposeful conversation, guided self-assessment, and moments of quiet reflection, staff members were able to examine their own leadership philosophies, celebrating strengths while identifying meaningful areas for growth.

The time spent together reinforced the idea that leadership is an ongoing journey, one that requires intentional reflection and a commitment to continuous improvement. By engaging in thoughtful dialogue and personal reflection, participants strengthened their sense of self-awareness and ownership, recognizing the impact their leadership has not only on students, but on colleagues and the broader school community.

This shared experience supported our collective growth as leaders, mirroring the same intentional development we strive to provide for our students every day. Ultimately, the workshop helped build greater personal ownership, clarity of purpose, and a renewed commitment to leading with integrity, collaboration, and care for one another and for every student we serve.

Little Leaders, Big Learning: A First Grade Town Hall in Action

Last week’s IHPS 1st Grade Town Hall Meeting was a wonderful example of student leadership in action. During the gathering, students confidently stepped into teaching roles, helping their peers learn how to count by 25s and introducing a fun, engaging song tied to Groundhog Day.

The experience highlighted the power of peer-to-peer learning, with teachers thoughtfully facilitating an environment that encouraged collaboration, creativity, and courage. It was another meaningful reminder that even our youngest learners can lead, teach, and inspire one another when given the opportunity.

"Follow Your Own Path Even If Others Cannot See It"

Wise words from Class of 2010 Brave Alum, Mr. Brandon Ward who came back to campus last week to share the incredible wisdom he has gained throughout his career journey. Brandon offered a powerful roadmap for navigating the "in-between" stages of professional life, emphasizing that a successful future is often built quietly and not all at once. His insights sparked a vibrant dialogue, reminding our students that true confidence is earned through taking action rather than waiting for it to appear beforehand.

Throughout the session, Brandon challenged the room to stop chasing certainty and instead start chasing progress. He shared the inspiring perspective that no experience is a waste of time as long as you are willing to extract a lesson from it. This resonated deeply with our students, leading to takeaways about the importance of having the courage to begin something uncomfortable to develop both character and self-confidence. As Brandon shared in his challenge to the our Braves, students should never be afraid to take a path that doesn't make sense to anyone else.

Beyond individual career advice, Brandon provided a masterclass in leadership. He defined a true leader as someone who stays grounded, learns so fast that fear cannot catch them, and remains willing to "carry the weight" before they feel fully ready. He noted that success requires a specific formula: the courage to start, the humility to learn, and the discipline to keep going even when the initial excitement has faded. A huge thank you to Brandon for coming home to and showing our students that the courage to begin is the most important part of the journey.

A huge kudos to IH Experienceships Advisory Board member Neelan Gandhi for organizing this opportunity from start to finish for his peers!

Focused on the Future!

The most effective leaders always remain forward looking; anticipating what may come next and ensuring that continous improvement is part of our winning formula. Last week, our tremendous administration team, instructional coaches and building leadership teams from across both IHPS & IHES reflected on their work around developing student leaders.

Staying true to our focus on three core areas of leadership, culture and academics they celebrated what is working, acknowledged hurdles still ahead and collectively discussed next action steps towards future success. The conversation is always genuine, rich and student focused; a true reflection of our #IHPromise!

Jeff Damadeo, Director of K-12 Leadership & Career Development

Jeff.Damadeo@ihsd.us

Twitter: @indianhillEC

My #IHPromise - to work tirelessly for our students, providing them with the most exceptional educational opportunities & experiences to help ensure that they develop into outstanding academic students and future ready individuals!