Midyear Momentum: Hitting Your Stride Through the Final Stretch
Midyear is when principals start fine-tuning their focus, much like the rest of us reassessing those ambitious New Year’s resolutions. (Gym memberships, anyone?) For principal supervisors, this is the time to celebrate what is working and help leaders zero in on what matters most. Here are a few practical ways to help principals refocus their energy and strengthen instructional work in the months ahead.
Recalibrate Instructional Leadership
Educational researcher Richard Elmore reminds us that “the core work of school leaders is to improve instruction, and everything else is secondary.” By January, principals have five months of data and classroom observations to reflect on. It is a perfect time to help them recalibrate their instructional focus and avoid distractions that pull them away from what matters most.
When everything feels urgent, nothing gets the attention it deserves. Meet with each principal and identify one or two clear instructional priorities for the next 6–8 weeks. Whether the focus is early literacy intervention or improving student discourse, commit coaching time to a single priority that drives impact. Break the work into small, actionable steps, model how to give targeted feedback, and celebrate small wins. Check in regularly to assess progress and adjust as needed. This keeps both coaching and leadership intentional, ensuring energy is spent where it matters most. I have found the See it, Name it, and Do it model by Bambrick Santoyo to be beneficial when coaching principals on specific action steps.
Turn Data Meetings into Action Plans
By early winter, benchmark data is in, and principals know which students need intervention. But data alone does not drive improvement—structured, meaningful conversations do. You can make a real difference by sitting in at a principal’s data meeting and helping them facilitate productive discussions.
Use a protocol such as Atlas to guide teams through describing what they see, exploring causes, and identifying concrete next steps. If needed, model how to help teams find root causes and craft two to three specific, measurable actions. Then specific monitoring tools should be in place to evaluate progress and drive adjustments. Principals who lead structured data conversations turn teachers from passive consumers of data into active problem-solvers invested in every student’s growth.
Build Mentorship into Your Support System
Not all support must come from supervisors. One of our greatest resources is expert principals who are currently navigating the challenges others face. Identify strong leaders who can serve as mentors and set clear expectations, such as two meetings per month with guided protocols focused on topics such as instructional leadership, personnel decisions, or strategic planning.
Consider offering mentor training so experienced leaders can refine their coaching skills, especially around listening deeply and asking powerful questions. This builds leadership capacity districtwide, creates sustainable support systems, and reinforces a culture where leaders grow leaders.
The Opportunity Ahead
Midyear offers a chance to pause, refocus, and provide principals with the support that truly matters. Clarifying instructional priorities, using data effectively, and fostering peer connections can make all the difference. When we model authentic leadership and offer both guidance and grace, we create space for principals to lead with confidence. Investing in these supports now turns the midyear stretch from a grind into meaningful momentum that carries schools to a strong finish.
Dr. Sandy Conklin currently serves as an Area Executive Director for Campus Leadership in Goose Creek CISD. A proud TEPSA member with 28 years of experience in education, he has served as a teacher and principal and was recognized as an H-E-B Excellence in Education Elementary Principal of the Year in 2016. Dr. Conklin is passionate about supporting and developing strong, reflective school leaders who make a lasting impact on students and communities. “For me, leadership has always been about helping others grow into their own potential and watching them become the successful leaders our schools need.”
