CHANGING THE WORLD STARTS WITH BELIEVING YOU CAN
To change the lives of Georgia’s students, we must first uplift teachers and school leaders. Our work begins by reconnecting our partners to their ultimate purpose and creating space for their voices to be heard.
If adults are the catalyst for student learning, then an adult’s untapped passion and potential means a child’s unrealized success. Leaders that are intimately connected to their purpose ignite the internal drive and vision needed to pursue a more excellent and equitable education for every student. In FY19, our partners were reconnected, reinspired, and challenged to allow the inner belief in the importance of their work to shine openly in their day-to-day interactions with students, community members, and each other.
Every voice matters. A lack of agency and feeling unwelcome, unheard, or ineffective are all culture killers. Our services are designed to uplift the voices of students, teachers and community because school improvement is too complex for leaders to do alone from the top. Being heard, perhaps for the first time, is part of what most uplifts confidence and focused action for those we serve.
Watch Jessica's Story
At Base Camp and Leadership Summit, teachers like Jessica Coker aren't "just a little teacher.” Their voice is amplified as they share the same table as their school and district leaders.
Similarly, Strategic improvement Planning (SIP) is uniquely designed to amplify student and community voice. We aim to center student needs throughout the entire process, especially those students and families who are not historically well-served by the school and ensure that meaningful equity of voice and psychological safety are secured for all participants.
95% of participants indicated they were comfortable expressing their viewpoint.
Alongside the Georgia School Boards Association, we facilitated the development of strategic plans in nine districts in FY19.
Dalton Public Schools
Thomasville City Schools
Cook County Schools
Crawford County Schools
McIntosh County Schools
Oconee County Schools
Pickens County Public Schools
Taylor County School System
Union County Schools
In FY20, we are challenging ourselves to not only uplift the leaders we directly serve, but to build a tidal wave of gratitude that uplifts educators in Georgia and beyond. Why? Two reasons: "uplift" is about reaching beyond the walls of schools to legislators, community members, business leaders to create a ecosystem of support and gratitude for educators that boosts morale and stems the tide of teachers fleeing the classroom. But it's also good for us! Research finds that practicing gratitude reduces stress, boosts resilience, enhances empathy, and deepens connection.
Principals in Clayton County receive gifts of gratitude from GLISI for National Principals Month.
Our bet? That gratitude is catching. Those who receive it will practice it. And, in so doing, will bump into even more moments of lift.
Follow our progress with the hashtag #GLISIGives.
