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Waiting on the Ice
Waiting for state assessment scores feels a lot like walking across a frozen lake.
Which is a ridiculous metaphor because I live in Arizona, it's June, and it's 108 degrees outside.
The signs are encouraging, but we still wait for the full picture.
A reflection on leadership, culture, and anticipation in turnaround work.
#TurnaroundUnscripted
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Jun 105 min read
When Turnaround Holds Its Breath
Tonight, my chest feels tight. My emotions are swirling. Not because it is the night before another week of school. Not because I do not know what to do tomorrow on Day 1 of testing. But because I know exactly what is at stake. As a TOSA and the leader of our AZELLA testing team, my mind keeps circling the same questions again and again. Did I do enough to prepare them? Are the teachers ready? Are the students ready? Are they all prepared to do their best?Could I have done mo
Melissa France
Feb 223 min read
One Degree
“Thanks for helping me believe I’m not dumb.”
If a student felt the need to say that, what had school taught them before they ever walked into that classroom?
In the urgency of turnaround, we measure growth, track data, and chase outcomes. But beneath every score is a belief a student holds about themselves. The question we rarely stop to ask is this: What does your classroom teach students about who they are when the test is over?
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Jan 192 min read
Where Kids in Hoodies Fuel the Work
The school week has ended, but the weight of it hasn’t. This first week back from winter break reminded me why middle school is the messy middle. Guarded kids hide behind filters, and leaders keep showing up anyway. Behind those hoodies are students still becoming. They are why this work, even on the hardest days and after the longest weeks, still matters.
Stephanie Nardi EdD
Jan 106 min read
Celebrating Through the Turnaround: Let’s Keep Walking
On the last Friday of winter break, a quiet walk through empty classrooms revealed something powerful. Anchor charts with purpose. Student work displayed with pride. In a turnaround school, these small moments signal big change. Sometimes progress isn’t loud—it’s visible in the walls, the culture, and the realization that what once felt impossible is becoming normal.
S. Nardi and M. France
Jan 23 min read
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