Leading in Harmony: Building Coherence in Principal Supervision

Before stepping into administration, I began my career as a music teacher. That experience continues to shape how I lead today. Music offers a rich metaphor for leadership, especially in the complex orchestra of school systems where principal supervisors serve as conductors. They set the tempo, guide the rhythm, and ensure every section plays in harmony.

Coherence does not happen by accident. It must be cultivated through intentional design.

Too often, however, we find ourselves leading soloists: each school interpreting the score differently, each department playing in a different key. The result is fragmentation, variability, and missed opportunities for coherence. Over the past two years, I have worked with dynamic principal supervisors to transform our district’s approach from isolated efforts to a unified system that clears the path for instructional excellence and equity.

This blog shares strategies, systems, and mindsets that have helped us move from dissonance to alignment, grounded in research and practical experience.

"Variability is the enemy of equity. Coherence does not happen by accident. It must be cultivated through intentional design."

Why Coherence Matters

Research confirms that principals are among the most significant levers for improving student achievement, accelerating learning by more than two months annually when they focus on instructional leadership (Grissom, Egalite, & Lindsay, 2021). Yet principals spend only 8 to 17 percent of their time on teaching and learning, often because district systems pull them in competing directions. Principal supervisors can change this trajectory, but only if they shift from compliance to coaching and work within systems that reinforce alignment (Honig & Rainey, 2020).

Our Framework for Alignment

1. A Unified Playbook

   
   Our Principal Supervisor Playbook serves as the sheet music for our leadership team. It outlines quarterly focus areas, coaching protocols, monitoring tools, and alignment strategies. This ensures every supervisor is working from the same score, supporting principals through differentiated coaching while staying anchored in district-wide goals.

   The playbook promotes consistency, alignment to district priorities, and differentiation based on school context and leader capacity. One of the most powerful shifts we made was defining and calibrating common look-fors across our principal supervision team. These are not just instructional indicators; they are leadership behaviors, coaching moves, and systems-level practices that reflect our district’s vision for learning and teaching.
   
   

2. Aligned Site Visits and Cross-Functional Collaboration

   
   Site visits are the heartbeat of principal supervision. In our district, they are not compliance checks; they are strategic coaching opportunities that reflect shared priorities and allow us to observe leaders in action. We developed a School Visit Framework to guide what happens before, during, and after each visit:

   • Before: Establish expectations, review artifacts, and set a clear focus.
   • During: Observe leadership in action, provide feedback, and name clear actionable & observable next steps.
   • After: Follow up with written feedback, monitor progress, and hold each other accountable.

     To strengthen coherence, we expanded these visits to include cross-functional teams. Each quarter, departments such as curriculum, accountability, and student services join principal supervisors for collaborative problem-solving sessions. Principals identify their problem of practice, and each department commits to removing barriers within its scope.
     
     

3. Coaching Trackers and Data Reviews to inform Professional Development
   
   To ensure coaching is consistent and actionable, we use coaching trackers that document leader action steps, monitor implementation, and align feedback to school improvement goals. These trackers help us identify where principals need differentiated support, align coaching to real-time data and district priorities, and inform the design of professional development and network meetings.
   
   Monthly principal meetings are co-designed by school leadership and the Teaching and Learning department. Sessions align to district goals and leadership development priorities, ensuring that professional learning is relevant and actionable. Additionally, we conduct a monthly accountability review where every department monitors and shares Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to demonstrate progress in service of schools. View KPI Document here.
   

"Systems shape behavior. If we want different outcomes, we must design different systems." —Donella Meadows

Systems shape behavior. If we want different outcomes, we must design different systems. —Donella Meadows

Lessons Learned

Transforming principal supervision is not about perfection; it is about progress. Here are a few lessons that guide our work:

• Systems shape behavior.
• Variability is the enemy of equity.
• Coherence is a leadership move.
• Shared ownership accelerates improvement.
  

Call to Action

As you reflect on your own context, ask yourself:

• What systems in your district reinforce silos?
• How might cross-functional teams clear the path for principals to lead instruction?
• What leadership move can you make today to bring coherence to your work?
  

Let’s stop conducting soloists. Let’s lead a symphony.