CALSA Summer Institute 2025

How do we cultivate school cultures that grow stronger long after we’re gone? As leaders, we are the semillas of lasting change. In this session, I’ll share lessons from my 20+ years as a principal leading transformational work across four schools. Together, we’ll explore how to move from compliance-based mandates to sustainable systems that are deeply rooted in shared vision, equity, and collective ownership.
Drawing on lived experience, I’ll walk through how I’ve institutionalized practices like Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to become part of a school’s DNA—systems that thrive not because of a single leader, but because the community has embraced and cultivated them together.
You’ll leave with practical tools and reflection prompts to assess the sustainability of your own initiatives, strengthen site-based practices, and grow leadership at all levels. From restorative practices to data-driven decision-making, I’ll highlight real examples of how we empowered staff and supported students in meaningful, lasting ways.
As the 2025 Marcus Foster Administrator of Excellence and current President of the CALSA Orange County Chapter, I believe leadership is not about leaving a mark—it’s about planting seeds for others to water. Join me as we reflect, strategize, and grow juntos toward a future that honors our communities and sustains our impact.