From Improvement to Excellence: Building Change That Lasts

School improvement rarely hinges on a single initiative, program or leader. Lasting change happens when people know where they are going, understand what is expected and see how their work contributes to the larger goals of the school.

That idea runs throughout Part 2 of a recent At the Table podcast conversation with Dr. Donetrus Hill, principal of Middletown High School. Hill talks about the work underway at Middletown and what it has taken to bring greater focus and consistency to a school that, in his words, already had “pockets of excellence” and people who cared deeply about students.

The work began by getting people moving in the same direction.

Start with Clear Expectations

When Hill arrived at Middletown, expectations varied from classroom to classroom and academic urgency was not always consistent. One of the first priorities was creating greater coherence across the school.

That meant focusing on the day-to-day practices that shape students’ experiences: clear learning targets, getting to class on time, attendance and consistent expectations across classrooms.

As Hill puts it, “If you don’t set expectations and if you don’t speak to those expectations,” people begin operating in different ways. Setting expectations, however, is only the beginning. What matters is what happens after they are announced.

Middletown is beginning to see the results. Suspensions are down 49 percent, suspension days are down 60 percent, fighting is down 40 percent and truancy has dropped 78 percent. The school also conducted more than 700 classroom learning walks during the year, keeping instruction at the center of the improvement work.

Keep People Connected to the Work

Hill also sees communication as a responsibility that stays close to the principal.

He connects with families several times a week, sharing updates about what is happening at school while reinforcing expectations around attendance, behavior and other issues affecting students. He wants families to know what is happening inside the high school and what the school needs from them.

That kind of communication does more than keep families informed. It reinforces the direction of the school. Expectations become more meaningful when students, staff and families hear the same messages and see them carried through in daily practice.

Build Leadership in Others

Hill is quick to point out that this work cannot rest with one person.

For Hill, delegation is part of developing people. Staff members with administrative licenses are given opportunities to experience building leadership. The building leadership team is becoming more involved in decision-making. Hill also wants students taking greater ownership of opportunities within the school.

But delegation has limits. Hill identifies vision, culture, communication, and instructional leadership as responsibilities he keeps close. The distinction is useful. Developing others does not mean handing off the work that defines the direction of the school. Leaders can create space for others to grow while remaining accountable for the areas that matter most.

From Improvement to Excellence

With progress underway, Hill is already looking ahead.

“We want to go from improvement to excellence,” he says.

That may be one of the clearest tests of lasting school improvement. The work cannot depend on one leader continually pushing it forward. Expectations become routine. Other people develop the capacity to lead. Systems support the work even as people and circumstances change.

Hill describes Middletown as being just at the beginning. But the progress so far shows what can happen when a school gets clear about its direction and stays focused long enough for that direction to take hold.

Hear more from Dr. Hill about the experiences and leadership practices that have shaped his work in Episode 30: Leading Change that Lasts: Turning Vision into Results.