Empowering educators is a strategic decision, and research affirms what school leaders know from experience: when teachers are supported, students thrive. At a time when independent schools face increasing demands and complexity, the most effective institutions are those that view professional growth not as a periodic event, but as a core element of school culture.
UMS-Wright Preparatory School and St. Mary’s Episcopal School both model intentional, mission-driven approaches to faculty development. From differentiated instructional coaching to goal-setting frameworks rooted in strategic priorities, these schools share actionable insights for independent school leaders seeking to deepen educator impact.
Prioritizing Professional Growth for Teachers
To educate all students to their highest potential is an important part of the mission at UMS-Wright Preparatory School, a K3-grade 12 school serving 1,268 students in Mobile, AL. “For students to reach their highest potential, their teachers must first be working towards their own,” observes Mirella P. Chavez, chair of UMS-Wright’s World Language Department. The school understands that a thriving student body begins with empowered and continuously growing educators.
Over the past five years, UMS-Wright has invested deeply in the growth and development of its faculty, with increased funding for faculty development. The creation of a Department of Curriculum and Instruction recognizes that traditional one-size-fits-all professional development models, which lack follow-up or personalization, are simply not effective for adult learners.
Four UMS-Wright leaders focus on curriculum development, professional development and training, and instructional coaching, which is among the region’s first instructional coaching programs. UMS-Wright Middle School Principal Dr. Bre Stricklin previously served in the middle school curriculum and instruction role, alongside Lauren Rodgers (grades 9-12), Ansley Betbeze (K3-grade 4 math, science, and social studies), and Sarah Fountain (ELA grades K3-4). The team meets weekly to reflect and plan, ensuring vertical alignment.
Beginning With a Growth Mindset and Understanding the Adult Learner
Meaningful growth extends beyond hard work and effort—it comes from self-awareness, feedback, and a willingness to evolve. UMS-Wright’s instructional coaches and curriculum and instruction team recognized that for teachers to embrace change, leadership must model a growth mindset, including remaining open to feedback, admitting that they do not have all the answers, and learning alongside faculty. The same growth principles taught to students—reflection, resilience, and persistence—apply equally to the adults in the school.
At the heart of this work is a deep belief in the potential of people. For UMS-Wright, this goes beyond developing skills to instead enable faculty to uncover individual strengths. Every teacher brings unique gifts, perspectives, and possibilities to the table. Instructional coaching and professional development nurture what’s possible by investing in educators with curiosity and confidence, helping them self-reflect and discover untapped potential.
Understanding what drives adult learners is essential to fostering real growth. Traditional motivators like gift cards or generic praise may be well-intentioned but rarely inspire lasting development. Adults are driven by purpose, relevance, and connection. Thus, professional development must reflect adult learning theory—learning that is personalized, reflective, practical, and rooted in real classroom experience. UMS-Wright asserts there are six areas to consider to enable adult learners to thrive.
Mandated professional development is rarely effective, particularly when it doesn’t account for a teacher’s individual context or experience. Research by Martin et al. (2019) and Tantawy (2020) confirms that PD must be differentiated based on teacher experience, beliefs, and career stage. Teachers must first reflect on their own needs and goals, and then be given the freedom to pursue learning that aligns with those aspirations.
When teachers are invited to co-create their professional journey, they become more empowered to see not only who they are, but who they might become. By building professional development around these principles, UMS-Wright ensures that growth is both sustainable and joyful. Teachers aren’t just checking a box but are instead shaping their own journey.
PD That Works: Instructional Coaching
Research increasingly supports the effectiveness of intensive, ongoing professional development that includes strong support systems. Instructional coaching has proven to be one of the most effective tools for enhancing teacher development and improving student outcomes. According to Devine et al. (2013), instructional coaching enhances teacher efficacy—defined as the confidence in one’s ability to impact student learning—and ultimately benefits students as well.
At UMS-Wright, instructional coaching is a collaborative and supportive process. Coaches and teachers partner on everything from classroom management to lesson planning and assessment. Coaching cycles include reflection, goal-setting, strategy development, and implementation. These cycles underscore the idea that teaching is a continuous journey of refinement and growth (Suarez, 2017).
Teachers are encouraged to view their classrooms not just as spaces for student learning, but as laboratories for their own professional growth. Action research—where teachers identify challenges, test strategies, and analyze results—empowers educators to innovate and refine their craft in real time. Whether new or veteran, every teacher can benefit from the inquiry mindset that drives lasting change.
To truly foster a culture of learning, professional development must be integrated into the fabric of school life, not treated as an isolated event. Yet time remains one of the greatest challenges. Carving out time for meaningful reflection and collaboration requires intentional scheduling and school-wide commitment.
Reflection, in particular, is essential. As Kelly (2017) notes, “If teachers do not consciously consider and reflect on their practice, there is the danger that their practice may continue without teachers considering new questions, insight, and innovation.” The leadership team at UMS-Wright is working to embed reflective practices into all areas, from instructional coaching sessions to faculty meetings and peer observations.
At UMS-Wright, teachers are not just growing but discovering the fullest versions of themselves. Through intentional investment in professional development, instructional coaching, and a belief in the inherent potential of every individual, the school is building a community where growth is not just encouraged but expected. By providing choice, voice, and the right tools, teachers thrive and students do too.
Feedback With Intention
Like UMS-Wright, faculty feedback and evaluation at St. Mary’s Episcopal School is rooted in professional growth, reflection, and a culture of continuous improvement. Rather than relying solely on a traditional evaluative model, the school views feedback as an ongoing, formative process designed to support educators and administrators at every stage of their careers. St. Mary’s, an all-girls school in Memphis, TN, serving 803 students in preschool through grade 12, intentionally fosters a growth mindset by emphasizing self-reflection, collaborative goal setting, and constructive dialogue.
Associate Head of School Hilary Robinson shares that the school uses the digital platform Folio Collaborative as the central hub for the professional growth process. Through Folio, each faculty member sets annual professional goals aligned with the school’s mission and strategic priorities. These goals are revisited regularly in conversation with division heads and instructional leaders, with observations, feedback, and reflections documented throughout the year. As a result, feedback is an intentional structure built around ongoing dialogue and reflection. Division heads conduct regular walk-throughs and informal classroom visits, followed by brief but meaningful conversations or notes. The school also embedded cross-divisional peer observation opportunities and department or grade-level goal check-ins. Folio allows the school to track progress, celebrate successes, and identify areas for further development in a transparent and supportive environment.
Because Folio is used across all divisions, St. Mary’s normalizes reflection and feedback as a continuous process. This approach enables the school to maintain a shared language around professional excellence, honor individual strengths, and build trust. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that every educator at St. Mary’s feels challenged and supported in their pursuit of excellence.
The school’s philosophy is grounded in trust and respect for faculty expertise. Even when addressing areas for improvement, leaders begin from a place of strength. Faculty are asked to reflect on what is going well, to name their challenges, and to engage in collaborative problem solving. Feedback is framed as a conversation about potential and impact rather than judgment. Whether affirming excellent practice or guiding improvement, the tone remains encouraging and forward-looking.
Aligning Strategic Priorities and Faculty Goals
“Strategic priorities should live in the daily work of the school,” Robinson says. “When we created our most recent strategic plan, we engaged faculty, staff, parents, students, alumnae, and other key stakeholders to ensure the plan would resonate across constituencies. Coherence was key. We wanted everyone to be on the same page and row the boat in the same direction.”
At the start of each school year, St. Mary’s leadership reminds faculty and staff of the school’s strategic initiatives and connects them explicitly to the work happening in classrooms. Division heads and department chairs play a key role in interpreting these priorities for their teams, facilitating conversations about how strategic goals translate into teaching, advising, assessment, and student engagement.
The Folio platform reinforces this alignment, making clear connections between institutional goals and the daily work of teaching and learning. This year, the school organized these themes around three guiding questions that speak directly to the lived experience of educators:
These reflective prompts are embedded in Folio. Faculty respond monthly to these questions, as well as set annual goals that connect to one or more of the school’s strategic priorities. These topics are the foundation for goal-setting conversations with division heads, helping teachers articulate how their work supports student and school-wide growth. Teachers know that if their goals align with the year’s themes, they can push the school and students forward.
This entire process makes the plan a sort of “living framework” that supports growth and decision-making. Priorities are revisited in team meetings, as well as coaching and curriculum discussions throughout the year. By weaving strategic language into feedback and goal-setting practices, faculty can see themselves as essential to the school’s forward momentum and understand how their work is part of a larger vision for excellence.
Ongoing Dialogue and Meaningful Impact
Teachers and instructional leaders engage in regular one-on-one conversations at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to review progress, celebrate growth, and refine next steps. These conversations are grounded in strategic initiatives, themes, and guiding questions for the year.
The school prioritizes collaborative structures that allow for ongoing dialogue and shared ownership. Division meetings, department teams, grade level teams, and vertical planning meetings are regular touchpoints for discussing progress or shared goals and exploring best practices. Leadership teams also meet consistently to calibrate expectations, share observations, and ensure alignment in how to support faculty across the school.
St. Mary’s has been intentional about building time into the school calendar for professional development days, collaborative planning, and goal reflection, ensuring that these conversations are part of regular school life. This ongoing, multi-level collaboration strengthens trust, maintains focus on strategic direction, and empowers faculty to see themselves as co-creators of a cohesive, student-centered learning environment.
Folio’s structured and consistent use has made a noticeable difference at St. Mary’s, especially for newer faculty. These teachers appreciate the organized approach to feedback and the clarity it brings to expectations and growth opportunities as they navigate a new school. Across all experience levels, teachers respond positively to being seen and celebrated. Feedback conversations that include affirmation of what’s going well are powerful in boosting morale and reinforcing a culture of excellence. Strategic alignment, regular communication, and strengths-based feedback have created a professional environment where teachers feel supported, valued, and motivated to grow.
Special thanks to Dr. Bre Stricklin and Hilary Robinson for their contributions to this article.
Sources:
Devine, M., Houssemand, C., & Meyers, R. (2013). Instructional coaching for teachers: A strategy to implement new practices in the classrooms. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, 1126–1130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.001
Kelly, J. (2017). Professional learning and adult learning theory: A connection. Northwest Journal of Teacher Education, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.15760/nwjte.2017.12.4
Martin, L. E., Kragler, S., Quatroche, D., & Bauserman, K. (2019). Transforming schools: The Power of teachers’ input in professional development. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 9(1), 179–188. https://doi.org/10.5590/jerap.2019.09.1.13
Suarez, E. (2017). The power of instructional coaching. The Reading Teacher, 71(4), 493–493. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1618
Tantawy, N. (2020). Investigating teachers’ perceptions of the influence of professional development on teachers’ performance and career progression. Arab World English Journal, 11(1), 181–194. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol11no1.15
Ideas Into Action
Whether you’re reimagining professional development or refining your feedback systems, UMS-Wright Preparatory School and St. Mary’s Episcopal School offer practical takeaways to inform and inspire your own work.
Related Programming
Attracting and retaining top faculty and staff is one of the most pressing challenges facing independent schools today. The Timely Challenge Conference, November 10-11, 2025, in Atlanta, GA, brings together school leaders to explore innovative strategies for recruitment, retention, and workplace culture. This conference is designed to provide actionable insights, strategic frameworks, and collaborative problem-solving opportunities to ensure your school remains a destination for top-tier educators and staff.
