Virtual EdHeadliner: School Improvement Strategies with Principal Jason Gallagher

In our most recent Virtual EdHeadliner, Principal Jason Gallagher from the 2019 School on the Move winner Harvard-Kent Elementary joined President and CEO Marinell Rousmaniere for a conversation on fostering an environment for positive school climate as a catalyst for school improvement.

With nearly two decades of school improvement work alongside Boston's educators, we have empirically learned core elements of driving and sustaining improvement: Strong leadership and shared ownership, Meaningful teacher collaboration, Effective use of data, Academic rigor and student support, and Effective family and community partnerships. While these essential components are clear, the challenge of weaving together these elements to put into practice is complex and important to shine a light on.

Located in Charlestown, the Harvard-Kent serves nearly 400 students in Pre-K through 5th grade. The Harvard-Kent serves the highest percentage of children living in public housing of any Boston school. It is home to a specialized program for students learning English as well as a therapeutic program for children with emotional disabilities.

Listen in on the conversation as Principal Jason Gallagher discusses his path in education that has shaped his leadership style and desire to create authentic relationships within the whole Harvard-Kent community. Principal Gallagher covers the pivoting to remote learning amidst COVID-19 and the work he and his staff have carried out in sustaining success as they expanded to a Pre-K through 6th school this year.