Welcome to the start of the new academic year. I hope you were able to unwind during the summer and reconnect with family, friends and the activities that you enjoy.

Times are changing in public education and much of that change is driven by the students we support. They know more about what people their age need, and they want a voice in what they learn and how they learn it. A perfect example is their advocacy for financial literacy courses, which will soon become a high school requirement.

For educators to keep up, we need to think holistically about instructional leadership and what that really means to our students. We must be fluid, stay innovative and bring our best to our teams and, by extension, our student population.

This edition of Leadership magazine focusing on instructional leadership, begins with an article by Lori Emmington of Folsom Cordova Unified School District in northern California. Her article discusses how building teacher capacity yields better results for students.

Next, Sharon Dunn talks about how the right assessment data can be the best guide for driving instruction practices. Then the Equity and Targeted Student Achievement team from San Bernardino City Unified School District discusses a pilot program that is giving teachers clearer awareness of the instruction practices that help African American students succeed.

Nearly half of the students at a high school in the Oxnard Union High School District were getting D’s and F’s in their math classes. Matthew La Belle and Daniel Cook discuss how multiple improvements, including a new math pathway, have impacted students.

Suzette Lovely’s article “Reseeding your culture to grow a new better” offers a unique perspective on the role of principals in examining why people do things a particular way. That article is followed by a piece from former California superintendent Jodi McClay, who shows what central offices can do if they focus on five concepts.

Our final article comes from Jessica Gomez and Josué Reyna who take a deep dive into the “four majorities” and how to steer teacher teams to success.

As education leaders, the new academic year presents new challenges. These challenges may impact your social and emotional wellness and cause stress that at times can seem unmanageable. Commit the time you need to relax and spend time with those who fill your cup and support you every day. Protecting your social and emotional wellness is key to being your best self.

Thank you for your service to our California public school students.