When designing change in a district, it is essential that leaders hear directly from students, families, teachers, and classified staff (i.e., those most impacted by teaching and learning); this is often done via empathy interviews.

Themes from Monterey Peninsula Unified School District’s empathy interviews fall into multiple categories: developing stronger connections between and amongst students and teachers, and personalizing support for students’ academic development. The team’s discussion connected the themes from interviews to broader efforts across the district to increase flexibility and personalization while strengthening students’ sense of belonging.

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Communal Practice Affirming Personal, Interpersonal, and Community Development

Valor students participate in a weekly “Circle” exercise, during which they work to improve themselves, their community, and their...