School Leadership Support: Building Communities of Practice That Prevent Burnout
School leaders today face unprecedented isolation while carrying immense emotional weight for their communities. The traditional professional development model isn't working—leaders need connection, reflection, and judgment-free spaces to grow.
Join Bridget Johnson with Jennifer Dubey and Kyle Conley, co-founders of Building Leaders, for an essential conversation about transforming how we support school leaders. Drawing from their combined 45+ years of experience in education leadership and development, Jen and Kyle share the critical gap they've witnessed between the robust support systems for new teachers and the stark isolation faced by school leaders. This episode explores practical solutions through communities of practice, cross-context learning experiences, and collaborative professional development that actually meets leaders where they are.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why traditional professional development often fails school leaders and what makes communities of practice different from conventional PD approaches
How to create judgment-free spaces where leaders can practice new approaches, be vulnerable, and learn from failure without career consequences
The transformative power of embedded school visits and learning from diverse educational contexts beyond your immediate environment
Practical strategies for building sustainable leadership practices that prevent burnout while driving meaningful innovation in your school community
How to access peer-driven collaborative learning experiences that provide both practical tools and emotional support for the leadership journey
Featured Guests: Jennifer Dubey is a leadership coach and facilitator with over 20 years of experience helping educators reflect, grow, and lead with clarity and heart. Her journey from highly-supported teacher to isolated school leader drove her passion for creating the developmental spaces leaders desperately need. She has held learning spaces for school leaders at Teachers College, Achieve Miami, Teach For America, and within several school districts.
Kyle Conley is an equity-centered systems leader with 25+ years of experience designing powerful adult learning environments. As a former principal who led a school turnaround, she experienced firsthand the isolation and under-preparation many leaders face. At Teach For All, she launched the Global Communities of Practice, connecting hundreds of school leaders worldwide for peer-driven improvement. Her focus remains on creating meaningful adult learning experiences with unwavering commitment to equity and access.
Recommended Resources: Building Leaders: building-leaders.org
Visit the Deans' Roundtable: https://deansroundtable.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-johnson510/
Email: bridget@deansroundtable.org
Student Life Assessment Program: https://deansroundtable.org/k-12-student-life-assessment-program-independent-school-evaluation/
The Dean's Roundtable: Where student life professionals connect, learn, share, and grow together.
