October 2025

Welcome to the October edition of Learning Leader Digest. As the school year moves from launch to full stride, our focus shifts from starting strong to staying strong. This month, we celebrate Delaware’s newest principals beginning their Year One Induction & Coaching Experience — a reminder that leadership is about building strong foundations from the very start.

Just as our new leaders are laying the groundwork for thriving schools, so too must we lay the foundation for growth in every classroom: the belief and practice of high expectations for all students. Research is clear — what teachers believe about student potential directly shapes learning outcomes. And as leaders, our role is to ensure that every teacher sends the message: This is important. You can do it. I won’t give up on you.

If you'd like to nominate an educator or leader to be spotlighted in a future issue, please email Angela Socorso. We would love to celebrate the great work happening across our schools.

In this issue, you’ll find:

Spotlight: Welcoming Delaware’s newest principals into the Year One Induction & Coaching Experience.

This month’s focus: Raising the bar with high expectations — strategies leaders can reinforce in every classroom.

Leader Action Hub: A reflection to use in your next observation or debrief conversation.

Professional opportunities: Upcoming ways to stay connected in statewide learning.

Resource Spotlight: Practical strategies to help leaders and teachers bring high expectations to life — from planning lessons with complex text to using data and collaborative routines like gallery walks. Each tool is designed to translate the belief that all students can achieve into daily practice.

We are excited to welcome Delaware’s newest school leaders into the Year One Principal Induction Program and Coaching Experience. Stepping into the principalship is both an honor and a challenge—requiring a balance of vision, leadership, and day-to-day management. This program is designed to ensure that every first-year principal has the support, resources, and professional community they need to thrive. To our Year 1 principals: Congratulations on stepping into this pivotal role! Your leadership will shape not only your school’s present but its future. We look forward to walking alongside you as you build strong foundations for your school community. Learn more about the Induction Program here: Year One Principal Induction

“Smart is something you can get.” – Jon Saphier

As October unfolds, the question for leaders is clear: Are we holding every student to the highest expectations?

Research is undeniable — when teachers communicate belief in student capacity, student outcomes rise. Yet, barriers often get in the way: assumptions about ability, unconscious bias, or the temptation to lower the bar for the sake of pace. Leaders help teachers clear those barriers and build confidence that every student can grow.

Strategies to Spotlight:

Call on all students: Provide equal opportunities for engagement, learning, and feedback.

Stick and wait: Stay with students when they struggle, using purposeful wait time to boost confidence and depth of response.

Help that builds confidence: Offer guidance, not quick answers, to affirm that struggle is part of growth.

Normalize errors: Frame mistakes as learning opportunities — and circle back to show you believe students can succeed.

Push back on helplessness: Challenge fixed-mindset statements (“I’m just not good at this”) with conviction and strategy.

Explore the full high expectations strategies guide.

The Leader Action Hub is where we connect research to practice, giving leaders a concrete model to apply right away. Feedback doesn’t just describe what happened — it shapes teacher practice and communicates expectations for student learning.

Within DTGSS, we use the claim → evidence → impact → action step → questions for teacher cycle to ensure feedback is clear, student-centered, and actionable. When applied consistently, this cycle reinforces the belief that all students can achieve at high levels.

Below, you’ll see two contrasting examples. In the first, feedback builds on strong high-expectation practice, pushing the teacher to extend rigor even further. In the second, feedback addresses a low-expectation move and guides the teacher toward raising the bar. Both examples illustrate how leaders can use the cycle to move practice forward.

As you review, ask yourself:

What makes the first cycle a model of high expectations?

What about the second cycle communicates lower expectations?

How can I help my teachers move from one to the other?

Leader reflection:
As you prepare for your next observation or debrief, use this reflection to anchor your feedback:

“Where do I see opportunities for teachers to raise expectations and communicate belief in students’ capacity to grow?”

Embedding this question in team debriefs or leadership meetings keeps the focus sharp on what matters most — ensuring high expectations reach every student.

Teacher reflection:

As you reflect on your classroom practice, consider:

How do I communicate high expectations to every student, every day?

When students give brief or incomplete answers, how do I respond?

Am I creating opportunities for all students to justify their thinking with evidence?

What routines can I build so students consistently build on one another’s ideas?

Do my feedback and questions signal that I believe every student can grow?

Leadership Lift 2025: Sharpening observation and feedback
Principals, strengthen your observation and feedback practice with our new 30-minute quick learning series designed specifically for administrators! These virtual sessions build your skills step-by-step, culminating in a personalized Leader Action Plan to drive teacher growth For more information, view the flyer.

DTGSS sessions for teachers by teachers 
The Delaware Department of Education is offering virtual DTGSS sessions (4:30–5:30 PM) to support educators in strengthening their instructional practices and understanding of the DTGSS process. Each month features a focused theme, with special sessions dedicated to Early Childhood and Special Populations. Participants will earn clock hours toward re-licensure. For more information, view the flyer: DTGSS sessions for teachers by teachers.

DTGSS office hours – Monthly support for observation and feedback
School and district staff are invited to join DTGSS Office Hours, held the third Wednesday of each month from 9:00–10:00 AM, beginning August 20, 2025, through May 20, 2026. These informal, one-on-one support sessions offer space to analyze evidence, refine debrief questions, ask questions about DSC, and strengthen your use of the DTGSS framework. Whether you’re looking to think through feedback or clarify next steps, we’re here to help.Drop in as needed.  Let’s strengthen your DTGSS practice—one thoughtful conversation at a time. We’re here to support you! Join Zoom Meeting here. Contact Angela Socorso.

High expectations strategies guide

Practical strategies for raising rigor and ensuring every student is held to high expectations, reinforcing the belief that all students can achieve at advanced levels.

The power of data: Strategies to create a data-driven classroom

Using classroom data effectively helps teachers set ambitious goals and communicate high expectations by making learning progress visible and actionable.

Planning lessons that provide access to complex text

Planning lessons around challenging texts gives all students the opportunity to grapple with rich ideas, building both rigor and confidence.

Gallery walk

This collaborative routine engages students in analyzing and sharing ideas, reinforcing the expectation that every learner contributes and learns from peers.

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