By Dr. Ruby Ababio-Fernandez and Dr. Nick Yoder for Harmony Academy at National University
School and district leaders are being called to imagine a new future—often without a clear picture of what it looks like yet. Whether it’s unexpected knocks on the door, students not showing up, budget shortfalls, or constant shifts in expectations, the common thread is change. And it’s relentless.
In moments like this, leadership can’t rely on static playbooks. It requires flexibility, agility, and the courage to lead while learning. Leaders must move between two essential stances: the balcony and the dance floor. From the balcony, you can see patterns, pressures, and impact. On the dance floor, you engage directly with people, build shared understanding, and shape how the work actually gets done.
The stakes are high, because student excellence is inseparable from adult working conditions. When educators don’t feel supported or able to collaborate honestly, that reality shows up quickly in classrooms. National survey data show that fewer than half of students report a strong sense of belonging at school (YouthTruth, 2024–25), a pattern linked to chronic absenteeism and slower academic recovery (Smith et al., 2024). At the same time, research shows that schools with stronger adult collaboration and shared responsibility see higher staff retention and greater organizational stability (Kraft et al., 2016)—a clear signal that student outcomes often reflect the health of adult systems.
Too often, systems respond to uncertainty by tightening control—prioritizing compliance over innovation. But when leaders don’t intentionally attend to relationships and belonging, the effects are immediate and measurable. Students disengage. Adults disconnect. Staff morale erodes, collaboration weakens, and turnover rises. Decision-making slows, and execution suffers.
The work ahead calls for adaptive, bold leadership—leadership that honors the complexity of today’s schools and gives adults time to learn, unlearn, tinker and grow. Real change requires leaders to shift themselves in order to shift culture, creating space to reflect, test new approaches, and learn from experience.
This is where partners like Harmony Academy at National University can be helpful—working with districts nationwide to translate research into practical, everyday leadership and schoolwide practices that strengthen connection, clarity, and shared responsibility without adding another initiative.
When leaders intentionally create these conditions, the payoff is practical and visible: informed decision-making, reduced staff churn, stronger school-level execution, and more consistent student re-engagement. Five years after COVID closures, the most important leadership question isn’t only what students lost—it’s what systems must continue to rebuild so learning can move forward amid ongoing disruption.
Dr. Ruby Ababio-Fernandez brings over 23 years of experience in education and leadership. She has held multiple senior roles, including Deputy Superintendent, Senior Executive Officer, and Chief Strategy Officer for the New York City Department of Education, and currently Superintendent in Residence at McGraw Hill, where she continues her mission of advancing learning outcomes, leadership, and systemic transformation. She works with Harmony Academy at National University to help schools and districts turn belonging into measurable gains in engagement, attendance, teacher retention, and academic success.
Dr. Nick Yoder is Associate Vice President, Whole Human Education & Research, Harmony Academy. A former first-grade teacher and national expert on child development, Dr. Yoder holds a Ph.D. in Education and Psychology from the University of Michigan. He helps schools across the country embed gratitude, kindness, and relationship-building into their daily routines—improving focus, collaboration, and well-being