Leading Resilient Schools
Adapting for Collective Efficacy, Impact, and Coherence
- Dr. Lori Stollar - Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Executive Director
- Lindsay Prendergast - Assistant Director of Professional Learning, The Danielson Group
- Piper Lee - Senior Account Manager for Strategic Accounts, NWEA/HMH
Build a thriving, resilient school community that adapts and succeeds together
School leaders today face a constant tug-of-war between urgent demands and important goals. Managing competing priorities, unexpected disruptions, and staff well-being can be incredibly overwhelming. Leading Resilient Schools shifts the burden of resilience from your individual shoulders to the very fabric of your school. This practical guide shows you how to transform fatigue into collective empowerment by embedding resilience into your vision, culture, and daily systems. You will explore essential topics like building trust, fostering collective efficacy, and aligning instructional leadership to navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Key features include:
- Actionable strategies to cultivate psychological safety and relational trust
- Research-grounded frameworks to strengthen collective teacher efficacy
- Practical tools and reflection prompts for sensemaking and shared ownership
Education leaders will learn how to move beyond merely surviving challenges to intentionally designing human-centered learning environments. Ultimately, students will benefit from a cohesive, agile community where they feel supported and are fully equipped to learn and flourish.
"What sets Leading Resilient Schools apart is the rare combination of deep experience and practical wisdom that Stollar, Prendergast, and Lee bring to every page. Their insights on communicating with clarity to drive coherence are refreshingly grounded rather than theoretical. They understand that coherence isn't built through structures alone; it thrives when leaders use intentional messaging and sensemaking routines to reinforce shared meaning. By recognizing that clarity is subjective and exists when educators at every level can articulate priorities with confidence, the authors offer leaders a transformative framework. Their collective wisdom cuts through the noise of educational fads, providing actionable strategies that truly work. This is the kind of book that can change how leaders think and lead."
"Leading Resilient Schools offers a timely and powerful roadmap for education leaders navigating the complexities facing today’s school systems. Stollar, Prendergast, and Lee skillfully translate research into practical leadership moves that strengthen vision, culture, and collective efficacy. This book is an invaluable resource for leaders committed to building resilient communities that adapt, persevere, and thrive through change."
"Leading Resilient Schools provided essential guidance as I developed a clear school vision, strengthened a cohesive professional culture, and worked to reduce teacher turnover in Pennsylvania’s most diverse school. The book’s practical lessons supported our efforts to build resilience across our students, staff, and community while navigating today’s complex political, social, and emotional challenges."
"As a former student of Dr. Stollar and now a middle school principal, I’ve had the chance to see this work come full circle. Leading Resilient Schools puts into words the kind of leadership our schools need — grounded, thoughtful, and focused on people. It offers clear ideas and real examples that help leaders move their schools forward, even when things feel uncertain. Leading Resilient Schools gives leaders practical strategies we can actually use to build stronger school communities."
"This is a must-read book for school leaders- new or seasoned-who desire to improve their schools through resiliency. Drawing on research and authentic leadership experiences, the book delivers a powerful framework, with practical strategies, relatable scenarios, and reflective practices that foster resiliency. While reading, you will quickly recognize the authors’ deep insights into this topic and experience many enlightening ‘aha’ moments."
