What is the school change model behind Portico?
The bulk of a principal’s time can be consumed by trying to implement solutions rather than understanding the underlying problems. Portico supports principals in gaining the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they need to address what’s really holding schools back. We focus on the “below-the-line” elements of the Six Circle Model: relationships, identities, and institutional memory. By understanding what’s below the surface, principals can work to change the hearts and minds of stakeholders instead of focusing solely on reforming structures and systems. This approach supports student equity and effective organizational change and positions principals to address structurally unequal, racist systems that have held public education back. It leads to inclusive practices like elevating student voice and paves the way to change teaching in every classroom.
What is the Inflexion Approach?
Inflexion’s framework is grounded in organizational change theory, ongoing research, and practical results. The Inflexion Approach recognizes the critical role identity plays in developing schools and systems that serve all students well. Includes four elements: Identity, Structures, Learning, and Readiness for All. Click here to read more about the Inflexion Approach.
What are the Five Shifts?
Portico believes that in order for school leaders to thrive, they need to make five critical shifts: 1) Uproot, Rethink, & Rebuild; 2) Find their people; 3) Get busy on the right stuff; 4) Move from “Me” to “We”; 5) Invest in Coaching. Click here to watch a video to learn more about the Five Shifts and the “why” behind them.
What is the leadership development philosophy followed by Portico?
We believe effective leader learning is comprised of equal parts discovery, discussion, and doing. Portico offers discovery through our Blueprint modules and Crowdsource, a webinar series featuring leading school changemakers. Portico also includes two discussion platforms: Copilot 1:1 coaching, and Counterpart, a networked learning community that connects school leaders in small cohorts to exchange ideas. Action, the doing, is supported through coaching and a library of off-the-shelf resources in Toolkit.
What is the difference between a CoPilot and Counterpart Meeting?
A CoPilot meeting is a 1:1 hour-long session with your Portico Coach that occurs once a month. In this session, you can create goals, talk about challenges you face, and receive resources to support you in achieving your efforts.
A Counterpart meeting is an hour-long session with your Portico Coach, Facilitator, and peers within your cohort that occurs once a month. In this session, school leaders have guided discussions on central themes within the Portico Approach, exchange ideas around common challenges, and receive resources to support each school leader in achieving their efforts. Think of it as your own PLC with your peers!
How do I access my CoPilot and Counterpart groups?
Once you log into your Portico account look for the toolbar on the right-hand side of the page.
Next, click on “Groups/My People” which is located under “Get Connected” on the toolbar.
You will then be directed to the “Groups/My People” page where you will find your CoPilot and Counterpart groups.
On the app, the “Groups” icon can be found in the middle of the bottom bar.
The CoPilot group is typically labeled with your name and your Portico Coach’s name. The Counterpart group is typically labeled as “Counterpart Cohort” followed by your cohort number for example, “Counterpart Cohort 7”.
How do I get in contact with my Coach, Facilitator, and Peers?
Once you log into your Portico account look for the toolbar on the right-hand side of the page.
Next, click on “Groups/My People” which is located under “Get Connected” on the toolbar.
You will then be directed to the “Groups/My People” page where you will find your CoPilot and Counterpart groups.
On the app, the “Groups” icon can be found in the middle of the bottom bar.
Click on the group or person you would like to contact by going to your CoPilot or Counterpart group. After you have been directed to the page click “Send Messages”. You will be directed to a page that allows you to send a group or private message. After deciding who you want to contact, compose your message in the text box and send it! This message will be sent via the Portico site and email!
How do I schedule a CoPilot meeting with my Coach?
There are a couple of ways to get your CoPilot meeting on the calendar.
Reach out directly to your Portico Coach by sending them a message on the Portico website or App. They will be more than happy to send their calendar link to you.
If you cannot reach out to your Portico Coach, send a message to your Portico Facilitator requesting your Portico Coach’s calendar link.
You can also find your Portico Coach’s calendar link by going directly to their profile on the Portico website or app. There are two different ways to find their profile:
1. Once you log into your Portico account Click on “Portico Team” which is located at the top of the webpage. Once there, search for your Portico Coach!
On the app, click on the “More” icon that is located on the bottom right-hand corner. Next, click on “Community Directory”. Once there, search for your Portico Coach!
When you get to your coach’s profile page scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find “Contact Information”. Once there, click on the calendar link and schedule your CoPilot meeting.
2. Once you log into your Portico account look for the toolbar on the right-hand side of the page.
Next, click on “Groups/My People” which is located under “Get Connected” on the toolbar.
You will then be directed to the “Groups/My People” page where you will find your CoPilot and Counterpart groups.
On the app, the “Groups” icon can be found in the middle of the bottom bar.
Navigate to your CoPilot group, click on members, and then click on your Portico Coach. When you get to your coach’s profile page scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find “Contact Information”. Once there, click on the calendar link and schedule your CoPilot meeting.
When will I see school improvement through the Portico/Inflexion change model?
Progress starts day one, but we encourage school leaders to commit to at least a three-year process for the transformation of the student experience to take root. Our model of school improvement is built around supporting principals. We offer them a platform for learning best practices in organizational change management and help them make continual improvement second nature. Positive school change—making learning more relevant to all learners, improving students’ college and career readiness, and creating greater equity—does not happen overnight. Our clients often find the results they get through Portico compelling enough that they extend beyond year three to keep making progress.
How is progress on school improvement tracked?
We help schools track traditional, lagging indicators like reading/writing/math at the individual level, course completion, discipline rates, enrollment in AP or IB programs, graduation rates, and the like. But we also measure progress during the course of the school year through systemic responsibility markers. These are the elements that underlie traditional school metrics: students’ ability to self manage, relevance of classwork, adult connections, and student self-awareness, for example. These are important behavioral science metrics that lead to genuine increases in learning. When students feel a sense of belonging, they feel connected. When they feel connected, they feel engaged, and when they are engaged learning happens.
Accountability and measurement are part of our work with every partner. Schools we work with improve across demographic and socioeconomic groups on student college and career readiness, suspension rates, and other metrics.
Can Portico help schools address learning loss?
Learning loss is a big concern, but it won’t be solved by adding “event”-oriented solutions like summer school or tutoring. If those approaches worked, they would have been broadly adopted to remedy chronic, non-pandemic learning gaps. Portico helps schools tend to issues like belonging, connection, and instructional relevancy. When classrooms are connected by more than hallways, schools share a common language for student success and school identity, and students manage their own learning, instruction hits home and learning can happen faster.
Where do I find resources that can support my efforts?
There are three places on the website and app where you can find resources that can support your school leaders achieve their goals:
The first is Toolkit which can be found at the top of the webpage or the bottom right-hand corner of the app. Once on the Toolkit page use the search filter to narrow down and find the resource most aligned with your needs.
The second place to find resources is The Loop which is located at the top of the webpage. This is the place to stay connected, up to date — and in the loop — with all the newest content and information from Portico.
The third place to find resources is the Crowdsource Forums which can be found on the navigation bar on the right-hand side of the webpage under “Crowdsource”. On the app click “More” which is located on the right-hand side on the bar at the bottom of the page. Here you will find recorded Crowdsource Coffees and resources that go along with each topic!
How does Portico help schools manage principal turnover?
Portico couples leader learning with organizational capacity building. When a school community shares a vision of student readiness and school identity, a school system can more easily keep momentum even during changes in leadership. There are many leaders aligned on what the school stands for. Incoming principals and teachers can get up to speed in a hurry, and catch up with where a school is.