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 each and every student 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.
When will I get my cohort assignment(s) and be paired with principals?
This will happen on a rolling basis. Our sales and development team is hard at work securing commitments and renewals from schools and districts, but we are still in the process of getting contracts and grouping school leaders into cohorts. Some coaches may get connected with their assigned principals as early as the beginning of August, while others may not receive theirs until early September and beyond. Rest assured that as soon as we have that information we will share it with you and we thank you for your patience and there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work it takes to get there!
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 cohort(s)?
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 CoPilot or Counterpart group that you want to contact. 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!
Is there a model I can look at for how to facilitate Counterpart meetings?
We have a few recorded Counterpart meetings from last year to give you an idea of the type of conversations and facilitation. You can view a recording here and here.
While there are some references and materials/videos specifically for elementary, the modules seem to focus on secondary. Are there more references and resources I can look at for leaders of elementary schools?
Historically as an organization, Inflexion has worked predominantly with secondary schools, which is why some materials, videos, and resources may have more of a secondary focus. We are continually building up the elementary context and resources within Portico, and have elementary-focused agendas that were developed during the 2021-22 school year. We will also eventually be adjusting our marketing materials once we can get photos and video footage inside schools again to be more inclusive of elementary grades.
How do I make sure there is a common topic for a Counterpart meeting?
Coaches and Facilitators can choose reflection prompts and resources for their Counterpart meetings from the Resource Sheets, or bring in other resources from Toolkit, or their own experience.
Where do I find resources to support the efforts of the school leaders I am coaching?
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. 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!
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 is part of our work with every partner. Schools we work with improve across demographic and socioeconomic group 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.
How does Portico help schools manage through 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.