La Joya ISD Executive Leadership Team Builds on Retreat with Next Learning Session
Fresh from a productive leadership retreat last week, La Joya ISD’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) came together again on September 5, 2025, for the next session in the district’s Executive Leadership Team Learning Series: Building Coherence and Ways of Working.
The ELT, made up of chiefs, deputy chiefs, and executive directors, plays a critical role in guiding the district’s instructional, strategic, and operational priorities. This session continued the work of aligning leadership practices, clarifying roles, and strengthening support for campuses in order to drive student outcomes.
Leaders began by reflecting on their retreat experience with ILO, considering what was most impactful for their growth and what they wanted to see more of in future sessions. This reflection set the tone for honest conversations about leadership, learning, and continuous improvement.
Superintendent Dr. Marcey Sorensen shared, “The retreat gave us an opportunity to pause and look inward as District leaders. This session is about putting that reflection into practice so we can be more intentional, more coherent, and ultimately more effective in how we serve our campuses, employees, students and our families every day. We work to deliver on our promise to our community, and with that comes the responsibility to that all of us show up, ready to provide the highest quality work, not only from ourselves, but also from those that we lead...this is what truly drives outcomes for our families and students.”
Participants also explored how to create the right conditions for continuous improvement, using the “Four A’s” framework (assumptions, agree, argue, aspire/act). A highlight of this portion of the session was the discussion of Yotam Marom’s article, “Moving Toward Conflict for the Sake of Good Strategy.” The reading challenged leaders to reflect on the risks of conflict avoidance and the importance of addressing tensions directly in order to strengthen organizational strategy and impact.
Chief of Staff Joseph Niedziela emphasized, “These conversations are not always easy, but they are necessary. When we, as leaders, model reflection and accountability, we create the kind of culture that empowers principals and teachers to do the same. That’s how we drive meaningful change for our students.”
The session wrapped up with a strong focus on Excellence in Leadership. Leaders took part in meaningful reflection exercises, to themselves about the behaviors they are committed to changing in order to strengthen integrity and sharpen their focus on student outcomes.
They also examined the proposed Principal Professional Learning sequence, engaging in dialogue about where they agreed, where adjustments might be needed, and what measurable outcomes would best reflect principal growth. This final exercise reinforced the district’s dedication to continuous improvement and the critical role of leadership in driving student success.
By the end of the session, each leader identified personal commitments to carry forward into the next week, building momentum from both the retreat and this follow-up meeting. This ongoing learning series underscores La Joya ISD’s commitment to strong leadership, coherence across the system, and ultimately, improved student outcomes, and ensure Excellence in Leadership at La Joya ISD.