Building level administrators must be part of the expanding culture of inquiry. IESN will help teachers learn and apply new strategies and tools in the classroom, analyze the impact of such strategies and tools, and make adjustments to improve student learning. The work at the school site must be supported by the school district and by outside networking. Schools will use the expertise of IESN coaches, critical friends, and CES to help them examine site issues with an 'outside' perspective. We must actively work to involve people with diverse viewpoints recognizing that the resulting conflict, if mediated with norms of collaboration, will lead to more lasting change.
Local ownership is crucial.
This is why diversity must be embraced and not ignored. Administrators at the local level must support schools in building a shared vision that embraces diversity and reflects a systemic vision. Building level administrators must lead by sharing leadership and actively sustaining shared visioning throughout the years. Shared visioning must be seen as an active recursive process not an empty exercise to produce a document to collect dust Sustaining norms for inquiry and collaboration must be a priority at the network level as well. Innovation and risk taking must be nurtured and supported at the network level and at the school level.