This year marked the launch of the Head of School Leadership Collective, a new initiative designed to foster meaningful connection, collaboration, and support among Montessori school leaders across the country.
In previous years, Heads of School gathered periodically in one large Zoom meeting throughout the year. While valuable, it became increasingly clear that our community needed differentiated spaces to share resources, and get into the details of what it means to lead in their specific context. The Leadership Collective was created to bring Heads of School together in smaller, thoughtfully designed cohorts that could meet consistently and build authentic relationships over time.
Throughout the year, over thirty cohorts met monthly, connecting leaders from schools with similar structures, experiences, and challenges. Cohorts were organized around shared characteristics such as school size, organizational structure, and program focus, including bilingual Montessori schools, faith-based Montessori schools, proprietary schools, and nonprofit schools. This structure allowed participants to engage in conversations that felt immediately relevant to their day-to-day leadership experiences.
Each cohort was guided by a dedicated group of ambassadors who helped facilitate thoughtful discussion and cultivate a welcoming, supportive environment. Monthly conversations were centered around chapters from the newly published AMS School Management Guide, offering leaders the opportunity to reflect together on key topics in Montessori school leadership. Discussions explored areas such as Family Engagement and Communication, Finance Operations, Responding to Data, and Admissions and Enrollment.
What emerged over the course of the year was far more than a discussion group. The Leadership Collective became a space where school leaders could share ideas openly, exchange practical resources, celebrate successes, and navigate challenges together.
As ambassador Amy Henderson shared:
“This is an avenue to connect heads of schools and learn about each other and learn from each other. The topics are broad and often someone will focus on what they are currently working on within the topic, getting advice from other heads of schools. It is the connection that is so valuable.”
Many participants reflected on the relief and encouragement that came from realizing they were not alone in their experiences as leaders. Leadership can often feel isolated, and the Collective created space for school leaders to build relationships with peers who deeply understand the complexities of the role.
Ambassador Diann Sanderson reflected on the value of connecting with leaders from similar school communities:
“Participation with leaders from schools with similar make ups, in our cohort’s case small, independent language immersion programs, brought opportunities for sharing together our unique challenges and solutions that were refreshing and affirming. The connections that we made together felt authentically mutually beneficial.”
Participants also shared how the collaborative nature of the cohorts led to meaningful growth within their own schools and communities. Conversations frequently moved beyond challenges into practical problem-solving and resource sharing, from discussing handbook policies and fundraising strategies to exchanging developmental resources and communication tools.
One participant reflected:
“You aren’t having to invent the wheel. We were able to lean on one another. The benefits spread into the school environment. I learned so much from all of them, and I brought those ideas back into my school community.”
The conversations themselves serve as a powerful reminder that while Montessori schools may differ in size, geography, or structure, many of the challenges—and successes—of school leadership are shared.
This sense of connection extended beyond the virtual meetings as many cohort members had the opportunity to meet one another in person at The Montessori Event. These in-person moments strengthened relationships that had already been developing throughout the year and reinforced the sense of community that became central to the Leadership Collective experience.
As the first year of the Head of School Leadership Collective comes to a close, we are deeply grateful to the incredible ambassadors who helped guide conversations, to the leaders who showed up each month with openness and generosity, and to the growing community of Montessori school leaders committed to learning alongside one another. And we are thrilled for these conversations to resume in the Fall.
The Head of School Leadership Collective is open to all Heads of AMS member schools. Be on the lookout for an invitation from your ambassador in August as we prepare for another year of connection, collaboration, and shared learning.
If you are interested in serving as an ambassador or have questions about the Leadership Collective, please reach out to Rachel Cole at Rachel.Cole@amshq.org.