As the final school bells ring and the halls begin to quiet, June presents school leaders with a rare and valuable window—an opportunity to reflect deeply before the full rhythm of summer sets in. The final weeks of June, though often filled with logistical wrap-up, can be some of the most impactful for strategic thinking. With the school year still fresh in mind, now is the perfect time to ask: What worked well? What didn’t? And how can we grow from it?
Reflection isn’t a luxury; it’s a leadership necessity. Waiting until August to do meaningful reflection compresses time, clouds memory, and can put planning into reactive rather than proactive mode. By starting this process now, school leaders can move beyond anecdotal impressions and into thoughtful, strategic improvement.
Reflection doesn’t require a full-blown stakeholder summit. In fact, some of the most productive June conversations are small, focused, and honest. Consider including:
- Instructional leadership team members (principals, assistant principals, instructional coaches)
- Department heads or grade-level leaders
- Student support services leads (counselors, deans, special education coordinators)
- Select teacher leaders who bring a pulse of the staff experience
- Operations managers to ensure systems and logistics are addressed
- Possibly emailing surveys to gather a portion of constituents’ thoughts to get a base for ideas for improvement
This core group can function as a “summer think tank,” reviewing data, identifying trends, and surfacing areas that deserve immediate attention or celebration. While broader community engagement (families, full faculty, students) is vital for buy-in and inclusivity, many meaningful decisions can and should begin now, including:
- Reviewing instructional initiatives to determine what will be sustained, scaled, or sunset
- Identifying key focus areas for professional learning
- Refining school schedules, calendars, and intervention blocks
- Adjusting student support structures based on discipline, attendance, or SEL data
- Streamlining school-wide procedures that need more consistency or that are consuming the time of administrators and preventing them from getting into classrooms.
Early clarity on these elements gives planning teams more time to align resources, prepare communications, and build rollout strategies for staff in August.
A good reflection is only as useful as the plan it inspires. Here’s how to build momentum:
- Use a simple but powerful “Start, Stop, Continue” framework
This structure keeps conversations focused and forward-looking and doesn’t soak up time that could be dedicated to actual planning. - Prioritize with intention
Not everything needs to be fixed at once. Choose 2–3 key initiatives that align with your school’s goals and have a high impact. - Document with transparency
Create a shared, living document that outlines observations, key decisions, and action steps—assign ownership and deadlines. - Make space for follow-up in July or early August
Schedule one or two short check-in meetings during the summer to ensure follow-through and coordination. - Plan how to communicate decisions
Think through how to roll out changes in August so staff feel informed, supported, and part of the process—even if they weren’t at the June table.
Final Thoughts
June is not just the end of the year—it’s the launchpad for the next. While you want to get that rest this time of year, this last step is critical before moving into other nuances such as summer school. School leaders who use this time intentionally set the tone for a stronger, more coherent start in the fall. So find a quiet office, pull together your core team, and take a few days to reflect, learn, and lead forward. The schools that grow the most aren’t the ones that wait—they’re the ones that think now, plan early, and act boldly.
Your summer starts stronger when your year ends smarter!