Leadership Definition
BACKGROUND
In La Porte ISD, we believe every employee can be a leader, regardless of role or title. This guiding principle is at the core of everything we do in the district and has developed as part of our ongoing work with the Holdsworth Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to leadership development to improve the quality of public schools across Texas.
In 2021, La Porte ISD was selected by the Holdsworth Center to take part in its Leadership Collaborative—an 18-month program designed to strengthen our leadership and talent development systems. Since then, much work has been done, including the development of our Leadership Definition, unique to La Porte ISD. The goal of this Leadership Definition is to provide a clear blueprint for leadership development at every employment level, and to inspire leadership growth for us all.
Our Leadership Definition is the focus of all professional learning for leadership development and is the cornerstone of the curriculum for our Aspiring Leadership Academy and our Executive Leadership and Mentoring Program. The definition is also the framework that guides all professional learning for our existing leadership team, so that we are all developing the skills that align carefully with what we believe is crucial for leaders in La Porte ISD.
A FOCUS ON DISTRICT COMMITTMENTS
La Porte ISD has a strong set of values and commitments that have helped guide our work and were the foundation for our Leadership Definition. These commitments are not changing and will continue to guide how we serve the La Porte students, families, and community. To review:
La Porte ISD is committed to:
- Meaningful Work and Meaningful Relationships
- Effective Communication and Transparency
- A Culture of Academic Excellence
- Student Health and Safety
- Effective Teaching and Learning
- Hiring and Retaining Quality Staff
- Providing Learning Spaces that Optimize Student Outcomes
- Partnering with Parents and the Community to Promote Educational Opportunities
Our new Leadership Definition is designed to align our work to our core values by giving us the specific behaviors that we can use daily in our positions for success. Simply put, our Leadership Definition sets clear behavior expectations for leadership at all levels that will ensure our District Commitments are met. Student success is our number one priority in La Porte ISD, and our Leadership Definition helps ensure our leaders are well-equipped to deliver the high-quality education that our students and families have come to expect.
CORE COMPETENCIES TO GUIDE OUR WORK
The La Porte ISD Leadership Definition framework is organized around four categories of leadership: Focus on Relationships, Commitment to Growth, Passion for Results, and Pursuit of Innovation. These categories outline the four critical behaviors of leadership in La Porte ISD, and each of these categories are further defined by competencies within the behavior. Spend some time clicking on the competencies below and exploring what they mean and how these leadership behaviors might apply to your role in La Porte ISD.