Belicia Reaves is wrapping up her first year as Executive Director of Two Rivers Public Charter School, and reflecting on the achievements of her team of 185 staff members across three campuses. Together, they have supported 1,022 students from every ward in DC. “The phrase I coined for the staff is that we are one network, Two Rivers: across three campuses and four buildings. So if you can remember, one, two, three, four, you can remember our plan for this year.”
“I deemed this ‘Year Zero,’” she says about her first year.” There were a lot of transitions that took place in the last two years in both staff and leadership. We had three new principals who transitioned from an AP role, a new CAO, and I stepped in as the new ED. Our priority has been to rebuild culture, climate, and Crew.”
In schools with effective principals, students achieve significantly higher gains in reading and math. These schools also see better student attendance rates and reduced chronic absenteeism. As schools nationwide recover from the pandemic, retaining exceptional leaders is crucial. Belicia Reaves knows the power of investing in and prioritizing leadership development, utilizing shared leadership: “As the new ED, what is pinnacle to me and my team is shared leadership. I can’t do this alone, nor do I believe it should be done alone.”
Here are three ways shared leadership came alive at Two Rivers:
“There’s a Chiefs team, an instructional leadership team, an organizational leadership team, and a Leadership Council that includes teacher leaders. These teams serve as our checks and balances, ensuring we have all stakeholders involved. When decisions are made, we want everyone to have a seat at the table.”
For Belicia, the most important aspect of leader and teacher retention is letting people know you care. “Making sure that everybody feels seen, heard, and valued is a top priority for me because that’s how you retain talented people.” Belica embarked on her ED listening tour last fall, and it quickly extended through the entire school year. “It took some time for folks to believe I was actually listening. This isn’t performative. It really is genuine. I appreciate those who are still making appointments with me. You don’t need a title to lead; you just need to let people know you care.”
3. Seek coaching and development.In her own transition from principal to Executive Director, Belicia Reaves sought out a coach with School Leader Lab. “I cannot tell you how valuable our sessions have been for processing emotions and feelings. My coach with School Leader Lab is one of the people that I can reach out to and think deeply about challenges. She has given me direct feedback that was necessary and holds me accountable. What I truly appreciate is that it’s not about sugarcoating or giving a pat on the back to make me feel better. It is genuinely asking the hard questions, making observations, and creating an action plan to respond effectively.”
“Teachers were already receiving coaching at Two Rivers, but there was no coaching for our leadership team.” Belicia decided that the principals and CAO should also receive coaching and participate in School Leader Cohort. “Our mentality is that this is something that enhances our practice. It doesn’t mean that we don’t know something; it means we are improving what we already know.”
Belicia and Two Rivers have already seen results. There is now a shared language amongst the leaders for coaching, instruction, and feedback. “We have a template that is aligned vertically and horizontally. From the assistant teacher all the way up to the ED there is a pathway for the future of our professional development.” Two Rivers’ middle school has also experienced what Belicia calls “a complete 180.” In SY 23-24, Principal Ashely Stone (SLL TFA PLC 2023 + SLC 2024) worked with her team to implement a positive behavior system from the EL Crew curriculum, resulting in an 80% decrease in discipline incidents. Additionally, staff retention increased by 10 percentage points to 78% over the prior year, thanks to strong leadership.
Belicia attributes all of these successes to shared leadership in her Two Rivers Crew. “I have all the right pieces to put the puzzle together and sail the boat in the right direction this school year.”