From Compliance to Commitment

Helping schools build the conditions where students, educators, and families can thrive together over the long term.

Based on your experience in this school/system, would you encourage your own children, or those you care about, to enter education?

Nationally, only 15–20% of educators currently recommend the profession to young people, suggesting that healthy working conditions, trust, support, and sustainable school cultures may matter as much as, or more than, salary alone in sustaining the future of the profession (NORC at the University of Chicago).

What We Help Schools Do

Strengthen trust, coherence, and shared responsibility
Improve long-term organizational conditions for students and adults
Build cultures that endure beyond individual leaders
Support sustainable student growth through intentional community design

From Compliance to Commitment

Compliance-Driven

Improvement rises and falls with individual leaders

Trust and coherence vary across teams

Meetings focus on logistics and mandates

Initiatives outpace organizational capacity

Improvement feels episodic or externally driven

Culture-First SchoOls

Shared purpose and responsibility endure

Trust, clarity, and support are strengthened

Meetings reinforce purpose and priorities

Systems strengthen alongside expectations

Continuous improvement becomes part of the culture

Culture-first schools are not less accountable. They are more coherent, sustainable, and capable of continuous improvement because the human and organizational conditions surrounding students are strengthened intentionally over time.

What educators and leaders are saying

testimonials

What is it about the school that attracted you? - How everyone wanted not only to create an excellent environment for the kids, but also for the adults…The opportunity to be involved in a wonderful school environment…I appreciated the school’s philosophy and values...The values.

Survey responses from staff members who were brought on together following Rich’s work with the school’s leader.

Teacher shortages and turnover are not just about pay, preparation, and pipelines—they reflect the culture. Schools thrive when communities unite around shared values, and leaders collaboratively build environments where those expectations come alive. I’ve seen this my whole career, and so has Rich—and he’s not just talking about it.

Dr. Charles Coble, an international authority on teacher preparation and development, and past Vice President of the Education Commission of the States

Rich helped us, as a new school, dig deep to understand and fully flesh out our shared values, and then to integrate and live those values throughout the school. The shift takes time, but for us it has paid dividends over the years by creating a cohesive group of adults moving forward toward a shared educational vision.

- Tammy Finch, K-8 Director of The Expedition School - one of North Carolina’s continually, highest-rated public schools.

I put my heart and soul into the school, and I was concerned that, like so many other schools that lose a long-term leader, the turnover rate would soar and damage the program we had built together over so many years. … Rich’s guidance was completely successful. After I left, the turnover rate did not spike, and the framework remains in place years later.

- Mitch Stensland, retired principal of Chatham Central High School, North Carolina

A people-centric culture — one that truly nurtures students, families, and employees — is what sets a school system apart. Whether you are new to the superintendency or your board and team are ready to elevate your work, I encourage you to speak with Rich. Our experience with him was very positive, and we look forward to partnering with him and Gayle again.

- Dr. Markley, former superintendent of New Hanover County Schools and chair of North Carolina’s large school district leadership group.

For years, I, like Rich, have partnered with People Ink. Today, that framework is woven into the cultures of all five universities in the Texas Tech system. As a result, students, faculty, staff, future health practitioners, and graduates are thriving and growing in ways that were not possible before.

- Steve Sosland, retired Leader and Culture Development Vice Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System

Many programs, like ours, struggle to take root because schools aren’t ready for change, or conditions shift when leadership turns over. Rich’s approach can equip schools to build the structures, habits, and culture needed for lasting growth—so teachers can succeed, leaders can stay, and students can thrive year after year.

- Dr. Terry Roberts, long-time director of the National Paideia Center, one of the oldest school reform models in the United States

We incorporate our values into everything we do, starting with hiring and onboarding. Our staff embodies our core values because these principles are not just words on paper—they guide every aspect of how we care for our patients and interact with our community. Through quarterly staff meetings focused on our built-on-values model, regular recognition of value-based behavior, and open discussions about the importance of these values, our team is deeply committed to living them out daily. From leadership setting the example to ongoing training and support, we ensure that every staff member understands and incorporates our core values into their work, creating a culture of compassionate, patient-centered care.

Compassion Health Care, including The Caswell County Family Medical Center, serves multiple rural communities along the Virginia-North Carolina border. Work with the CCFMC followed support of an initial partner school.

Building Culture That Lasts

We fully endorse Rich as a specialist in our process based on our collaboration across multiple projects.

Ann Rhoades is a nationally respected culture pioneer and the best-selling author of Built on Values (with a foreword by Stephen Covey). As founder of People Ink, she has spent more than 25 years helping purpose-driven organizations build values-based cultures rooted in trust, clarity, shared responsibility, and long-term human flourishing.

Her work has influenced organizations across education, patient-centered medicine, hospitality, nonprofits, and beyond, helping leaders strengthen cultures where people feel respected, empowered, and connected to a shared purpose.

A sought-after speaker, advisor, and long-time member of the Washington Speakers Bureau, Ann continues to advocate for organizations where people come first—and where strong culture becomes the foundation for enduring success.

As you begin your next strategic planning process, consider how stronger clarity, trust, and shared responsibility can help bring your community’s vision to life. Rich can explain how this process translates specifically to schools and systems.

Christopher T. Cross has been a leading voice in American education policy for more than five decades, helping shape systems, leadership, and school improvement efforts from the White House to local communities. Throughout his career, Chris has served in influential national and state leadership roles, including Assistant U.S. Secretary of Education, President of the Maryland State Board of Education, and President of the Council for Basic Education.

A long-time advocate for thoughtful, evidence-based reform, Chris continues to strengthen the nation’s schools through policy, leadership development, and strategic advising. He is one of many respected national leaders who recognize and support the work Rich is doing to help influence the future of educational leadership.

About Us

LeadingSchools Forward was founded in 2016 by Rich Sinclair with the support of UNC–Chapel Hill, Duke University, K–12 and higher education leaders, and in partnership with organizational culture pioneer People Ink.

Our mission is to help ensure that access to strong, enduring educational cultures depends not on privilege, policy, or proximity, but on the commitment of each school community to intentionally build them together.

We believe the United States’ long-term struggle to sustain significant student growth is connected, in part, to fragmentation, turnover, and a lack of organizational cohesion across schools and systems. As teachers, leaders, initiatives, and priorities frequently change, schools often struggle to sustain the trust, clarity, and shared responsibility necessary for continuous improvement over time.

As international education leadership expert Michael Fullan writes:

“Culture is the hallmark of effective leadership.”

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richsinclair

Rich Sinclair is a teacher, school leader, and K–12 culture specialist who helps schools and systems build coherent, purpose-driven communities where students and adults can thrive together. His work spans elementary, middle, and high schools as well as a medical center, helping organizations clarify shared values, strengthen relationships, and create the conditions for sustained growth and continuous improvement. Rich has partnered with large systems to strengthen leadership capacity, conducted doctoral-level research on organizational coherence in education, and applied these strategies directly in classrooms to help students grow through increased agency, belonging, and collective efficacy. Earlier in his career, he helped lead the collaborative turnaround of four K–12 schools, significantly improving student behavior, achievement, and enrollment, and later contributed to the refinement of a leading international college preparatory school. His path into education began with the impact a single elementary teacher had on his life, an experience that continues to shape his belief in what students, adults, and communities can become when culture is intentional. Outside of his work, Rich enjoys exploring Colorado and beyond with his wife, Amy, a statewide leader in rural philanthropy, and spending time with their son, Cole, a student at the University of Colorado.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaylewatson

Rich’s long-time mentor, Gayle Watson, is a nationally respected culture strategist and co-founder of People Ink, where she has spent more than 30 years helping values-driven teams strengthen trust, clarity, leadership, and people-first cultures. Her work has supported healthcare, higher education, nonprofits, and other sectors seeking to build healthier, more coherent workplace communities. As a former Chief Learning Officer, Gayle led transformational work in leadership development, culture alignment, and talent systems for one of the nation’s largest employers. Today, her consulting and executive coaching continue to strengthen leadership and culture across mission-centered institutions nationwide. A passionate advocate for women in business, Gayle has served as Board Chair of the National Association of Women Business Owners and as a board member for the Center for Women’s Business Research. She and her husband, Grant, live in Bella Vista, Arkansas, where they enjoy time on the golf course and in their community.

One-page introduction & Readiness Reflection

The LSF Compass

Our shared purpose, values, and indicators of shared responsibility.

Our Purpose 🎯

We help schools and systems strengthen the human and organizational conditions surrounding students so educators, families, communities, and young people can thrive together over the long term.

This is how we operate — and what we look for when we work with schools.

Our Values

INTERDEPENDENCE 🔗

We succeed through trust, transparency, and shared responsibility.

Focus on progress that benefits students, families, communities, and colleagues.
Seek out the strengths and perspectives of others, especially those closest to the work.
Step in to support others, close gaps, and ensure no one carries the work alone.
Recognize and celebrate the contributions of others in ways that strengthen trust and belonging.

How have I contributed to the success or support of others in a way that strengthened the community as a whole?

INTENTION 🎯

We do what is right for the long-term health of people, relationships, and communities.

Build trust through consistent actions, honest communication, and follow-through.
Contribute fully to shared goals and responsibilities rather than operating in isolation.
Protect the integrity of the work, even when the right choice is more difficult than the easiest one.

What action did I take this week that reflected our deeper purpose and long-term commitments?

GROWTH 🌱

We grow ourselves and others so communities can thrive sustainably over time.

Ask courageous questions that challenge assumptions and open new possibilities.
Welcome diverse perspectives as essential to learning, improvement, and innovation.
Grow through reflection, feedback, humility, and a willingness to improve.
Strengthen collective capacity by helping others lead, learn, and grow.

How have I contributed to the growth of others or strengthened our shared capacity this month?

Our Indicators 📈

We measure shared responsibility through the lived experiences and long-term outcomes of the communities we support.”

CURRENT CONDITIONS

Student Academic Resilience
Family Partnership
Employee Engagement
Community Support
Transformative Leadership & Shared Capacity

LONG-TERM OUTCOMES

Student Academic Growth
Enrollment & Retention
Staff Cohesion & Retention
Community Investment & Trust
Shared Leadership Across Roles

Schools and systems can assess internal cohesion through survey questions related to trust, inclusion, clarity, pride, belonging, collaboration, and shared responsibility — alongside the indicators above.

Student Academic Resilience refers to students’ ability to persist, recover, and continue growing despite challenges or setbacks.
Transformative leadership strengthens shared purpose, trust, collaboration, and long-term improvement.

Connect with us

We welcome thoughtful conversations with educators, leaders, schools, and community partners.

BASELINE REFLECTION & ASSESSMENT

What kind of culture and future does your community hope to build and how closely do your current conditions, relationships, and systems support that vision today?

ONGOING PARTNERSHIP & SUPPORT

Schools and systems naturally drift, especially during periods of growth, leadership transition, stress, or change. We help communities strengthen alignment, rebuild trust, and sustain long-term coherence over time.

LEADERSHIP COLLABORATION

Interested in exploring these ideas or discussing possibilities for your school or system? We welcome thoughtful conversations with educators, leaders, universities, and community partners committed to long-term improvement.