8 Ways High-Impact Organizations Build What Lasts

Celebrating 8 Years of Strategic Advancement

Some organizations chase improvement.
Others build it.

This month, Strategic Advancement celebrates 8 years of partnering with schools that don’t settle for surface change. These are districts and leaders who dared to dig deeper into their systems, their people, and their purpose.

What they’ve built isn’t just innovation.
It’s sustainable transformation — aligned, measurable, and mission-driven.

In this post, we’re spotlighting 8 real stories of schools that faced different challenges and chose to lead with strategy, not shortcuts.

1. From Passionate Effort to Collective Vision

Client: Caldwell Exempted Village Schools

Caldwell’s leadership team wasn’t struggling, they were striving. Every department, every building, every team had its own energy, its own direction. What they needed was alignment, a unified vision to get everyone moving in the same direction.

That clarity came through a process rooted in local voice. Strategic Advancement, under the direction of Kristi Thompson, facilitated a district-wide survey process that reached students, families, staff, and community members. Together, we didn’t just collect feedback — we studied it, honored it, and used it to shape a strategy everyone could own.

A district team, inclusive of multiple perspectives, came together to bring this vision to life. The result wasn’t a document for a shelf. It was a living strategy — one that reflected Caldwell’s values, rallied its people, and focused its efforts.

“Kristi unified our stakeholders and leadership team, laying the foundation for a cohesive culture and a successful long-term strategy.”
— Greg Gifford, Superintendent

2. From Progress to Pioneering

Client: Goshen Local Schools

Some districts chase innovation. Goshen leads it.

Our partnership with Goshen spans more than a decade and they’ve never stopped evolving. What began with curriculum maps and deconstructing standards quickly expanded into strategic planning, leadership development, culture building, instructional rounds, and even AI integration for teachers.

Each year, Goshen asks: "What’s next?" Then they set out to design it — not just for their students, but for their leadership teams, their teachers, and their future.

They don’t look for cookie-cutter answers. They invest in professional learning that’s responsive, real-time, and built to grow with them. From Portrait of a Graduate support to instructional materials for literacy, Goshen pushes the envelope — and challenges us to grow alongside them.

“Kristi’s professional development approach is truly customizable and fluid...This partnership feels like having an additional curriculum assistant, addressing needs identified collaboratively.”
— Teresa Scherzinger, Assistant Superintendent

3. Creating Aligned Instruction and Data-Driven Clarity

Client: East Clinton Local Schools

At East Clinton, the leadership team wasn’t lost — they were overloaded. With academic expectations rising and new roles forming, they needed more than support — they needed a strategy to create clarity, capacity, and alignment.

We began with assessment literacy by guiding staff in connecting standards to instruction through a structured, multi-year process. Together, we developed curriculum maps, led data-driven professional development sessions, and helped instructional leaders understand how to use assessment data to strengthen practice.

We also helped establish and support their new instructional coaches, guiding them through the transition with personalized coaching and on-the-ground support. This wasn’t about handing over a playbook — it was about helping a team build their own.

“Kristi is more than a consultant—she’s a committed partner who brings clarity, strategy, and unwavering support to every stage of instructional leadership.”
— Jason Jones, Director of Teaching & Learning

“Kristi’s personalized, data-informed coaching helped our team grow faster and accomplish more in three years than we thought possible.”
— Sarah Melnek, Instructional Coach

“Through Kristi’s support and mentorship, we became more focused, more confident, and more effective in driving school-wide improvement.”
— Julie Fliehman, Instructional Coach

4. From Compliance to Empowered Implementation

Client: West Muskingum Local Schools

When the state of Ohio mandated PBIS implementation, West Muskingum had a choice — treat it like a checklist or turn it into something meaningful.

They chose transformation.

Together, we worked to clarify not just what PBIS meant for their district, but why it mattered. Through stakeholder collaboration, classroom walkthroughs, and strategic planning, we helped the district move from surface-level compliance to a deeply embedded model of student ownership and behavioral leadership.

Matrixes were created that gave students clear expectations and voice in shaping school culture. The result? A system that didn’t just “check the box,” but changed how students saw themselves as leaders in their school community.

“Kristi’s approach facilitated seamless collaboration, ensuring every voice was heard...She transformed lofty ideas into a practical, measurable, and realistic plan that propelled our district forward.”
— Kelli Wolgamuth, Director of Curriculum Development

5. From PD to Practice: Building Systemwide Instructional Impact

Client: Reading Community Schools

Reading’s leadership team didn’t want another round of professional development. They wanted consistency. A clear, aligned instructional language across buildings and teams.

Together, we created a multi-year professional learning plan for formative instructional practices that met monthly with building leaders. This wasn’t just about learning; it was about building systems that would sustain clarity, alignment, and results.

We re-examined how curriculum maps and assessments were being used — not just as compliance tools, but as living documents that informed real instructional decisions. We redesigned expectations around what teachers submitted, what leaders collected, and what actually drove instructional improvement.

This past year, that innovation expanded into AI-powered planning. We facilitated the use AI to design smarter curriculum tools, accelerate workflow, and deepen collaboration.

Reading isn’t just adopting innovation. They’re embedding it; one aligned, intentional system at a time.

“Kristi brings hands-on leadership, adaptability, and clarity—aligning our team, elevating our systems, and becoming a trusted thought partner in every step of our work.”
— Mark Edwards, Assistant Superintendent

6. Creating Collective Efficacy and Distributed Leadership

Client: Goshen Local Schools

Great schools don’t leave leadership to a few. They build it into everyone.

At Goshen, in Spaulding Elementary and Goshen Middle School, distributed leadership isn’t a buzzword — it’s a blueprint. Through instructional rounds, school leadership team development, and intentional culture-building, both buildings have created systems that amplify teacher voice, strengthen collaboration, and align strategy from the classroom up.

Even schools with strong cultures know that excellence isn’t a given. It's maintained through work. These buildings put in that work. Through regular coaching and feedback structures, their school leadership teams (SLTs) became true decision-makers, leading everything from professional development facilitation to building-level initiatives.

This wasn’t about fixing problems; it was about scaling what worked and making it sustainable.

“Kristi gave us the tools, structure, and encouragement to build trust, rebuild morale, and turn collaboration into academic success.”
— Kim Kelly, Teacher Leader

“Kristi built a culture of trust that empowered deep reflection, measurable growth, and a remarkable transformation in both leadership and academic results.”
— Ashley Andrews, Elementary Principal

“Kristi turned instructional rounds, coaching, and culture-building into a leadership movement that reignited our school community.”
— Jen Schlosser, Elementary Principal

“Kristi’s influence helped transform our schools by tailoring support, sparking honest dialogue, and positioning us ahead of the curve in education.”
— Kelsey Ryback, Instructional Coach

7. From Rural Isolation to Real-World Integration

Client: Ridgemont High School

In rural schools, innovation often collides with isolation. Teachers do incredible work, but rarely have access to networks that support real-time collaboration or bridge classroom learning with local industry.

The Educator AgriNetwork was designed to change that.

Launched in partnership with Ridgemont High School and powered by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, this statewide initiative connects agricultural educators across Ohio with each other — and with the workforce they’re preparing students to join.

Together, teachers and industry leaders co-design curriculum, align instruction with in-demand skills, and build career-connected learning experiences rooted in local opportunity.

The AgriNetwork does more than bridge education and industry, it builds the professional networks rural teachers often lack. No matter where they teach, educators can now tap into expertise, exchange ideas, and access support — right when they need it.

This is more than a project. It’s a replicable system for teacher empowerment and workforce innovation.

“We are building something bigger than any one classroom or district. The AgriNetwork gives educators the tools, partnerships, and shared vision to make real-world learning a reality — no matter where they are.”
— Dr. Stephanie Jolliff & Lori Romie, Co-Founding Educators, The Educator AgriNetwork

8. From Leadership Lessons to a Student Leadership Movement

Client: Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools

At Indian Hill, leadership isn’t a buzzword, it’s a commitment. And they’re starting where the future begins: with students.

This year, Indian Hill is expanding its district-wide leadership vision by building a Student Entrepreneur’s Leadership Hub. This is a space where students can grow their leadership identity, take ownership of real-world learning, and collaborate on entrepreneurial capstone projects.

Strategic Advancement is partnering with them to design this hub from the ground up. This trail-blazing learning community includes custom tools, hands-on experiences, and a system of learning that builds reflective practice and future-ready skills. It’s not just about teaching students to lead; it’s about giving them a platform to “Lead Now.”

This is more than character building.
It’s capacity building designed for the leaders they’re becoming.

"The work we are doing with Strategic Advancement has been nothing short of transformational. Through our partnership we have been working on building a digital leadership portal and academy, where every student in our district will have access to tools, resources, and experiences designed to grow their leadership acumen. This isn’t just about preparing students for today – it’s about building the leaders of tomorrow. By embedding leadership development into the fabric of our schools, we are ensuring that our students graduate not only academically prepared but also equipped with the vision, confidence, and skills to lead in their future careers and communities.” - Jeff Damadeo, Director of K-12 Leadership & Career Development

“What’s most exciting about this work is not just what it builds today — but what it makes possible for the students who will lead tomorrow. At Strategic Advancement, we’re honored to help shape spaces where young people can grow into their leadership potential, one bold step at a time.” — Kristi Thompson, President

Bottom Line: Every District’s Journey Is Different. But the Destination? That’s Up to You.

The truth is: there’s no one-size-fits-all path to sustainable school innovation.

Some leaders want to reimagine instruction. Others want to strengthen culture, grow leadership, or build something brand new. Some just want to feel like their team is headed in the same direction.

Wherever you are — stuck, scaling, or dreaming big, Strategic Advancement helps you design a path forward. One that fits your people, honors your mission, and actually works.

“Kristi’s customizable approach took us from good to great—strengthening our culture, deepening reflection, and improving academic outcomes.”
— Teresa Scherzinger, Assistant Superintendent

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