[Instructional Coaches] need to shape teams norms, facilitate schoolwide implementation of interventions, promote more constructive styles of professional discourse, motivate unmotivated teachers, raise thorny issues, negotiate resolutions to the conflicts that those thorny issues stir up, and stand in opposition to any action or attitude that is not good for children.
- Joellen Killion and Cindy Harrison; Taking the Lead

The Role of the School Leader:

School leaders share the school vision, align their professional goals with school and district goals, and share responsibility for the school’s overall success.  Because coaches are naturally leaders among their peers, taking a more formal role as a school leader gives more opportunities to model teacher leadership and make their work transparent to others who want the opportunity to lead.
- Joellen Killion and Cindy Harrison; Taking the Lead

Here are some ways that FCPS Instructional Coaches serve in this role:

• Serving on many school committees, such as school improvement, responsive instruction, and team and department chairs.
• Supporting school, pyramid, region, and district-wide initiatives.

Building the capacity of our teachers to improve outcomes for children is the single most important thing we can do as leaders of our schools.  The targeted knowledge and support of an instructional coach is a strategic resource in this endeavor.
-Merrell Dade, Principal, Forestdale Elementary School