The Principal in Residence (PiR) Program is a year-long residency within a school, strategically designed to equip aspiring school leaders with the essential knowledge, skills, and leadership acumen necessary for driving impactful educational outcomes during their initial year as a principal and beyond. 

Our program goes beyond traditional training, offering a dynamic curriculum that covers a spectrum of crucial topics, including strategic planning, effective communication, team building, and innovative educational leadership strategies. Participants will engage in interactive workshops, case studies, and real-world simulations, providing them with practical experiences to apply in diverse school environments.

Weekly coaching sessions tailored for C-suite leaders or Principals, focusing on strategic planning, goal progress tracking, and the delivery of robust academic results for scholars. These sessions aim to enhance leadership effectiveness and drive continuous improvement. 

Collaborative planning and facilitation of off-site quarterly meetings for network CEOs, ensuring a concentrated focus on achieving organizational results, fostering teamwork, and building strong professional relationships. Leadership retreats provide a strategic platform for aligning goals and enhancing network effectiveness.

Strategic support provided to team leaders for ensuring a robust onboarding process for senior leaders within the organization. The Leadership Onboarding initiative aims to integrate new leaders seamlessly, accelerating their effectiveness and contributing to overall organizational success. 

In 1998, JoAnn co-founded IDEA Public Schools alongside fellow Teach For America corps member Tom Torkelson. Starting her journey as a principal, JoAnn's leadership trajectory at IDEA included serving as Chief Operating Officer, where she oversaw critical auxiliary services such as transportation, child nutrition, construction, building maintenance, technology, and human resources. She later ascended to Chief of Schools and Superintendent, roles in which she managed regional executive directors tasked with ensuring exemplary program implementation and maintaining high academic standards, culminating in A letter grades for schools and achieving 100% college admission for students. Ultimately, JoAnn served as Chief Executive Officer, where she was responsible for leading over 8,000 staff, serving 70,000 students, and managing an annual budget approaching one billion dollars. Through her visionary leadership across these roles, JoAnn significantly contributed to IDEA's growth from a single school to a vast network educating tens of thousands of students across Texas. (Complete bio here.)