Week 16: Monitor Your Progress! - 1.2

Written By Karima Hughes, M.Ed.

Back in Week 8, I shared my first experience with progress monitoring, including how to create a simple and effective progress tracker. Now, eight weeks later, it’s time for another check-in — just like I did then.

How are you doing as a leader?

  • Are you meeting your goals?

  • What challenges are you facing?

  • What habits are becoming second nature?

  • What experiences have surprised you, pushed your thinking, or tested your patience?

I've been capturing my own answers to these questions each week through the lessons linked below:

  • Week 8: Monitor Your Progress! 1.1 [LINK]

  • Week 9: Sweat a Little . . . [LINK]

  • Week 10: Rally + Thank Them! [LINK]

  • Week 11: Show Up Armor-Free: "Do" Vulnerability! [LINK]

  • Week 12: Broaden Your Critical Friends Network! [LINK]

  • Week 13: Take a Moment . . . [LINK]

  • Week 14: Keep Your Ear to the Rail [LINK]

  • Week 15: Be Brief and Clear! [LINK]

It’s hard to believe that it has now been four months since I stepped into the role of Interim Acting Assistant Principal. I’ve completed both my Level One and Level Two interviews, and I’m awaiting my official appointment as an Assistant Principal — without the "IA" at the end. #Joy

Reflecting on my journey so far, I realize there are areas I need to strengthen, particularly maintaining curricular systems and recording low-inference notes while observing team meetings. To address this, I've brainstormed action steps I’ll begin implementing this week to sharpen my effectiveness.

I must also admit: showing up armor-free continues to be a work in progress for me. However, I'm getting more comfortable leaning into difficult conversations — and that is a celebration in itself. What progress will you celebrate this week?

This Week’s Challenge:

  • Conduct your second round of progress monitoring.

  • Be honest about where you stand.

  • Celebrate the wins — no matter how small.

  • Identify the areas in which you must continue to grow.

Self-reflective leaders know that transparency with themselves (and their teams) is key. When you consistently monitor your progress, you pinpoint challenges and build the momentum to keep moving forward.

To support you, I’ve included a visual of my progress monitoring template below and directions for filling it out. Feel free to use it for your own leadership journey. An editable version is linked below — just click the image!

Lesson #16
Monitor your progress. Track your growth in a sustainable, transparent, and impactful way. The ultimate goal? Strengthen your leadership to better support teaching and learning across your school.

Directions for Completing the Progress Monitoring Template

Step 1: School Mission At the top of the template, write your school’s mission statement. This grounds your work in the larger purpose of the school community.

Step 2: Fill Out the First Four Columns
For each core responsibility you hold as a leader, complete the first four columns:

Progress Check-Ins

Purpose: This tracker is designed to help you self-monitor your leadership impact in a way that is consistent, transparent, and aligned with school-wide goals.

  • Core Responsibilities:
    List the major duties or focus areas assigned to you (e.g., Instructional Coaching, Grade Team Facilitation, Family Engagement).

  • Big Rocks:
    Identify the high-priority tasks or key deliverables within each responsibility. These are your non-negotiables — the actions that will have the greatest impact.

  • Connection to School Goals:
    Briefly explain how this responsibility supports the school’s overall goals (e.g., improving student achievement, increasing attendance, fostering inclusive practices).

  • How . . .
    Describe how you plan to execute or monitor this responsibility. Be specific! Include strategies, routines, or tools you will use.

Step 3: Complete Progress Check-Ins Over Time
There are five columns for progress check-ins:

  • 1st–5th Progress Check-In Columns:

    • At each scheduled interval (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly — depending on your timeline), jot down reflections about your progress:

      • What’s going well?

      • What challenges have emerged?

      • What adjustments need to be made?

    • Be honest and specific. You can use bullet points or short sentences.

Helpful Tips:

  • Keep entries short but meaningful.

  • Focus on evidence: What can you observe, measure, or describe?

  • Use your check-ins to plan next steps or course corrections.

  • Celebrate small wins!

Link to template:  Leadership Progress Check Template

 

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Do you have any questions or would like to join the conversation? Reach out anytime! And while you're here, don’t miss out on Antiguan in America: A Racial Autobiography. Dive deeper into the journey of building your racial awareness and disrupting systemic inequities—Purchase your copy now. See you in the next post!

Karima Hughes, M.Ed.
Next

Week 15: Be Brief and Clear!