Creating a Thriving School Environment Through Strong Principal–Teacher Partnerships
What does it take to build a school culture where educators feel supported, students feel safe, and families feel connected?
In this episode of Rewriting the Narrative, CEC President Ben Tillotson sits down with Dr. Andy Jacks, principal of Ellis Elementary School in Virginia, and Denise Zervoudis, a special education teacher and team lead at the school, to explore how strong principal–teacher partnerships can transform a school community, especially in high-need settings.
Their conversation, produced in partnership with the LEAD IDEA Center, offers a powerful reminder: thriving schools are built on trust, listening, shared leadership, and a deep commitment to inclusion.
Listening First: Building Trust From Day One
Dr. Jacks joined Ellis Elementary as a new principal amid significant staff turnover. Rather than arriving with a pre-set agenda, he chose to start with listening.
“One of the things that I do is make sure that I have listening sessions so that all the teachers and staff could meet with me during the summer,” he explained. “Which is such an important thing—to listen first, right?”
That approach immediately resonated with Denise Zervoudis, who remembers feeling nervous walking into that first meeting.
“I was probably sweating in his office,” she said. “But as we started getting to talk [about] his ambitions and what he wanted out of Ellis and what my ambitions were and what I wanted to do as a special educator, we met in the middle… I walked out with confidence.”
For Dr. Jacks, listening was not optional; it was foundational. “How the trust of principal and teacher and the relationships that we have, if anything, it’s more important now than ever,” he said, pointing to the growing societal challenges schools face.
Shared Ownership in a Time of Change
With more than 50 percent of teachers new to the building, Ellis Elementary had a rare opportunity to build culture together.
“There’s something so special about building together,” Dr. Jacks noted. “They’re co-creating this.”
That co-creation showed up in tangible ways. Later staff surveys revealed that 100 percent of teachers agreed that teachers play an active role in shaping the school’s culture and decisions, a powerful indicator of shared leadership and trust.
What Support Really Looks Like for Teachers
For Denise, the difference between past administrative experiences and her work with Dr. Jacks was clear.
“The open-mindedness and the willingness to hear our voice,” she said. “Who really knows the student? The teacher knows the student. We’re with that student seven and a half hours a day.”
She emphasized how meaningful it is when administrators truly listen to special educators, especially during moments of behavioral or instructional challenge. “That’s the bottom line,” she said. “We want the student to be successful.”
Dr. Jacks reinforced that support must be visible and relational.
“You have to get to know the individual,” he said. “Do you know who their students are? Do you know their students by name?”
Leading Side by Side, Not From Above
One defining feature of Dr. Jacks' leadership is his willingness to model practices directly in classrooms.
"If teachers don't see you doing the work with them side by side, then they don't really believe that you even know what you're talking about," he said.
Whether demonstrating instructional strategies, supporting behavior regulation, or sitting on the carpet during class meetings, Dr. Jacks made his presence felt in authentic ways.
"I'm on the floor just like the students," he shared. "Making sure that every single student felt included."
This modeling was especially impactful for students who were newly included in general education settings, reinforcing a culture of empathy, belonging, and mutual respect.
Building Community Beyond the Classroom
Ellis Elementary’s culture extends beyond staff relationships to families and the broader community. From neighborhood bus tours and museum scavenger hunts to parent resource sessions and cultural events, connection is intentional.
“It is a true community,” Denise said. “Not just the staff, but the kids, the parents, they’re all buying in now.”
Serving a population where 77% of students are English learners, Dr. Jacks emphasized the importance of safety and belonging.
The Impact: Retention, Growth, and Student Success
The results of this leadership approach are measurable. Teacher retention rose from roughly 50% to nearly 90%. Trust and satisfaction rates exceeded 90%. And student outcomes improved significantly.
“In special education for reading alone, we had a 19% increase on grade level for K–2,” Dr. Jacks shared. “And then for third through fifth, we had a 25% increase.”
Denise sees that impact daily. “Kids really feel the trust,” she said. “They wanted to work for you.”
Rewriting the Narrative of School Leadership
This episode of Rewriting the Narrative illustrates what is possible when principals and teachers work as partners, grounded in trust, humility, and a shared commitment to students.
As Dr. Jacks put it simply, “Principals are only as good as the staff they have around them.”