Ascend + Strategic Planning Retreats

Ascend builds your leadership team’s capacity month by month. Strategic Planning Retreats create dedicated space at critical moments (December and May) for your team to step back, align, and build strategic clarity together.

This combination accelerates the impact of both.

Why This Combination Works

While Ascend provides consistent year-round leadership development through coaching, forums, and customized tools, Strategic Planning Retreats add powerful accelerators:

1. Protected time for deep strategic work. In the midst of a busy school year, your team gains dedicated time away from daily operations to translate what you’re learning in Ascend into clear, actionable strategic plans for the semester ahead.
2. In-person team connection. In-person retreats strengthen the relationships, shared language, and alignment that make your leadership team truly high-performing. You’ll leave with clarity on your priorities and collective commitment to executing them.
3. Strategic timing. The Annual Strategic Planning Retreat (May) allows you to celebrate growth and set the strategic direction for the upcoming school year, while December’s mid-year retreat helps you reflect on fall progress and refocus for spring.
4. Continuity with your coach. The same Accelerate Institute coaching team supporting you through Ascend facilitates your retreats, bringing deep understanding of your school’s context, goals, and team dynamics. They’ll help you apply the frameworks and tools you’re already using in Ascend to guide your strategic planning process.

The result? A leadership team that doesn’t just develop skills individually but builds the systems, alignment, and momentum needed to drive lasting school improvement together.