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Here's what happens in most districts: A teacher takes a risk with a new instructional strategy from your last learning lab. A coach has a breakthrough conversation that shifts a principal's thinking. An entire grade-level team finally cracks the code on collaborative planning. And then... nothing. The work continues, but the win goes unnoticed.
Professional learning leaders spend countless hours designing meaningful experiences for educators. But if we're honest, we often forget the final step: celebrating when that learning actually shows up in practice.
Enter the Friday Wins email—a simple ritual that takes less time than your morning coffee run but creates the kind of momentum that carries your PL culture through the year.
Ending the week on a high note matters. When you spotlight specific wins before everyone heads into the weekend, you're accomplishing three things at once: recognizing the educators doing the work, reinforcing what great professional learning looks like in action, and reminding your system that growth is happening—even when it feels slow.
The key is specificity. Skip the generic "great work this week, team!" and instead name exactly what you noticed. Did a principal protect collaborative planning time even during a packed week? Say that. Did a teacher try that new feedback protocol and see student engagement jump? Share it. Did your PL team pivot a session based on participant needs in real-time? Celebrate it.
Your Friday Wins email should highlight 3-5 moments from the week. They don't all need to be major breakthroughs—sometimes the most powerful recognition comes from noticing the small, daily acts of professional courage. Look for:
Here's what happens when you make this a ritual: Educators start noticing their own wins. Principals begin spotting growth in their teachers. Your PL team feels seen for their behind-the-scenes work. And slowly, your district's professional learning culture shifts from compliance-driven to celebration-fueled.
The best part? It costs nothing but attention. And in a role where you're constantly asked to do more with less, a practice that takes 10 minutes and builds genuine momentum is worth protecting.
Subject: Friday Wins – [Date]
Happy Friday, team! Here are a few wins worth celebrating from this week:
Sarah Mitchell, 3rd grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary: After Tuesday's learning lab on formative assessment, Sarah redesigned her math exit tickets to include student self-reflection. She told me kids are now catching their own misconceptions before she even collects the papers.
James Rodriguez, instructional coach: James facilitated a breakthrough planning session with the 8th grade ELA team. They've been stuck on differentiation for weeks, but his questioning helped them design three entry points for their next unit that actually match student readiness levels.
Principal Lisa Chen at Westside Middle: Lisa protected her teachers' Wednesday collaboration time even when central office asked for building data during that block. She pushed back respectfully and found an alternative time—that's the kind of leadership that makes professional learning sustainable.
These moments remind me why this work matters. Have a wonderful weekend—you've earned it.
So this Friday, before you close your laptop, take a few minutes to write down what went well. Your educators are doing inspiring work—they just need to know you see it.
Talk to KickUp about building a professional learning culture where growth is visible and celebrated.
Schedule a demo with one of our friendly team members.
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