Three Lessons Every School Leader Can Learn from Marie Culihan
In our latest episode of NYKids Deep Dive, NYKids Director and University at Albany Professor Kristen C. Wilcox sat down with Marie Culihan, former principal of Albany School of Humanities (ASH) and now Executive Director of District Improvement in the Schenectady City School District. During the conversation, Marie reflected on her leadership journey, the practices that helped ASH become a positive outlier school, and the lessons she learned leading through change and improvement.
What emerged was a powerful reminder that successful school and district improvement is often not about doing more. It is about focusing on what matters most, empowering others, and modeling the learning mindset we hope to see throughout our schools.
Here are four key takeaways from Marie’s leadership story.
- Pick Three Things and Do Them Well
One of Marie’s most consistent leadership practices was resisting the temptation to chase every new initiative. Instead, she focused her staff’s energy and attention on a small number of high-leverage priorities each year.
As she explained, “Every year, we would say ‘We’re going to do three things really well.'”
Rather than adding initiative after initiative, Marie used staff feedback, student needs, and school data to identify the most important areas for growth. That discipline helped prevent overwhelm and created clarity across the school community.
In an era when educators often experience initiative fatigue, Marie’s advice is refreshingly simple: focus matters. Leaders who narrow priorities create the conditions for deeper learning and more sustainable improvement.
- Build a Culture of Constructive Conversations
For Marie, improvement begins with honest communication. Whether discussing data, instructional practice, or school culture, she emphasized the importance of creating spaces where educators can engage in meaningful dialogue without fear.
When asked what leadership skills matter most today in this regard, her guidance was clear:
“Be able to give and receive feedback that does not come across as negative, but inspiring.”
Throughout her tenure at ASH, Marie prioritized listening. Early in her principalship, she spent time meeting individually with every staff member, asking them what was working well and what needed improvement. Those conversations not only informed the school’s priorities but also signaled that every voice mattered.
Constructive conversations create trust, and trust creates the foundation for improvement. When educators feel heard and respected, they are more willing to take risks, share ideas, and engage in collective problem-solving.
- Distribute Leadership to Strengthen the Organization
A recurring theme throughout the conversation was the importance of distributed leadership. Marie acknowledged that early in her career she tried to handle everything herself, until a mentor challenged her thinking and helped her see that sustainable leadership requires shared ownership.
Reflecting on that lesson, Marie noted:
“It is about creating those systems and structures so that you, as the building principal, can be doing the instructional work.”
At ASH, distributed leadership took many forms. Teachers led professional learning. Staff members showcased effective practices during faculty meetings. Interventionists, specialists, and classroom teachers worked collaboratively to support students. Everyone contributed to the school’s improvement efforts.
By creating opportunities for others to lead, Marie was able to spend more time where she believed school leaders have the greatest impact: in classrooms supporting teaching and learning.
- Live the Growth Mindset You Want Others to Embrace
Perhaps the most powerful lesson from the conversation centered on leadership vulnerability. Marie believes leaders cannot expect staff members to take risks, learn from mistakes, and pursue continuous improvement unless they are willing to do the same.
As she put it:
“I always tell my staff that we all need to have a growth mindset around the work, including myself.”
She spoke candidly about admitting mistakes, seeking feedback, and showing staff that growth is an ongoing process for everyone, regardless of position. By modeling learning rather than perfection, she helped create a culture where educators felt safe trying new approaches and supporting one another.
Her final message to leaders was equally compelling:
“If you’re not modeling the thinking and learning and growing, then you’ve already lost half your staff.”
Leading Improvement One Step at a Time
Marie Culihan’s story reminds us that effective leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about creating the conditions where people can learn, collaborate, and grow together.
Whether through focusing on three priorities, fostering constructive conversations, distributing leadership, or modeling a growth mindset, Marie’s approach demonstrates that lasting school improvement happens when leaders invest in people first.
Check out the ASH case study and listen to the full NYKids Deep Dive episode for more insights from Marie Culihan and her remarkable leadership journey.
