How Small Moves And Instructional Rounds Transform A Middle School

Our newest podcast episode features guest Mark Summa, assistant principal of Avon Middle School and Connecticut's 2026 Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year. Mark shares how small, intentional leadership moves—rooted in safety, love, and high expectations—shape school culture and student belonging in the middle grades. The conversation offers concrete insights on leading at scale while staying human, sustaining resilience in demanding roles, and leveraging relationships to drive growth.

Transcript

Welcome And Guest Introduction

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Hi, and welcome to the Linking Leaders Podcast. Linking Leaders Podcast features tandem conversations with top educational leaders who come together to share experiences and explore pathways to success. In each episode, we engage with dynamic leaders to uncover real life stories, practical strategies, and bold insights on timely and relevant topics. Listen up to link up and let us help you expand your network of innovation and support.

SPEAKER_01 0:36

Hello, listeners. Welcome to the Linking Leaders podcast. This is your host, Dr. Alicia Bowman, and today I'm thrilled to be recording the very first episode of 2026 with the Connecticut Association of Schools Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year, Mark Suma. Mark is the proud assistant principal of Avon Middle School in Avon, Connecticut. I've had the pleasure of working closely with Mark and his colleagues over the past few years, co-leading the implementation of instructional rounds as a systemic improvement routine in Avon public schools. Today, I'm excited to share Mark's award-winning leadership beliefs, lessons learned, and lived experiences with school leaders across Connecticut and beyond. Mark, thank you so much for joining me on the Linking Leaders podcast. Let's dive in.

SPEAKER_02 1:28

Sure. Thank you for having me.

Portrait Of Avon Middle School

SPEAKER_01 1:31

So to ground our listeners in your work and your world at Avon Middle School, can you paint a picture of your school community, who you serve, what matters most there, and what makes your context unique?

SPEAKER_02 1:44

Yeah, like first and foremost, I serve the kids, right? Like the kids that are in the building. And from what I've found in my experiences in the classroom and in different districts, the basics are the same no matter where you go, right? The kids need safety, they need love and leadership, whether that's in the classroom or the systems and schedules and those other pieces that surround that. In Avon, like any other community or any other town, there's nuances that make it different. And I truly feel lucky and blessed, I guess, to work in Avon. The families here are super supportive. They're involved, and they have high expectations for their kids and for their schools, to be honest. And I take that charge as a leader within one of the schools seriously. You know, there's a lot of families who who, you know, they they pay a premium to live in Avon, and there's a lot of other families who made a sacrifice to live here as opposed to other towns because of the schools. So I wouldn't call it pressure, uh, but I feel a responsibility to all of those different types of families to do the best that I can in my role. You know, I think making sure that kids have a safe space to learn and grow as young people is super important. And I think something that makes Avon uh a bit unique is that the culture and makeup of the town has shifted a bit over the prior decades. It's become a lot more diverse socioeconomically and with with different backgrounds, the people that live here. I mean, as schools, we generally see that change first because we have the young people of those families in our walls. So I think adjusting to that in real time is important. And it's important to help everybody recognize and understand the value that comes with change in the makeup of your community and teaching kids young the importance of diversity and recognizing that you know what what makes us different is also kind of like the the most important pieces of who we are. You know, I there's something that's the same no matter where I've been, and it's essentially that the community wants the schools to be able to provide a space for the kids to become like the best version of themselves. And that's certainly true in Avon. I mean it, you know, that's really the end goal.

Why The Assistant Principal Role

SPEAKER_01 4:10

Absolutely. We all want that for our children, right? And I love that safety, love, and leadership. So, Mark, you've clearly found stride in this role. And so let's rewind a little bit. What drew you to the assistant principal role and what keeps you in it?

SPEAKER_02 4:26

Sure. Thank you. This is something I I reflected on quite a bit with this process of the nomination of assistant principal of the year and the site visit process and winning it. I think it kind of forces you to reflect a little bit and like, you know, what got me here. Um, and what got me here is the same thing that brought me to the classroom. And that's really wanting to make a difference in the lives of young people and maybe educate a student who will then go on to change the world for the better. I think as like a young person, you know, want to change the world and do it all yourself. And as I matured and ended up teaching science at the middle school and high school level, I recognized that, you know, it might not be me, but I might impact somebody who will and make it a better place for everybody. When I decided to move from the science lab into the office, so to speak, I really felt called to kind of cast a broader net on my sphere of influence. I loved being in the classroom. I loved the relationships I developed with the kids and really enjoyed having them, you know, come back one or two years down the road. And I had a small lunch bunch for a while and I was able to see how they developed and I loved it. And at the end of the day, I felt like I could potentially make a broader impact. And the natural next step for me was moving into administration. You know, I I missed the classroom, but I want to change a thing. I think in my four years in this role or three and a half, I really felt like I hit it, I hit a stride. You know, my my presence in the school and the various spaces, my work, my ideas, they impact a broader group of young people now. Um, and I've had the opportunity to work with and lead an awesome group of educators. And that wasn't necessarily a case, right, when you're in the classroom all the time. You know, so I I find value in that and I get to hear ideas. I think one of the biggest takeaways I've had from being an evaluator of teachers is that I wish I could get back in the classroom to buy all the cool things that I've seen. And I've had the opportunity here and there to sub or cover a space a little bit, and it's it's invigorating. So what keeps me here, there's still kids enrolling in kindergarten and pre-K, and they'll eventually be at the middle school for the most part. And from my experience and why I chose the middle school level, I still feel it, probably even more so now than I did when I was applying for this level. Middle school's hard.

SPEAKER_00 7:07

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:08

It's a super hard time in life for everybody, regardless of outside circumstances, just developmentally, and I wouldn't wouldn't want to be anywhere else. So, what keeps me here? You know, the job's not done, so to speak, right? There's still kids coming in. They're facing struggles at home, academically, socially, whatever it might be. And I'm honored to kind of have the responsibility to care for them while they're going through it.

Small Moves That Change Trajectories

SPEAKER_01 7:36

That's awesome, Mark. I still, as a mother of a middle school son, I so appreciate those words because you're right. It is such a challenging time for so many different reasons. And they need us as adults, although they don't think they do more than ever, right? And it is, it's really a special time and to be able to be there and show up each day is truly a gift. So in your application materials, you are quoted speaking about students, saying something like, I feel as though small moves instill a sense of confidence with them and help them to feel seen despite not being a typically successful student. So let's talk about that a little bit. Talk to us about those small moves. What are they? And how do you impact students through small moves?

SPEAKER_02 8:24

Yeah, I think it just goes back to who I am, right? I'm naturally kind of lighthearted. I like to have fun. I like to joke, I like to banter a little bit back and forth. And I think middle school is a great time to be able to do that. Um, the students don't quite yet take themselves too seriously to let loose and have a silly conversation. And to be honest, neither do I. I think it it helps me to kind of leverage that fun, that relationship building with kids, to let them open up, let their guard down a little bit, and feel like welcome and like they could be themselves, even if it is silly and goofy. And so I think those small moves, whether it's having a you know, a conversation about your your favorite food or why you like this fast food over that fast food or a sports game that happened or something of interest to them, it goes a long way. And I've particularly kind of fallen into having those conversations with the students who aren't your traditional classroom high achievers, who might not be your traditionally successful students, particularly at this age. I think in part because I see myself, right? I struggled a lot in middle school, you know, trying to find your own identity and where you are. So having an adult and an adult and leadership, who they could see as somebody who's not just a disciplinarian, but is somebody who they could come to who's gonna hold them accountable, but care for them along the way, I think is crucial to making a safe environment. Like, hey, like he's gonna hold the line, but he cares what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, and he'll work with me to figure something out. And I think that hopefully that's a takeaway a lot of those students have had and their interactions with me.

Leading Hard Conversations With Care

SPEAKER_01 10:18

Everybody wants to be seen. And it's kind of that warm demander approach, right? So having those high expectations, but knowing that you want to build relationships with kids that has to start there. So we know as a former assistant principal, assistant principals juggle so much every day. It could be discipline, instruction, relationship systems. So, what's one specific leadership practice or move that you rely on consistently in your role and why does it work for you?

SPEAKER_02 10:49

I I think it relates well to the question that you just asked. I look to establish relationships and see the person behind the action, see the person behind the lesson, and see the person on the other end of the phone, whoever you're having that conversation with. You know, I think as an assistant principal, sometimes, you know, you're like, you make this list and it's it's the parents you need to call about something that occurred at school, or it's the students you need to interview to get a better understanding of something that's related to misconduct, or even uh a teacher that you need to talk to about uh less than stellar observation. They're hard conversations and happen often. You know, I I'm happy I've got skilled at having hard conversations, and it wasn't always smooth. I think seeing the person for who they are and their like total experience before you go into it, understanding like, you know, this might be the student's first time getting called down to the main office to talk to an administrator, or this might be the first time the school is calling home, or it could be the fourth time this week that the school is called and understanding each situation uh for what it is and where where that family is, where that student is, where that teacher is, and treating the conversations uniquely, even if the content is generally the same, and just learning your audience and like truly, truly like understanding them as best as you can and letting them know that you're trying to.

Instructional Rounds And Culture Shift

SPEAKER_01 12:28

Mm-hmm. So let's talk about instruction a little bit, because you just mentioned that. So it was evident in your application materials and your site visit, and I certainly through our joint work that instructional rounds has had a profound impact on the professional practice at AMS. Can you highlight for our listeners just what has been the impact of instructional rounds on your school community?

SPEAKER_02 12:49

Sure. I I think the biggest impact that it had was allowing teachers the time and a permission almost to get into other classrooms to see how people do their job and different disciplines and gain an appreciation and perspective for those other disciplines, whether it's a study skills class composed of uh special education students, or whether it's a band class or an art classroom that don't always jump to the forefront of our mind when it comes to high quality instruction. You know, having math teachers and BLA teachers and science teachers get into those spaces to see the value firsthand. That that was huge. But I think that's a pretty like superficial level impact and it happens immediately. I think like the cultural shift that came through the instructional rounds process was identifying a common problem of practice in the building that the majority of us felt was worth picking at a little bit more and looking at and examining our collective practices as a school and what we value as a school and going through the process of identifying what it looks like and how it looks in different spaces. And, you know, we had landed in a spot where we recognized, I think, both the science and the art of teaching, right? Science, how you design your task, what standards you're gonna hit, what questions you ask and how you ask it. Like a lot of that is pretty well vetted in research or in practice, your own or what you saw. But for me, it was always about the art, right? It was about the interactions with the kids and how you respond and how you question and how you alter or adjust whatever your plan was to what's in front of you. Um, and that's where I felt like a lot of the magic happened and the passion came out with our educators, and you were able to see why they chose to teach for the most part was that that art of it and the passion that they had for their content, but seeing how they developed their approach to it over time was impressive. In addition to that, I think like the lowering of the guard, so to speak.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:10

Like my classrooms, my space, and it's protected. I don't want anyone to not that anyone verbalizes that, but you all sometimes feel that happen. And it just normalized getting into each other's classrooms, so much so that we asked uh teams or team-based middle school and departments to conduct like collegial observations without administrators, without a formal process, so to speak, some loose guidelines based on instructional rounds, you know, being objective and being specific and data-driven in your observations. But our groups here at the school just completed that. They did their first round of team-based and department-based observations. We're going to be debriefing that as a build-in leadership team this afternoon. And I'm super excited to see what they noticed.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

That's awesome. It's still exciting to hear about different iterations of rounds and just the impact it can have on the instruction. And like you said, the collegiality amongst teachers and educators is really cool. Thank you for sharing that. So we talked about how the AP role can often be described as like a first responder in a school, right? So, how do you manage the emotional weight? You talked a little bit about difficult conversations and things like that with supporting students, staff, and family. So, really, Mark, how do you take care of yourself?

Carrying The Emotional Load

SPEAKER_02 16:34

I think, you know, understanding that having a partner or partners to debrief with, bounce ideas off of, it makes all the difference in the world. You know, being able to rely on and open up to other people and potentially tag them in when you've reached your limit, it makes all the difference. You know, I pride myself on kind of being able to carry a lot, whether it's workload or the emotional demands of the job, it doesn't mean that it doesn't impact me or impact everybody. You know, try to take a few minutes, whether it's the drive home or taking a quick walk around the block before I get in the door to make sure I'm present. I think, you know, in my fourth year in this role, it hasn't been easy, but it's gotten easier. And I've found that you need to deliberately try to lead at work. Otherwise, it will just creep in and you need to kind of dump the headspace.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

Yes. So let's dream for a moment. If you were awarded an innovation grant with no restrictions, what dream project would you launch at Avon Middle School?

SPEAKER_02 17:56

So I've actually I've begun to think about this quite a bit recently.

unknown 18:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

And it stems out of a mentorship program that I helped to oversee here at the middle school. We have a group of eighth-grade students who help co-teach our SEL lessons to seventh grade classroom.

SPEAKER_01 18:13

Yes, I read about that. That's cool.

Dream Grant: Purposeful Skills And Movement

SPEAKER_02 18:15

They push it to help provide academic support strategically during our flex period or wind block, whatever you decide to call it in your school. And I was looking to kind of, I don't know, if leverage them a bit more or kind of take the idea and the values of that program to the next level. Additionally, this time of the year, we oftentimes take a look back at discipline data from prior years and identify areas that maybe were not meeting the needs of certain sets of kids appropriately. And I'll again restate my bias. I'm the father of two young boys. And in my role, I deal with a lot of boys who might be having a hard time here at school. I think a lot of data shows it, and not just here in Avon or at my school, but nationwide. You know, I think that school is hard for boys, college enrollment, graduation numbers, it kind of points to this a little bit. And honestly, I think what's missing for a lot of them might be like a sense of practical purpose at school, not feeling like they they belong as deeply as some others. It's not all boys, right? It could be, but it seems to pop up more with that. Um you know, so an idea that I had for this grant or an idea to remedy a little bit of that, uh, at the minimum, maybe it would be sort of a unified arts course that that could be developed to to target a lot of like the practical life skills and basic things that used to be present in a lot of schools. Like when I was in middle school, you had dedicated courses to certain things, but they they kind of went by the wayside for a variety of reasons. And I think that there's a value to it, and kids totally see the value and connect it immediately. I do this, I create a product, I fix a product, I I now know how to do it. Things from you know, how to change a tire on a car, how to paint a room, how to cook something from scratch, use a grill, right? Like a typical household problem. And I think there's like limitless options to this. Yeah. You know, I think even basing some of the ideas around like a real problem at the school, you know, what around here needs fixing? How would you go about it? How would you budget this project? What sort of supplies would you get? How much does it cost to hire somebody? You know, I think there would be a lot of value in it, and it's a thread I want to pull at a little bit and see what we will do.

SPEAKER_00 20:49

I love it.

SPEAKER_02 20:49

Um, you know, there's oftentimes a bit of a chasm between home and school for a lot of people. They're two separate universes, and I can't mix. My parents can't know, you know, that I I run with this social circle, you know, or whatever it might be. And I think that connecting them more and they could take something they learned that day at school and tell their parents, like, oh, I know how to do this, or let me show you what I learned.

SPEAKER_00 21:15

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:16

And not to say that doesn't happen in other areas, but I think like that practical piece of it, a hands-on nature of it, and the usefulness for all people would be beneficial at a broader scale, beyond just a course, if it's limitless funds and limitless time and opportunity, you know, I think taking a look at incorporating a bit more movement back into the middle school day, where, you know, I think a lot of a lot of data shows that more movement at this age range specifically would be so beneficial to helping kids regulate their emotions and learn better if there's a little more movement in the day. And I think it is different based upon the demographic that you look at, right? How much is needed and how prepared. Students are to sit in a classroom for the seven to seven and a half hours a day that we ask them to do. You know, I think middle school symbolizes a lot. And I think part of that is a transition out of childhood. And all of a sudden a recess is gone and there's not as much unstructured play. There's value in it to sit with something and figure it out. And that would be something I'd be interested in trying to weed back in in a structured way to allow that time and space for kids to be kids. And okay, you know, this is your time. Do what you need to do to kind of fill your cup. Right. Then you get back to work. And I think it would go a long way, specifically for a cohort of boys who have a hard time sitting still.

Ignite Round: Quick Takes

SPEAKER_01 22:46

Yeah. What you said about kind of allowing opportunities for boys or any really learner to be curious, to engage in projects with purpose and authenticity. There's just so much power in that. And if we can think about how to open up some room in our school day to allow kids to really have those experiences, I think it would be so powerful. I think we've kind of shrunk our world a bit and made it very structured. And I think we need to be a little more flexible in our thinking. So I'd love to dream with you. So if you get the grant, I'd be more than happy to support you at that. So I think it's time to move into the ignite round. Are you ready to pick up the pace?

SPEAKER_02 23:25

I guess so.

SPEAKER_01 23:26

Okay. So these are going to be quick instinctive responses just to give listeners a snapshot of like your leadership style and your personality. No overthinking, just first response. Okay. Here's the first one. Coffee, tea, or I forgot to drink anything today.

SPEAKER_02 23:41

Coffee.

SPEAKER_01 23:42

Music, silence, or a podcast on the drive home?

SPEAKER_02 23:46

Depends on the day. Usually user.

SPEAKER_01 23:50

Okay. Leadership in one emoji.

SPEAKER_02 23:55

I am overthinking this one. Also depends on the day. But I would generally say the one with the black rimmed glasses on and the bak teeth. Kind of, you know, I think thinking about things, looking into it, being willing to be a forever student to make the best decision.

SPEAKER_01 24:10

That's great.

SPEAKER_02 24:10

A little nerdy.

SPEAKER_01 24:11

Yeah, a little a little nerdy with the the glasses and the teeth. The best advice you've ever received as a school leader.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

I don't think it's specific to being a school leader, but a quote that stuck with me for a long time, Kobe Bryant referenced an English teacher that he had who said this to him. And it's don't rest in the middle, rest at the end. Yeah. And it's something I've I really take at heart with.

SPEAKER_01 24:35

Cool. If you weren't an educator, you would probably be I think I think an entrepreneur businessman. A book, podcast, or resource you always recommend to educators.

Resilience And The Spotlight

SPEAKER_02 24:49

The Shallows by Nicholas Carr. It's a bit older. It came out in 2011, but it's about how evolving technologies shape the structure of the brain and how it works. And I think it's incredibly valuable in today's day and age for us to be deliberate about how we ask students to engage.

SPEAKER_01 25:09

One thing every assistant principal deserves more of coffee.

SPEAKER_02 25:14

Um coffee and occasional recognition. I think it's a job that could beat you up from time to time. But whenever I hear good job or thank you or an appreciative email from a parent or staff member, it fills me up.

SPEAKER_01 25:29

Yes, absolutely. It goes a long way. So, Mark, before we wrap up, I want to end with a few reflective questions. What's something you're secretly proud of, but rarely get asked about? And it can be personal or professional.

SPEAKER_02 25:42

Sure. I think definitely a little bit personal on this one, but I think it's it's probably kind of my own story and like resilience a little bit that I've had to develop over time. You know, I've had some significant health struggles in my life going back to my early 20s, but more specifically about six months into my first year as an AP, I had a significant medical event that took me out of work for a couple of weeks. And it happened about a week or so after I found out Matt Light was pregnant with our first song, and it rocked me. So I think to kind of bounce back from that and come back here uh and be in this position right now is awesome. It is awesome. I I'd love to tell the whole story in some way, shape, or form. And I never know if I'm ever gonna have the chance or the platform to do it. But knowing that I know it and that those who are close to me know it is important to me.

SPEAKER_01 26:33

That's really cool. And you should be proud. And those the perspectives that we build through situations that we deal with and the resilience, those serve us as leaders in ways that, you know, are tenfold. It's just priceless, really. So, where can listeners go to learn more about you and your work?

Closing And Listener Call To Action

SPEAKER_02 26:54

Sure. I guess honestly, uh just stay tuned for Avon Middle School and what we're doing here. I think with this award comes a spotlight. Uh, and when I first won it, I said to Christina, my principal, I, you know, I'm not one for the spotlight. I don't like the spotlight. I like the attention, but I'm happy to stand in it for a little bit and let it shine some light on Avon as a school district and then community, the awesome work that we do here at this school, the staff that works here, and this award wouldn't have been possible without me kind of stepping in to what was already uh a fantastic school and community, right? And being able to kind of hit my stride at the right moment and ride the wave of what was already happening here, capitalize on that, continue to push the work forward. So thankful for the opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 27:42

Awesome. Well, we're proud and thrilled that you have the opportunity to stand in the spotlight, and it's certainly well deserved. Mark, thank you again for joining me and congratulations on being named the Connecticut Association of Schools Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year. Your leadership, your commitment to systems like instructional rounds, and the way you show up for students and staff truly reflect what this role can and should look like. To our listeners, this episode is a reminder that assistant principals are not just supporting schools, they're shaping culture, strengthening systems, and leading with heart every single day. If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe to the Linking Leaders Podcast. Share this episode with a colleague, and continue the conversation in your own leadership communities. Thank you for tuning in, and until next time, keep linking your leadership to who and what matters most.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

Thanks so much for joining us for this episode of the Linking Leaders Podcast. This episode is brought to you by the Connecticut Association of Schools, serving schools and their leaders since 1935.