Forman School Leaders Present on Educational Ecosystems

The strongest school brands aren't built by marketing departments. They're built by ecosystems.

Director of Cognition and Learning Dr. Kristin Simmers and Associate Head of School Allie Maxwell represented Forman School at the 2026 Association of LD Schools (ALDS) Leadership Summit, where they presented "Ecosystems, Not Initiatives: Building Coherent LD School Models That Differentiate."

Their message was both timely and important.

In education, it's easy to become focused on the next initiative: a new program, a new curriculum, a new support model.

But initiatives alone don't transform schools. Ecosystems do.

An educational ecosystem is the interconnected relationship between people, programs, policies, structures, culture, and daily practices that collectively shape how students learn, grow, and experience a school.

The presentation invited school leaders to think differently.

Instead of asking:
"What new program should we launch?"

Ask:
"Do all of our systems reinforce the same mission?"

At Forman, that conversation begins with purpose. It starts with a mission, is strengthened by research, guided by strategic planning, and ultimately measured by the experience students have every single day, not by isolated initiatives.

One takeaway was especially poignant:

Start with the mission before programs. Design systems, not isolated initiatives. Pilot before scaling. Build credibility through evidence and partnerships. Communicate your brand through daily experiences—not marketing alone.

That isn't just a framework for LD schools. It's a framework for leadership.

Congratulations to Kristin and Allie for advancing an important conversation with colleagues from across the country. As schools continue to evolve to meet the needs of students who learn differently, conversations like this help move the entire field forward.