BOARD PRESIDENT SEAN HARDEN WITH A MAP IN THE MAZE OF CHANGE The Chicago Board of Education lobby was spotless, almost echoing with the quiet hum of a system always in motion. I sat there, flipping through my notes, trying to steady my mind. Board President Sean Harden’s schedule isn’t just busy, it’s a maze of meetings, demands, and decisions. And today, I was grateful to have found a path through it… an opportunity to talk and get some topics set and some questions answered. I wasn’t just carrying my own questions. I was carrying the voices of the principals and assistant principals I hear from. Thirty questions, 30 hopes, 30 chances toward understanding. It mattered that he knew how seriously I took this moment. It mattered that the miracle of making space on his calendar would be met with equal weight on my side. It took a minor miracle (and the collective work of his support staff Vincentia, Sheila, and Sarah—some of the kindest and most welcoming people you’ll ever meet) to make this meeting happen. As I followed Sarah through the winding hallways toward his office, it hit me: CPS is a maze. Every principal, every leader, every student moves through it every day, rarely with a map—often only with
trust, sometimes only with fear. Fear of dead ends… of unexpected turns… of walls hiding a view. I was human, carrying all the fears that come with the unknown, just as we as a district are right now. What’s next for CPS? How will the Board interact with CPS, with the school leaders? What will leadership look like for the new school year in August? I felt the nerves. But the moment I stepped into his office and shook his hand, the fear faded. “Where would you like to sit?” he asked, gesturing around the room. Another surprise: there were options—his desk, a comfortable sitting area, a conference table. I chose the table so I could pull out my laptop, and he nodded like we were collaborators, not interviewer and interviewee. I realized later that the choice wasn’t just about where to sit—it hinted at a deeper truth: he was someone who looked for possibilities rather than settling for singular answers. The truth is, that’s the kind of leadership we need now more than ever. Principals and assistant principals are eager for change—we want answers, clearer processes, less confusion. And we know that what works for one
34 • CPAA QUARTERLY MAG | Q3 AND Q4 2025
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