Doug Lemov's field notes

I’m writing to share a bit of organizational news, which is that after 15 fantastic years at Uncommon Schools, the Teach Like a Champion Team will be moving. On July 1, we’ll become an independent organization within Together Education, which supports and develops education nonprofits as they start-up or make significant organizational changes.

First, about the change: It’s a little change rather than a big one and mostly relates to operations. Our work is increasingly outward-facing and involves an team of people spread out across the country. This move will allow us to have more flexibility as an organization, which will help us provide optimal support to the schools we work with and to our fantastic staff. Uncommon, for their part, run 57 outstanding schools- schools we are proud to have supported and learned from- but there are challenges inherent in trying to provide a small entrepreneurial group within with the sort of flexibility it needs while running an organization of that scale.

We’ve worked alongside Uncommon Schools for almost a year to plan this transition and will remain “in the family” and closely connected so we continue learning from–and with–each other. It goes without saying that we will do everything we can to contribute to Uncommon’s ongoing success and we know that commitment is mutual.

Second, about Together Education: Together is “a non-profit startup studio” with the mission of helping start “enduring, equity-driven, scalable solutions to our most pressing education challenges.” Us, in other words. Even if we’re not exactly a start-up, we are increasingly working in new fields such as curriculum development and longer-term partnership with schools and networks beyond Uncommon. We want to get those parts right. Not coincidentally, Together Education is run by my long-time colleague and mentor Norman Atkins. One of the biggest benefits of the change is that we get his guidance and support as we pursue a changing portfolio of projects such as our middle grade—and soon, we hope, high school—reading curriculum.

If you attend our workshops, use our training materials or are a school we partner with, you will probably notice very little change. We’ll continue to focus on what helps you run the best schools humanly possible for the families you serve.

So here’s to a small change, the ongoing partnership of the colleagues we’ve worked beside all along, Uncommon Schools, and a new home not too far from the nest.