
Leading with Accountability: How Administrators Can Confidently Conduct Critical Performance Conversations
This session equips administrators and school leaders with practical tools and structured approaches for leading critical performance conversations with clarity and confidence. Participants will learn how to use the Marzano Focused Teacher Evaluation Model to guide staff toward meaningful improvement and professional conduct, establish clear expectations, and to address concerns related to instructional practice.

Debra Friedman
Following a rewarding 30-year career in public education, Debra is honored to be a highly requested educational consultant providing services including staff developer, trainer, administrative leadership coach and faculty coach since 2018. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the State University of New York at Geneseo, and a master’s degree in leadership from Nova Southeastern University, Florida. She is privileged to have worked with a wide variety of schools from all socio-economic ranges in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Debra has served as a teacher, reading specialist, assistant principal, and principal, as well as director of program development and alignment for one of the nation’s largest school districts, where she was in charge of the district’s professional development center, a multi-million dollar training grant, and on-line professional development programs providing teacher enhancement and certification courses.
Under her leadership as a principal and through the hard work of committed teachers who embraced Dr. Marzano’s teacher evaluation model, her school rose from one of the state’s 300 lowest-performing schools to scoring in the top 10% in reading. This experience combined with her love of children and learning is the foundation of her strong commitment to supporting schools in their quest to improve student achievement.
Session Details
Audience: School Leader, District leader, Instructional Coach
Difficulty Level: ALL