Leading Through the Storm: Lessons in Readiness, Resilience, and Real-World Leadership
What happens when the unimaginable becomes reality? In a world where crisis is increasingly the norm, from natural disasters to public health threats to food insecurity, school districts often find themselves not just on the frontlines, but as the last line of defense for their communities.
Session 3 of Facilitron University 5 explored what real leadership looks like in those moments, when the playbook is unclear and the pressure is overwhelming. Moderated by Cheryl Galloway, Head of Implementation at Facilitron, and featuring guests Jeff Wagner, former COO of Lee County Schools (FL) and Jenn Ford, Facilitron’s Head of Accounts, the panel dug into crisis response, decision-making, and how policy provides both protection and empowerment in the hardest moments.
As Galloway noted, we often use public schools as our de facto social safety net, yet underfund them, underappreciate them, and underestimate their importance until disaster strikes. “One pandemic, one hurricane, and suddenly schools are the heroes again,” she said. “We need to remind our communities — we’re here for you, but we need you to be here for us, too.”
Jeff Wagner’s experience in Lee County brought that point home. After Hurricane Ian, he received a call from a visibly shaken superintendent asking for help. Within hours, Wagner was on a plane to Florida, walking campuses with no power, massive damage, and zero understanding of how or when school could resume. In just 10 days, 85% of schools reopened. Not because of a miracle, but because the team aligned around a plan built on trust, clear criteria, and expert input.
When No One Knows What to Do, You Still Have to Decide
Leadership in crisis, Wagner explained, is rarely about having all the answers. It’s about knowing who to ask, empowering them to lead, and owning the responsibility for unpopular decisions. “Sometimes, the best thing a leader can do is step back and let others shine,” he said. “If you grow people, and you’re genuine about it, they will trust you, even when the decisions are tough.”
Galloway shared her own story from the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, where she was the “schools rep” at the city’s emergency operations center. She was ignored at first, until officials realized she had keys to the high school co-located with the community college, access to transportation, and vital knowledge of local facilities. “Suddenly I wasn’t ‘schools in the corner’ anymore. I was the one who knew where to shelter people,” she said. “You have to build trust in minutes, not months.”
Crisis Is Constant — But Policy Is Power
Jenn Ford reminded the audience that while hurricanes and shootings dominate headlines, quieter but equally damaging crises happen daily, like food insecurity and government shutdowns affecting SNAP benefits. California schools are stepping in. San Diego Unified, Chicago Public Schools, Hillsborough County, and others are running breakfast, lunch, and even dinner programs to fill the gap. Austin ISD even hosted a whiffle ball tournament to "pack the pantry."
These programs, Jenn noted, are often under-communicated. “Track it. Share it. This is why districts have costs. They’re feeding communities, running shelters, and responding to needs far beyond education,” she said.
That’s where policy matters. It gives districts the framework to track these uses, quantify their value, and justify costs. And in crisis, it provides legal clarity and operational structure, whether you're trying to reopen buildings safely or explain why field use can't be free every weekend.
As Wagner emphasized, unpopular decisions are still necessary ones. “You can’t let the same person who begged to use the field for free be the one suing you when their kid twists an ankle,” Galloway added. “You are not unreasonable for requiring payment that ensures fields are safe and maintained.”
Crisis Communication Is Leadership Communication
One of the clearest takeaways from the session was communication isn't optional, it's your leadership currency. In Lee County, Wagner insisted on publicly posting air quality test results for each school after the hurricane. “People need transparency. If you want them to trust your decisions, you have to show your work.”
He acknowledged the immense pressure of having governors, board members, and parents demanding answers, even before they had all the facts. But the solution wasn’t to bend, it was to slow down, create structure, and be accountable to a defined process.
“People may not like your decision,” Wagner said. “But if they understand the criteria and the why behind it, they’ll respect it.”
Final Thoughts: Empowerment Over Perfection
As the session closed, Grace Vote summed it up with a leadership challenge: “What kind of leader am I? High competence, low trust? High trust, low competence? Ideally both, but if you have to pick, trust wins. You can always grow skills, but people will only follow you if they believe in you.”
Panel 4 reminded us that crisis is not just a test of our operations, it's a test of our systems, our people, and our policies. Districts don't need perfection. But they do need a plan, a voice, and the courage to lead when it counts most.