Together We Lead: How Principals and Instructional Coaches Team Up for Lasting Impact

by Michelle Marrillia, Brittany Mozingo, Rebecca Nicolas

The principal-coach partnership is one of the school’s most powerful leadership teams. In this essential guide, authors Michelle Marrillia, Brittany Mozingo, and Rebecca Nicolas provide a proven framework with four phases for building professional trust, aligning on goals, and sustaining practices for continued growth. Learn how to create a strong, interdependent relationship that models true collaboration for lasting student impact.


K–12 principals and instructional coaches can use this book Identify core tasks and functions of responsible principals and instructional coaches Establish expectations and practices to foster rapport, support, and professional trust Delineate high-priority goals and the actionable steps necessary to achieve those goals Monitor progress and adapt strategies based on student performance data Develop effective, sustainable plans for future improvement based on available resources

Introduction
Phase 1: Setting the Stage for Collaboration
Phase 2: Establishing Goals and Actions
Phase 3: Monitoring and Adjusting
Phase 4: Looking Ahead
Epilogue
Appendix The Partnership Framework Alignment Guide
Appendix The Partnership Calendar
References and Resources
Index

136 pages

Published February 4, 2026