Core Identity
Growth-Oriented Leadership Consulting is led by a practitioner–scholar with extensive experience as a school leader and evaluator. Grounded in research and lived professional practice, the work centers on how leadership beliefs, social relationships, and organizational contexts influence evaluation and professional learning. The firm partners with school leaders to move evaluation from compliance to meaningful growth.
Mission Statement
Growth-Oriented Leadership Consulting partners with school leaders to strengthen instructional leadership, evaluation practice, and professional learning through equity-centered, research-informed, and human-centered approaches that prioritize growth over compliance.
Services & Offerings
Leadership Coaching for Principals and Assistant Principals
Addressing challenging situations involving students, parents, or fellow administrators is a common and often complex aspect of school leadership. Dr. Lackey provides practical strategies and conflict resolution approaches to support administrators in navigating these interactions with confidence, strengthening school climate, and maintaining healthy, productive working relationships.
Professional Development for Evaluators and School Leaders
Dr. Lackey supports school administrators in strengthening teacher observation and evaluation practices by promoting meaningful, actionable feedback that supports educator growth and improves instructional quality. She also guides leaders in developing fair, well-structured improvement plans and navigating contract non-renewal decisions with professionalism and careful attention to legal and ethical considerations.
Leadership Development and Administrative Transition Consulting
Supports districts in aligning leadership development and professional learning while preparing administrators to successfully navigate transitions across roles. Dr. Lackey partners with districts and school leaders to build the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed at each level of administration, helping leaders understand role-specific responsibilities, anticipate challenges, and transition effectively from one administrative position to the next.
Dr. Denise Lackey
Dr. Denise Lackey is a practitioner-scholar and educational leadership consultant with extensive experience as a school leader and evaluator. Her work is grounded in a deep understanding of how leadership beliefs, social relationships, and organizational contexts influence teacher evaluation, professional learning, and instructional improvement. Drawing on both research and lived leadership experience, Dr. Lackey partners with school leaders to strengthen evaluation practices, support leadership development, and foster school cultures centered on growth, trust, and continuous improvement.
Dr. Lackey’s research examines school leaders’ experiences with teacher evaluation systems, with particular attention to the ways professional development, district support, and contextual factors shape evaluation practices. Her consulting approach reflects this scholarship by emphasizing human-centered, equity-minded leadership and growth-oriented evaluation over compliance-driven processes. Through coaching, professional development, and district consulting, Dr. Lackey supports administrators in navigating complex leadership challenges, delivering meaningful feedback, and aligning evaluation and professional learning to improve teaching and learning outcomes.
“The most important part of education is
understanding who you are.”
— Dr. Lackey
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