Consulting for teams launching innovative new schools

We partner with new schools specifically developed to drive economic mobility, reduce segregation, and serve a clear need in their community.

The hallmarks of Lamppost Learning’s work are effective implementation of creative visions, cultivating strong webs of partnerships surrounding schools, and organizational systems that lay a uniquely strong foundation of sustainability at all levels of leadership.

Design Ideation & Articulation

We do not believe in replacing failing seats with a “better” version of the same model. We are interested in pursuing a blue ocean strategy—which is to say: models of schools and learning that do not currently exist in the community we are serving, making the notions of “replacement,” “transformation,” or “competition” irrelevant.

To arrive at this, we bring a seasoned toolbox of coaching and facilitation expertise to communities to facilitate rich, creative, ideation. As longtime educators, we are then practiced in translating this ideation into the blueprint of a new model.

Leadership Search & Coaching

We work with grass tops community leaders to source the best fit candidates for executive leadership positions. We will conduct the search, ensure engagement of all key stakeholders along the way, and hire a leader who will make this school completely their own.

Following the search, we onboard and coach the leader as they settle into their work, setting the school up for the long term retention of their executive leader.

Board Composition & Excellence

We assemble boards whose values align with those of the school—and whose areas of expertise mirror the needs of the school.

We then train boards to be and remain excellent. This means that we teach and ensure the implementation of board behaviors, habits, and goals that reflect excellence in governance over the long lifetime of the school. We play a long game towards excellence rather than a short game ending in mere competence.

SCHOOL AUTHORIZATION

We are experts in getting new schools authorized by State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to operate as public schools.

This is a hurdle that most teams cannot get past which means this is where most projects get stuck. To date, Lamppost has a 100% success rate in this domain.

Cultivating a Strong Web of Partnerships

Schools—especially new schools—cannot succeed in the long run without a strong web of interdependent partnerships. Isolation is not an option.

One of the hallmarks of Lamppost’s work is the ability to cultivate a rich community of diverse partnerships around a school, leaving the school embedded in a web of champions and collaborators.

Team & Expertise

Lamppost has led new school incubation, designed and implemented new school authorization systems, and has served as a guide to school systems nationally over the last decade. To date, this work has resulted in stronger, more innovative, more sustainable public school options for over 75,000 students spanning 10 states.

When Lamppost begins work alongside a community to incubate and launch a school, we build a team that is responsive to the needs of individual school projects.

We have partnered with national subject-area experts on data analytics, school finance, fundraising, community engagement, communications, and operational systems (for example, local transportation solutions). Once, we even hired a Hawaiian language translation service.

All to say: we will build a team to completely meet the unique needs of the new school and the community that it serves.

Past & Present Partners

“Freddi’s partnership has empowered me to be more forward-thinking, to implement sustainable leadership practices, and to be more strategic as a visionary. Her expertise has afforded me the opportunity to navigate complex challenges. Her visionary approach has transformed both me as a leader and as well as our school’s leadership landscape. LAAP’s collaboration with Freddi Wicker has yielded remarkable results, pushing my leadership to heights I could not have imagined and positioning our school for long-term excellence.”

— Fallon Buckner Ward, Founding Executive Director of Louisiana Academy of Production

“Having worked in depth alongside Freddi, I've seen her transform significant challenges facing a new school into opportunities for growth and learning. Her knack for guiding others is unparalleled—she has a unique talent for breaking down complex ideas into achievable work. Working with her means seeing your mission reflected in every detail, ensuring that your team's culture thrives."

— Morgan Ripsi, Champe Carter Consulting