Portraits of Educators: Districts Strengthen Staff Identity and Capacity

Type: Case Study
Topics: Portraits of Educators, School Climate & Culture, Staffing, HR & Talent Development

December 18, 2025

Spotlight on Milford Exempted Village Schools & Winnetka Public Schools
Portraits of Educators Staff Identity Case Study Cover

Milford Exempted Village Schools (Ohio) and Winnetka Public Schools (Illinois) both engaged the Portraits of Educators service to define the qualities their staff must embody to support the district’s vision. Through collective input and design work, each district created shared, observable skills for educators and leaders that reinforce their Portrait of a Graduate.

The Challenge

Milford Exempted Village Schools:
Milford aimed to align what staff do with their broader vision for students. They already had their Portrait of an Eagle guiding student-facing work, but wanted a matching Portrait of a Staff Member that expresses what professionals in the district should model. The effort needed to be internally driven, authentic, and reflect staff commitments.

Winnetka Public Schools:
Winnetka, with an established Portrait of a Graduate and a strong progressive education tradition, saw the need to articulate educator attributes: the behaviors, mindsets, and capacities that educators must hold to make the district’s vision a reality in instruction.

Key Impacts
  • Both districts now have a common language and observable attributes for what excellence among educators, staff, and leaders looks like. This helps align expectations and performance.
  • In Winnetka, the educator attributes are being used to inform hiring, recruitment, professional learning, and strategy. The unified graphic makes the educator’s expectations visible and tied directly to student outcomes.
  • Milford’s process was internal and collaborative. The district reports that staff feel invested because they helped define this resource.

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Âܲ·AVÊÓÆµDistrict Services

Âܲ·AVÊÓÆµoffers a customizable menu of district consulting services to help ensure alignment across staff and community, and ultimately improve learning outcomes for all children. From creating a community-driven Portrait of a Graduate to designing strategic plans and measuring what matters most, Âܲ·AVÊÓÆµmeets you where you are and supports you every step of the journey.

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