This exclusive, invite-only 5-part leadership collective brings the best and brightest school leaders in the country together in an effort to improve student outcomes, create momentum for career-defining initiatives, and foster a culture and expectation of high-performance at every level of your school organization.
Who’s it for?
Experienced school leaders
(invite only)
When
Every other month,
starting in September 2025
Cost
$5,000
(per invitee)
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Michael Hinojosa
As a school superintendent for six school systems, over a nearly four-decade career, including stints at two of the nation’s largest districts — Dallas Independent School District and Cobb County School District in Georgia — Dr. Michael Hinojosa developed a reputation as a coach and innovator with a track-record for academic improvement.
In 2020, the Council of the Great City Schools awarded Dr. Hinojosa with its prestigious Green Garner Award for Urban Educator of the Year.
“Life at the top is lonely. Today’s superintendents need a safe space, where we can talk candidly, learn from others’ past mistakes, and circle around what works.”
Mission
After stepping away from the superintendency in 2022, Dr. Hinojosa has criss-crossed the country, advising school leaders at the nation’s largest and most challenged urban systems.
Having been a superintendent, Dr. Hinojosa recognized the critical importance of mentorship. He’d benefited from the help of mentors and coaches throughout his career. But he was also wary of certain shortcomings.
One-to-one relationships are incredibly valuable to school CEOs, but they often lack the group thinking needed to produce solutions. Conversely, on-site retreats and workshops are great for networking, but too watered-down to support meaningful, goal-oriented work.
Dr. Hinojosa had a different idea: Rather than build a wall around his superintendent colleagues, why not bring the best and brightest together as part of an exclusive collective to push the envelope on leadership, spurring an entirely new approach to school improvement and innovation, based on mastering the “art of the possible.”
The Challenge
Today’s schools face unprecedented challenges: historic learning gaps, community dissent, chronic absenteeism, family and staff disengagement, competition for students and shrinking enrollment.
Recent history proves that the old thinking won’t cut it — worse, it’ll get your contract canceled.
This five-session leadership collective was designed to bring a hand-picked selection of the brightest rising stars in school leadership together, at a critical time, to workshop ideas, build a shared confidence, and achieve strategic goals within their schools and communities.
In addition to collaborative group thinking, each participating school leader benefits from special guest appearances from experienced school leaders and a personal 1:1 session with Dr. Hinojosa, where you can talk, in the strictest confidence, about the issues and challenges affecting your ability to lead and execute.
Our cohort culminates with an intimate two-day on-site retreat at Dr. Hinojosa’s residence in Dallas, where school leaders will gather to learn from one another, work real-life case studies, and receive guidance from Dr. Hinojosa and others.
The Sessions
Session #1
Friday, September 5, 2025 (virtual) | 12:00-1:00 PM CT | 1:00-2:00 PM ET
A.I. & Innovation: A Framework for Adopting & Using Artificial Intelligence in K-12 Leadership
- Understand AI & its implications for school leaders
- Explore the ways AI can inform decision-making & increase efficiencies
- Adopt strategies to ensure safe & responsible use of A.I. in schools
Special Guest: Dr. Scott Muri, former TX Superintendent of the Year
Session #2
Friday, November 7, 2025 (virtual) 12:00-1:00 PM CT | 1:00-2:00 PM ET
Budget & Finance: Line of Sight Into Instructional Improvement & Budget Forecasting
- How to using the budget as an effective lever for school improvement
- Adopt an instructional focus (observation tool) to inform key budget decisions
- Develop systems to drive financial accountability tied to student success
Special Guest: Andrew Kim, former Comal ISD superintendent & K-12 financing & budget expert
Session #3
Friday, January 9, 2026 (virtual) 12:00-1:00 PM CT | 1:00-2:00 PM ET
Forward Progress: Surviving the Political Climate
- Practical tools for managing board relationships
- Strategies to navigate challenging local politics
- Plans to survive shifts at the state and federal levels
Special Guest: Dr. Barbara Jenkins, former Orange County superintendent & Baldridge Award-Winner
Session #4
Friday, March 6, 2026 (virtual) 12:00-1:00 PM CT | 1:00-2:00 PM ET
Board Governance: Marry the Problem, Not the Solution. Bringing Clarity to Board Relationships
- Learn to speak as one ‘unit,’ not as individuals
- Be a catalyst to help the board speak with ‘one voice’
- How to avoid being ‘captured’ by individual factions
Special Guest: Ben Mackey, "We call Ben 'The Board Whisperer'"
Session #5
Friday & Saturday, June 5th & 6th, 2026 (on-site, Dallas, TX) | Full-day
Bring it all together to achieve your vision
- A vision is a ‘dream with deadline’
- How to execute performance management at scale
- The ‘Core 4’ & delivering superior customer service
Register today!
Please complete the form below to register.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Together Network for Transformation with Dr. Michael Hinojosa & RocketPD?
The Together Network for Transformation with Dr. Michael Hinojosa & RocketPD is an invite-only school leadership collective featuring group thinking and collaboration to support goal-oriented transformational urban school leadership.
Invitees will come together virtually once every other month for a structured, collaborative, and entirely candid leadership conversation led by Dr. Hinojosa. Each session is focused on a clear challenge of transformational school leadership and brings the nation’s most innovative school leaders together in “a safe space” to ask hard questions, explore best practices and power positive strategic changes within their organizations and/or broader school communities.
Attendees will emerge with a powerful leadership framework and practical set of ideas on which to build and power current and future organizational successes.
Why should I participate in the Together Network for Transformation?
Unlike traditional 1:1 coaching programs, Together Network for Transformation combines with the benefits of an experienced mentor in Dr. Michael Hinojosa, with the power of a collaborative leadership circle, in which the best and brightest minds in K-12 educators are invited to come together, in a safe environment to ask hard questions, pressure test ideas and develop their leadership skills en route to achieving their vision and mission for their school district and/or communities and providing continuous value for school board members and stakeholders.
All sessions are virtual and designed to fit inside busy superintendent schedules, with the exception of sessions No. 5, which features a day live on-site with Dr. Michael Hinojosa and other members of the invite-only collective.
What is the cost of the Together Network for Transformation?
The cost for participation and enrollment is $5,000 and by invitation only. There will be a a maximum number of (10-15) participants in each collective.
How do I pay for the Together Network for Transformation?
School district leaders are encouraged to pay for their enrollment by working with their local school boards as means of protecting their investment. Travel to Session 5 in Dallas can be paid for out of discretionary travel funds.
Can I invite others to participate in the Together Network for Transformation?
Together Network for Transformation is by invitation only. Dr. Hinojosa will accept nominations from members of the group, but he reserves the right to determine eligibility. For school leaders who would like their teams to go through a similar process, Dr. Hinojosa and RocketPD can arrange the formation of a custom cohort through Dr. Hinojosa’s consultancy, TNT. Please inquire using the form included on this page.