Little Wins Workshop 2026 | School Staff and Teacher Recognition

Teacher recognition is one of the strongest culture moves a school leader has, and it only works when it becomes a real habit instead of a one-off event. In this session, Eric Filardi, Principal of Mendenhall River Community School in Juneau, Alaska, walks through the HABIT framework he built to keep staff recognition going through the hardest weeks of the year. If your current approach to recognizing teachers depends on jeans passes, donuts, or a burst of energy during Staff Appreciation Week, this conversation is for you. Eric shares five practical steps that move teacher appreciation from good intentions into a sustainable practice your whole school community can help carry. You will hear a simple "I noticed" formula for specific praise, three buckets (daily, weekly, monthly) for building a steady cadence, and the February test that keeps recognition for teachers alive long after the back-to-school glow wears off. By the end, you will have a plan for one teacher recognition habit to start in the next 30 days, plus ideas for inviting parents, colleagues, and community members into the process so the work does not sit on your shoulders alone. 0:00 Welcome and what this session is about 2:44 Why caring is not the same as having a system 3:51 Moving recognition from effort to habit 7:10 How telling a different story changed our school 9:22 The HABIT framework, introduced 12:31 H: Honor the work specifically 14:50 A: Activate more voices 19:56 B: Build a daily, weekly, and monthly cadence 22:43 The February test 24:13 I: Inspect what's landing 25:32 T: Tell the story 27:38 Pick one habit to start in the next 30 days 29:10 Closing: noticing what is still good Little Wins become culture when leaders notice them, name them, and share them. Learn more about making school the happiest place to work at https://www.getalpaca.com/. #TeacherRecognition #SchoolLeadership #HABITFramework