"Bell Schedule at Leadership changed nearly every year. We'd talk about it, have ideas, and then we'd move advisory around. What's the best schedule to get students to school on time?"
-Beth Silbergeld
Most principals panic when they move from a 400-student school to 1,850. The intimacy disappears. Innovation slows to a crawl.
Every decision suddenly needs approval from 17 different committees. Teachers become specialists instead of generalists who knew every kid's story.
But Beth Silbergeld, principal of Branham High School in San Jose, discovered something counterintuitive: Large schools aren't broken small schools—they're entirely different organisms that require radically different leadership DNA.
The "Small School Mindset" That Nearly Broke Her
Silbergeld came to Branham after years of leading smaller, innovative schools where change happened at lightning speed. At Leadership High School in San Francisco—a 400-student charter focused on Coalition of Essential Schools principles—she could pivot the bell schedule over summer break.
The culture shock hit hard when she moved to larger comprehensive high schools.
A colleague warned her: "You're gonna be frustrated with how slow change happens."
The "99 Clubs Problem" (And Why It's Actually Genius)
Branham High has 99 student clubs. Not 100—exactly 99.
"I think there's a very detailed process for how to start a club and maybe a less detailed club for how to close one out," Silbergeld laughs.
This isn't administrative chaos. It's strategic community-building.
Large schools can't rely on everyone knowing everyone. Instead, they need what Silbergeld calls "communities of communities"—interconnected smaller groups that create belonging at scale.
The Dunbar number (roughly 150 meaningful relationships per person) means comprehensive high schools must architect connection differently than small schools.
Her "Every Child Known Well" Framework—At Scale
Small schools live by the mantra: "Every child known well by at least one adult."
But how do you execute this with 1,850 students?
Silbergeld's solution combines intentional structures with relentless visibility:
The Counseling Strategy: Branham maintains counselor-to-student ratios around 200:1 or lower. "Even within those 200 students, some might connect more to that counselor... but there has to be intentionality."
The Visibility Protocol: "I'm in the same place every single day at brunch and at lunch. If someone needs to find me, they know exactly where I am."
The Open Door Policy: Her office door stays open during work hours. Students know they can walk in, even during meetings.
The Decision-Making Framework That Prevents Chaos
In small schools, decisions happen organically. In large schools, decision-making can paralyze progress.
Silbergeld learned to be crystal clear about decision categories:
Principal's Call: Operational decisions (scheduling data review sessions)
Input Gathering: Major policy changes (bell schedule modifications)
Consensus Building: Culture and vision work
Majority Vote: Specific implementation details
Communicate the decision-making process upfront, then explain every decision as it happens.
When CAASP testing eliminated substitute teachers, forcing her to reschedule a planned data review session, she immediately told staff: "We're not gonna cancel it because the work is still important. Here's when we're gonna do it."
No overexplanation. No throwing anyone under the bus. Just context and clarity.
The "Bell Schedule Revolution" That Added 30 Minutes of Learning
Last year, Branham teachers changed their bell schedule through the proper committee process (required by the collective bargaining agreement).
The result? A 30-minute tutorial period built into every school day.
Students must attend, but they choose which class to get extra support in—creating an MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) intervention built into the schedule.
This kind of structural innovation takes months in large schools versus weeks in small schools. But when it works, it impacts every single student.
The "Bear in Mind" Communication Strategy
Silbergeld sends a weekly Friday email called "Bear in Mind" (Branham's mascot is the Bruins).
But here's what makes it brilliant: She includes pieces of her personality.
Previous versions included:
- "Monday Miscellaneous and Minutiae" (weekly preview/review)
- Friday emails with songs/videos connected to the week's work
- Daily emails (exhausting but effective) with photos and celebrations
The Vulnerability Advantage in Large Schools
Small schools foster intimacy naturally. Large schools require intentional vulnerability from leadership
A parent once told her staff about her challenging child: "He is my best."
That reframe stuck. "My best on one day may not be my best on another day because we're all bringing different things every day."
Her vulnerability practices:
- Sharing music and inspirations in weekly communications
- Admitting when she misses something without over-apologizing
- Being visible and accessible in consistent locations
- Taking accountability while giving others grace
The Physical Transformation Strategy
When Silbergeld arrived at Branham, the front office "looked like a bank."
No student photos. Large screens blocking staff from visitors.
"We knocked those down in about October," she says.
A bond measure is funding structural improvements, but the culture work started immediately with simple changes:
- Student photos throughout the office
- Removing barriers between staff and visitors
- Displaying school mantras and outcomes visibly
- Creating "welcoming and warm" spaces that reflect student diversity
Her "Stay Hungry" Philosophy for Educational Leaders
Silbergeld's advice to fellow principals: "Stay hungry for what is possible."
She compares educators to medical professionals: "I wouldn't go to a doctor knowing they hadn't read or listened to anything modern in terms of feeding their excellence in their craft."
Her continuous learning approach:
- Staying curious about what colleagues are reading and listening to
- Being critical of new ideas while remaining open
- Focusing on both student experience and staff experience
- Modeling professional growth for teachers
The Innovation Secret: It's About Culture, Not Programs
The biggest misconception about large school leadership? That innovation means new programs.
Drawing from bell hooks' writing on teaching and love, she believes "love is the revolutionary act."
This shows up in:
- Clear, honest feedback (even about reactions to decisions)
- Consistent visibility and accessibility
- Creating spaces where people bring their "true selves"
- Acknowledging the full humanity of everyone in the building
School is School
Leading large schools isn't about scaling small school tactics. It's about understanding that comprehensive high schools are complex ecosystems requiring:
- Structural innovation (bell schedules, tutorial periods, counseling ratios)
- Communication systems that build relationships at scale
- Decision-making frameworks that prevent paralysis
- Cultural intentionality that creates belonging across diverse communities
- Leadership visibility that makes human connection possible with 1,850+ students
The difference is in how leaders architect connection, drive change, and stay human while serving at scale.
