Episode 30: New Teachers, Old Habits: Protecting Your SBL Culture

In Episode 30 of Fires in Grading, Don, Becky, and Garth tackle one of the most overlooked challenges in grading reform: onboarding new teachers. While many districts invest significant time and effort into developing standards-based grading systems, far fewer create intentional processes to help new staff understand and sustain that work. The team explores how relying on mentors, assumptions, or “learning as you go” can lead to inconsistency, system drift, and the gradual erosion of a district’s grading philosophy. They discuss what effective onboarding should include, how leaders can preserve their grading culture through staff turnover, and why sustainability requires more than just a well-written handbook. If your district has been “doing the work” for several years, this episode will help you ensure that progress continues rather than slowly slipping away.