Leading for Tomorrow's Schools Today
By Michael Lubelfeld & Nick Polyak
Published October 2025
This book stands apart from others on the topic by offering the combined wisdom of two veteran superintendents who, together, bring over three decades each of hands-on leadership experience and nearly 60 years in education. Drawing from their careers 鈥渋n the seat,鈥� the authors demonstrate how challenging the status quo and embracing innovation can lead to meaningful, sustained change. While rooted in the context of K鈥�12 education, the book's leadership lessons extend far beyond schools, offering valuable guidance for leaders across sectors.
Key features include:
- Reflective Questions in each chapter to deepen understanding and application
- Voices from the Field-practitioner essays offering real-world insights
- Practical strategies to challenge the process with clear 鈥渨hy and how鈥� explanations
- A timely focus on Artificial Intelligence: How to Lead With It
In an era of rapid change, this is a much-needed roadmap for school leaders - and all leaders - looking to navigate the future with courage, clarity, and vision.
Dr. Michael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010 and currently leads North Shore School District 112, serving the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, IL, just north of Chicago. A nationally recognized educational leader, Dr. Lubelfeld is deeply engaged in leadership development and professional growth, collaborating with state and national associations to inspire the next generation of educational leaders. A sought-after speaker, he has presented across the United States and internationally on topics including leadership, student voice, global service learning, and innovative educational practices. Dr. Lubelfeld has co-authored several influential books, including The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow鈥檚 Schools (2017), Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable (2018), The Unfinished Leader: A School Leadership Framework for Growth & Development (2021), and The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself (2024). His latest work, Leading for Tomorrow鈥檚 Schools Today, is currently in publication and will be released this year. Dr. Lubelfeld鈥檚 leadership has been recognized with multiple awards, including 2025 Rotary Service Above Self Award, the 2021 Administration and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Education, and the 2017 Lake County Superintendent of the Year Award. In addition, he was recently accepted into the 2025 ISTE-ASCD Generation AI Fellowship, and he was selected for the 2025-2026 Google-GSV Fellowship. In 2025, he was also named as one of the top 100 Influencers in education, and he received the Delta Award for innovation from the Illinois Educational Technology Leaders (IETL). Mike and his wife, Stephanie, have two children and live in suburban Chicago, where he continues to champion educational excellence and leadership development.
Dr. Nick Polyak has served as the Superintendent for Leyden Community High School District #212 for the past twelve years. Prior to that, he served as the Superintendent for Illinois Valley Central School District #321 for four years. Nick and his wife Kate have four children and they reside in suburban Chicago. Over the past several years, Leyden, has received many honors. They were named the National Advanced Placement District of the Year, Illinois Democracy Schools, Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces, and the National School Board Association Grand Prize Magna Award as a top equity program. Nick facilitates the Illinois Global Service Project and annually takes a group of Superintendents and School Board Members from across Illinois to serve schools and students in the Dominican Republic. He has co-authored four books: The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow鈥檚 Schools Today, Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, The Unfinished Leader: A Leadership Framework for Growth and Development, and The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself. Nick facilitates the 91制片 Transformational Leadership Consortium, and both the IASA and 91制片 Aspiring Superintendents Academies. He was awarded the Finest Under 40 Alumni Award by Augustana College in 2015, The West Cook County Superintendent of Distinction in 2016, and the Administration and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Education in 2023.
Preface
Foreword by Tom Murray
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Section 1: Leadership is Change
Chapter 1: Cultivating Change
Chapter 2: Selection of Staff, Who, How, and How Long?
Voices from the Field: Leading Transformation in a VUCA World: A Progressive Vision for Brigantine Public School District by Glenn Robbins, Superintendent
Section 2: Go Where the Smart People Are - Learning From Others
Chapter 3 : Networks and Professional Organizations
Chapter 4: Language Matters
Voices from the Field: My Journey of People-Centered Leadership as Superintendent by Dr. Zandra Jo Galvan
Section 3: You Can Do It
Chapter 5: We're Not Broke, We're Broken
Chapter 6 Transformation: Flip the Mindset
Voices from the Field: Expanding Pathways to Success by Gladys I. Cruz
Section 4: Change Faster - Embrace Your Context - Revolutionary Change
Chapter 7: Bomb Threats and Social Media
Chapter 8: Artificial Intelligence & Innovation
Voices from the Field: The Student's Bill of Rights by Jeff Dillon
Conclusion
References
Appendix A Interviews from the Pandemic Era-Use Case for Generative AI and Leadership
Appendix B (Teach AI Guidance)
Appendix C Listing of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools Used Throughout this Book
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