Setting the tone for your school or district's Hilight rollout

1. Let your team in on the vision and the why behind starting Hilight

Before your staff ever logs in, take a moment in a meeting to share your purpose behind implementing Hilight this year. Why is it important to you to have a system where your team can share the positive moments? Why is it important to have a way for staff to recognize and celebrate each other? What do you hope Hilight will help build in your school or district?

Taking just a few minutes to answer these questions helps set a tone of intention, connection, and shared purpose.

It's important to introduce Hilight however is most authentic for you, but here is just one way to talk about Hilight with your staff that has worked well for other districts and makes them feel a part of your vision:

"Hilight is our system to help see, celebrate, and share the positive moments that you make happen every period of every day.

"With Hilight this year, our goals are to 

• • Uplift our people: help make sure every staff member feel seen, appreciated, and connected.

  • Share out our small wins: bring to light the amazing things happening in our classrooms, cafeterias, buses, and beyond.

  • Capture our positive data: make it it easier to learn from what's working, lead with it, and connect it all back to our core values and vision."

If the language above feels authentic to you, here are a few quick slides you can screen or share with your staff.

The truth is, there are so many bright spots in your district, but too often, the only ones we talk about are the pain points. Naming your vision and purpose helps your team understand that Hilight isn’t just one more thing — it’s a way to make the meaningful things more visible, more valued, and more shared.

2. Keep the lift light, and the commitment to consistency strong

Once your team understands why this matters, the next step is showing them how simple and doable it can be.

Let them know: you’re not asking them to add one more thing to their plate — you’re creating space to celebrate what’s already happening.

Some of our highest-usage schools and districts commit to just two minutes a week with Hilight and they build it into time that already exists. For example:

• At the start or end of staff or leadership team meetings

• At the start or end of PLCs or PD sessions

• During weekly planning time

• During morning or afternoon announcements

Creating a consistent, low-lift rhythm sends a strong message: this matters, and we’re going to make it doable together.

3. Lead by example

The most effective way to build momentum is to go first.

Across the board, the districts with the highest usage also have the highest levels of admin participation. When leaders consistently send Hilights — to teachers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, administrative assistants, coaches — it sets a tone that recognition isn’t just encouraged, it’s expected and valued.

But it’s not just about sending Hilights — it’s about how and what you choose to share.

• Lead by frequency: If you send one meaningful Hilight a week, your team is likely to follow that rhythm. If you send five quick ones, they’ll feel free to do that too. The pace you set becomes the pace they mirror.

• Lead by style: Use your Hilights to show your team what a meaningful message looks like. They don’t have to be long — but they should be specific, positive, and grounded in real moments. Your tone, length, and attention to detail will shape what others feel comfortable sending.

• Lead by focus: Use your Hilights to lift up the kinds of actions and moments you want to see more of. When you recognize asset-based practices — the teaching moves, support strategies, relationship-building actions — you give your staff a clear picture of the everyday actions that you want to see more of.

We recommend committing to sending at least one Hilight to every staff member on your immediate team during the first few weeks. It’s a small gesture that can build trust, clarity, and momentum — one authentic message at a time.