My First PPO Was Scheduled for the Day After My Son Was Born
by Brett Roer
Senior Director of AI Innovation and Professional Development at CITE
Former New York City Bronx Public High School Principal
My First PPO Was Scheduled for the Day After My Son Was Born
My first PPO as a new principal was scheduled for October 23, 2017.
The day before, on Sunday, October 22nd, my firstborn son was born unexpectedly early. We had to move the PPO. I returned early from paternity leave due to safety issues on my shared campus.
That moment has stayed with me throughout my leadership journey, not because of the logistics, but because it captured the reality of school leadership in New York City. This work is human, complex, and demanding. Leadership does not pause when life intervenes.
Leading schools in New York City is complex work.
Principals and assistant principals are constantly balancing instructional leadership, APPR expectations, superintendent priorities, and the daily responsibility of supporting teachers and students, all while demonstrating growth through PPO observations.
In my first full year as a New York City public high school principal in the Bronx, I received a Highly Effective rating. That outcome was not about perfection. It reflected thoughtful feedback from my superintendent and their team, the dedication of my teachers and administrative team, and the tremendous growth of our students.
What mattered most between PPOs was not trying to do everything. It was focusing on the right leadership moves.
- Listening carefully to superintendent feedback
- Clarifying instructional priorities
- Aligning instructional walkthroughs to what mattered most
- Making leadership actions visible and intentional
- Demonstrating responsiveness and growth over time
Today, as the Senior Director of AI Innovation and Professional Development at CITE, the most meaningful part of our work is supporting NYCPS principals and assistant principals as they navigate APPR expectations, the superintendent lens, and instructional walkthrough norms, especially between first and second PPO observations.
How CITE’s Professional Development Team Supports NYCPS School Leaders
CITE’s Professional Development team is comprised of experienced New York City building and district leaders, former principals, assistant principals, and central office leaders who understand the realities of NYCPS leadership and are here to support school leaders every step of the way.
We partner with schools to translate feedback into action, refine leadership practice, and strengthen instructional focus in ways that are practical, grounded, and aligned to NYCPS expectations.
If you are a principal or assistant principal preparing for a second PPO, incorporating feedback from a recent superintendent visit, or seeking leadership support for your school community, you do not have to do that work alone.
If interested in having CITE’s Professional Development team support you and your school, learn more here:
Learn more about how CITE’s AI Options can help your school:
- Join us for a one-hour online info session, on Zoom:
Click to Reserve a free spot: 1/20/26 at 9:30am
Click to Reserve a free spot: 1/22/26 at 3pm
- Book time with our executive leadership coaches to learn more about how we can customize AI support for your school community
Register for our January 26th AI Module: Everything K-12 Educators Need to Know About Generative AI
