Dr. Gina Acosta Potter, California School District Leader, is launching a public pledge encouraging educators, families, and community members to strengthen stability, trust, and consistency in schools and daily life.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA / ACCESS Newswire / August 19, 2026 / Dr. Gina Acosta Potter, longtime California educational leader and in her ninth year as the Superintendent of the San Ysidro School District, announced the launch of the Lead With Stability Pledge, a public commitment focused on consistency, trust, collaboration, listening, genuine care, and long-term thinking in schools and communities.
The pledge comes at a time when many schools across the country are facing misinformation campaigns about public education, staffing shortages, declining enrollment, rising absenteeism, escalating education costs, and growing pressure on educators, students, and families.
"People perform better when systems are stable," Dr. Potter said. "Students learn better. Educators work better. Families trust schools more."
The pledge is rooted in lessons Dr. Potter has learned during more than 30 years in public education, including leading school systems to stability, through financial recovery, rapid change, the development of innovative educational programs, the COVID-19 pandemic, and to achieve state and national recognition.
"We cannot improve outcomes if we keep changing direction every few months," she said. "Consistency matters."
Why This Issue Matters Right Now
Public education systems continue to face major challenges nationwide:
Nearly 1 in 4 students in many districts are considered chronically absent
Teacher turnover rates in some districts exceed 16% annually
Public schools serve more than 49 million students in the United States
Studies show students perform better in schools with stable staffing and consistent leadership
Burnout among educators remains one of the highest reported workplace stress categories
"During the pandemic, we saw how quickly instability affects learning," Dr. Potter said. "Families needed health care, food, support, resources, and communication. Stability became the foundation for everything else."
She added, "Several parents told me that during the COVID pandemic their children attended school regularly because the school was the one predictable place in their lives. It stayed with me that parents were so very grateful to our schools and educators for creating safe haven for their children during the crisis of the worldwide pandemic."
The "Lead With Stability" Pledge
Dr. Potter's pledge focuses on seven personal commitments designed to strengthen trust, clarity, and consistency in schools and communities.
The 7 Commitments
I will focus on fewer priorities and follow through on them.
I will communicate clearly and consistently with others.
I will listen fully before reacting or making assumptions.
I will support routines that help students and families feel secure.
I will look for long-term solutions instead of quick fixes.
I will recognize the people doing steady, reliable work every day.
I will pause before creating unnecessary change or confusion.
"Leadership is not about constant motion," Dr. Potter said. "Often leadership is about creating calm."
"Do It Yourself" Stability Toolkit
The pledge also includes a free toolkit below with simple actions anyone can take immediately without paying for services or programs.
10 Actions Anyone Can Start Today
Write down your top three priorities for the week
Create one consistent morning routine
Read district and school communications each week
Thank one educator or support staff member
Spend 10 minutes listening to a student, parent, or colleague without interrupting
Reduce one unnecessary commitment
Set one realistic goal and stick with it for 30 days
Organize one space that affects your daily focus
Check in with a student or young person regularly
End each day by writing one thing that worked well
"These are small actions," Dr. Potter said. "But stable systems are built through repeated habits."
30-Day Progress Tracker
Participants are encouraged to track progress over 30 days using a simple checklist approach.
Weekly Check-In Questions
Did I follow through on my top priorities?
Did I create clarity or confusion this week?
Did I support someone who needed consistency?
Did I slow down before reacting?
What habit felt easier this week than last week?
Participants can print the tracker, keep notes in a notebook, or share updates privately with friends or coworkers.
A Call to Action
Dr. Potter is encouraging educators, families, students, and community members to take the pledge together.
"Strong communities are not built overnight," she said. "They are built through steady actions repeated over time."
Readers are invited to take the pledge, use the toolkit, and share it with others in their schools and communities.
To read more, visit the website here.
About Dr. Gina Acosta Potter
Dr. Gina Acosta Potter is a California educational leader with more than 30 years of experience serving diverse communities across the state. She has served as Superintendent of the San Ysidro School District since 2018 and is recognized for her leadership in sound governance, school finance, equity, and community-based educational improvement. As the first female Filipina Superintendent in California, she has dedicated her career to creating stable, student-centered school systems that support long-term success for families and communities.
Contact:
SOURCE: Gina Potter San Ysidro
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire