What are the key conditions in schools that successfully set them up for meaningful, sustainable improvement? This introduction to the 5Essentials, a leading research-based school improvement framework and survey, will teach participants about the three decades of research that undergird the 5Essentials as well as some of the most critical building blocks for a strong, organized school that is primed to improve – including relational trust, supportive environments for students, and the role of leadership in creating strong environments. Practitioners will walk away with new insights about the factors that matter most for promoting school improvement and questions for reflection on their practices related to these concepts.