When the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted in-person education in spring 2020, learning leaders urgently needed collaborative professional learning — to take deep breaths, reflect on how to shift their practices, and support one another emotionally and logistically to survive and eventually thrive in this unfamiliar learning environment. However, many traditional growth opportunities became impossible amid requirements for social distancing, remote teaching, and other health precautions. Some educators wondered if there was even space for professional collaboration during a pandemic while instructors prioritized students’ and families’ basic needs. If so, how might teachers and leaders carve out time from their overloaded days (and nights) to concentrate on a new skill set? Hawaii’s Na Kumu Alaka’i Teacher Leader Academy, a year-long professional learning experience for school- and district-level