“With all of the uncertainties surrounding public education, there is no better time for first- and second-year superintendents to join with colleagues and receive the support they need to successfully enter the most challenging career opportunity of their life,” said Sharon Robison, Leading the Leaders coordinator.
Leading the Leaders is a professional development program designed to assist first- and second-year superintendents as they enter a new phase of their educational career. Now in its eighth year, it is a well-respected support program for those new to the superintendency and has proven to be a highly successful learning event.
Experienced superintendents who are currently on the job are among the LTL instructors. These leaders can offer expert, practical information, having already gone through the same experiences as the program attendees. The LTL curriculum is based on the California Professional Standards for Educational Leaders.
A cohort from around the state works together throughout the school year. They attend four workshops with 60 hours of instruction. Although a cohort has already started for 2008, Robison said the program is designed so that participants can join through the January workshop and continue on through all four workshops.
The goal is to create a continuous learning community. ACSA staff members are available to assist members of the cohort in a number of areas. Sessions cover many of the issues that prove to be challenging for new superintendents. Not only is the area of educational leadership covered, but sessions also focus on politics, working with boards of education as part of a team, creating a vision for the district, and developing leadership throughout a district.
Sessions also examine the issues of impacting teaching and learning; evaluating curriculum, instruction and student achievement; and employee performance. Attendees also learn about dealing with finance, negotiations and facilities needs as well as many other issues.
Comments from recent participants include:
“An outstanding opportunity to further my leadership skills. This is the best opportunity to learn, share and to network with individuals experiencing similar job duties. Leading the Leaders is an opportunity to learn about all aspects of a superintendency from a small or large district and from a K-8 or K-12 district that is urban, rural or suburban.”
‘This was an amazing opportunity. I learned so many things and received many valuable tools that I will use immediately.”
“This is by far one of the best professional trainings I have ever taken part in. Leading the Leaders is a program made up of members with unique experiences, expertise and job duties waiting to be shared.”
“Leading the Leaders is a must program. You have a safe harbor to share the growing experience of the first year.”
The remaining 2008-09 Leading the Leaders workshop dates and locations are as follows:
• Nov. 5-6 in San Diego at the Manchester Hyatt Hotel, prior to the ACSA Leadership Summit.
• Jan. 27-28, 2009 at the Monterey Conference Center, prior to the ACSA Superintendents’ Symposium.
• April 23-24, 2009 in the ACSA Sacramento office
A new cohort is slated to begin in July 2009.
Registration forms may be found in the Calendar section online. Questions about Leading the Leaders may directed to Sharon Robison at (707) 538-2682 or robison9@ix.netcom.com, or to the ACSA Educational Services Department at (800) 608-ACSA.