School Leadership Programs: The Principals' Center 2014

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP 2014 PROGR AMS Commitment. A Pr er equisite for Success .

The Principals’ Center

“

The grass only looks greener in someone else’s school yard.

space and time to reflect.

Our institutes provide best practices, deep resources

Principals need and the

support you need. ”

Pamela Mason

Lecturer on Education; Director, Language and Literacy Master’s Program, HGSE

Join our community of learners Successful leadership in TODAY’s SCHOOLS Whether you are a new leader or an experienced veteran, one thing is certain: you need support beyond your own school walls. In this age of accountability, you are expected to solve a mounting list of challenges — from overcrowding to underachievement — while providing the inspiration your school needs. But implementing effective change is not easy. You must inspire and motivate your teachers and your students. You must be a champion for learning. And you must have a strong support network.

The Harvard Graduate School of Education offers a variety of professional development programs for school leaders to strengthen their leadership skills for greater impact.

No matter where you are from — a small rural district, a large urban one or somewhere in between — you will connect with peers who face similar challenges and build a lasting professional network that will help support you throughout your career. Our institutes provide you with the time you need to reflect, refocus and recharge. You will leave inspired, with new ideas, skills and frameworks that you can put into practice the day you return home.

1

“

New and Aspiring School Leaders provided

key insight

into what it means to be an educational leader. This has been

well organized, timely, insightful and high-powered institute I’ve ever attended.

the most

Outstanding! ” Robert Lane

Middle School Dean, Woodlawn Secondary School, University of Chicago Charter School

NEW AND ASPIRING SCHOOL LEADERS March 23–26 OR Fall 2014 | $1,995 0 –2 Years of Leadership Experience WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

PROGR AM OBJECTIVES

Gain the tools, frameworks and leadership techniques needed to step into a leadership role, build and sustain effective learning environments, and improve instructional excellence.

• Assume a leadership position with a vision for success

PROGR AM OVERVIEW

• Foster curriculum collaboration among the faculty

New school leaders must be ready and able to assume the role of instructional champion — working on many fronts to improve and sustain student achievement. At the same time, they need to manage the academic development of a changing school population and accelerate the development of teachers. These initiatives require school leaders to focus on the management of resources as well as the ongoing renewal of school culture.

• Utilize resources and time to maximize student achievement

New and Aspiring School Leaders will prepare you for the many leadership challenges of American schools today. You will examine these challenges from the ground up, and clarify your vision of an effective school and your role in leading it. Working closely with faculty and seasoned practitioners, you will define your core values and understand how they can help you promote educational excellence.

• Improve instruction through effective teacher supervision and evaluation

• Discover ways to support all learners in your classrooms • Achieve community support for your school’s mission

WHO SHOULD ATTEND • School leaders in the first one to two years of the principalship • Educators anticipating a leadership position over the next one to two years • Members of the school community who are entering or plan to enter leadership roles, including teacher-leaders, department heads, assistant principals, assistant heads, division heads, curriculum coordinators and other members of the school community interested in expanding their leadership skills

FACULTY CHAIR Pamela Mason, Lecturer on Education; Director, Language and Literacy Master’s Program; Director, Jeanne Chall Reading Lab, HGSE See page 11 for detailed faculty chair biographies.

To apply or for more information, visit www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/asl

3

IMPROVING SCHOOLS: THE ART OF LEADERSHIP June 22 –28, 2014 | $3,495 1–5 Years of leadership experience WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Expand your leadership skills, explore new ways to enhance student learning and create success for yourself and your school.

PROGR AM OVERVIEW Today’s school leaders struggle to balance their roles as instructional leaders with the many other demands of the job. Through Improving Schools: The Art of Leadership, participants will develop their leadership skills, efficacy and ability to support teacher development and student achievement. Participants will also expand their understanding of leadership and explore multiple approaches for addressing leadership challenges.

PROGR AM OBJECTIVES • Apply research and best practices in developing school improvement efforts focused on increasing student achievement

• Develop an understanding of how adult learning and teacher development contribute to school improvement

• Shape a school culture that supports learning for all

• Implement an effective process for supervision and evaluation of teachers and other instructional staff

• Learn techniques for managing change

WHO SHOULD ATTEND • School leaders in the early years of their careers who are seeking improved leadership skills and a more focused approach to classroom practice

The institute will help you identify areas of school improvement, establish priorities, develop strategies and build a base of support around a change initiative. You will explore successful models for school improvement, learn how to lead and manage change, and understand how to implement curriculum innovation.

Through a research-based curriculum, you will focus on effective supervision and evaluation, approaches to solving leadership challenges with an emphasis on U.S. settings, and proven strategies that support teaching and learning. Upon completion of the program, you will have examined your own leadership challenges in the context of instructional improvement and learned how to lead and manage your school more effectively.

• New principals or educators in leadership positions with five or fewer years of experience in their roles, including assistant principals, teacher-leaders, instructional leaders and curriculum specialists

FACULTY CHAIR Pamela Mason, Lecturer on Education; Director, Language and Literacy Master’s Program; Director, Jeanne Chall Reading Lab, HGSE See page 11 for detailed faculty biographies.

To apply or for more information, visit www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/aol

LEADERSHIP: AN EVOLVING VISION

July 6 –12, 2014 | $3,495 3+ Years of leadership experience WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Strengthen your leadership and management skills and revitalize your personal vision of leadership. Learn new methods for improving individual, group and organizational performance.

PROGR AM OVERVIEW Leadership: An Evolving Vision provides experienced school leaders with an opportunity to reflect, learn and stretch—and so to strengthen—the leadership skills needed to address key challenges and raise student achievement. Participants work with Harvard faculty and experts on school leadership and education reform to examine effective strategies for building successful schools. You will return to your school revitalized and prepared to tackle your leadership challenges.

The program includes a unique opportunity to interact with and learn from colleagues from across the United States and around the world. Through plenary sessions, expertly facilitated group discussions and personal reflection, you will connect theory to practice—and develop a customized improvement agenda for yourself and your organization.

PROGR AM OBJECTIVES • Examine leadership styles and practices that enhance organizational performance and enable sustainable change

• Develop skills to manage schools and districts entrepreneurially

• Implement specific strategies for leading instruction, valuing diversity, fostering a positive school culture and communicating effectively with a variety of constituencies

• Respond to the expectations of a wide variety of stakeholders

• Learn proven techniques for enabling personal growth and for improving relationships with colleagues and staff members • Lead a systematic process of improving the learning, happiness, and life chances of children and young people

WHO SHOULD ATTEND • Experienced school leaders responsible for thinking strategically about their schools and districts

• Experienced principals, heads of school, assistant principals, assistant heads of school and department heads

FACULTY CHAIR Joseph Blatt, Senior Lecturer on Education; Director, Technology, Innovation and Education Program, HGSE See page 11 for detailed faculty biographies.

To apply or for more information, visit www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/lev

5

SCHOOL TURNAROUND LEADERS June 2 – 6, 2014 | $2,295 WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• Measure your results

Develop a theory of action for successfully turning around underperforming schools. Understand how to use an accelerated timeline to create learning environments that support high levels of achievement for all students and full engagement of all stakeholders.

• Understand how to best align school-level efforts with district and state goals

PROGR AM OVERVIEW Together with Harvard faculty, expert practitioners and a cohort of fellow turnaround leaders, you will analyze elements critical to your school’s turnaround plan. You will gain key leadership skills and learn strategies for successful implementation.

Specific topics include understanding the importance of high instructional quality and expectations, translating data into action, developing effective teams, leading a change effort, and creating meaningful engagement with community and external partners.

• Implement your new theory of action

CAPSTONE PROJECT: THEORY OF ACTION The program’s capstone project is where you will develop a theory of action, specific to your school or district turnaround efforts.

The plan will focus on establishing priorities to achieve rapid and meaningful improvement. Once drafted, you will present your plan and receive direct feedback from peers and faculty through a facilitated consultancy exercise. By the end of the program you will have a defined plan that you can put into action right away.

PROGR AM OBJECTIVES • Develop a theory of action—wherever you may be in the turnaround effort—focusing on establishing priorities to achieve rapid and meaningful improvement

School turnaround efforts require highly effective leaders able to create the conditions for rapid and sustained change. To successfully impact student outcomes, leaders in turnaround contexts must drive a fundamental shift in school culture and instructional practice that results in early gains and ongoing high performance. The demands are great, but the need to improve the opportunities for our children in failing schools is even greater.

• Lead effective transformation of school culture

• Understand how to use data effectively to set strategy and drive integrated decision-making at the classroom and school levels

• Drive high-quality instruction and instructional leadership

• Determine how best to track and assess progress and success

By the end of the program you will understand how to: • Transform school culture • Identify and achieve early success

• Learn strategies for communicating your vision to the press and stakeholders in the school and community

WHO SHOULD ATTEND • K-12 educators and change agents directly responsible for leading or overseeing school turnaround efforts

• School-level teams composed of principals, assistant principals, educators in leadership roles, school administrators, instructional leaders, teacher-leaders

• Teams composed of school- and district-level leaders are also encouraged

• Administrators at the state level and individual educators are also welcome to apply

ATTENDING AS A TEAM Educators who attend as part of a team are able to increase the impact of their learning both while on campus and once they have returned home. Free from the usual distractions of the work setting, your team will benefit from additional opportunities to focus on your specific turnaround plan. Teams are able to collectively work on their theory of action, build a shared vision for moving forward and be better prepared to implement the plan as soon as they return home.

FACULTY CHAIR Katherine Merseth, Senior Lecturer on Education; Director, Teacher Education Program, HGSE See page 11 for detailed faculty chair biographies.

To apply or for more information, visit www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/stl

7

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR URBAN SCHOOL LEADERS July 14 –19, 2014 | $2,695 WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Refine your leadership skills and broaden your understanding of effective teaching and learning. You will examine successful practices from urban settings, set high expectations for achievement and explore strategies that promote student engagement.

PROGR AM OVERVIEW In today’s high-stakes environment of accountability and limited resources, school leaders must be able to address urgent challenges from multiple constituencies. Research on effective schools continually points to the important role leaders play in creating the right conditions to increase student achievement.

PROGR AM OBJECTIVES • Identify leadership roles and styles required to improve teaching and learning in the instructional core

• Examine the beliefs, cultural changes, and teaching and learning strategies required to promote high student achievement

• Consider the effects of race, class and culture on the learning community

• Learn effective approaches for ensuring the inclusion of all students

• Explore practice-based techniques for closing the achievement gap

WHO SHOULD ATTEND National Institute for Urban School Leaders brings educators from urban contexts together with Harvard faculty and top experts in the field to examine best practices and research-based techniques that support student achievement. It provides an in-depth exploration of the leadership skills necessary to enhance and sustain learning outcomes.

You will examine schools in relation to the broader community contexts — exploring race, culture, equity, socioeconomic status and social justice in today’s diverse urban classrooms. You will focus on strategies for improving teaching and learning, and building community support for the work of schools. When you leave, you will be better prepared to transform your learning landscape to support higher student achievement and successful outcomes for all students.

• School leaders and teams working in urban settings

• Principals, assistant principals, department heads, directors of curriculum and instruction, and other central-office administrators

FACULTY CHAIR Deborah Jewell-Sherman, Professor of Practice, HGSE See page 11 for detailed faculty chair biographies.

To apply or for more information, visit www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe/usl

9

“

The Art of Leadership was

amazing.

I am returning to my district more informed to help

not only my students — but also

my community. ” Stanley Dobbs

Assistant Superintendent, Hayward Unified School District, Hayward, CA

J OSE P H B L ATT is Senior Lecturer on Education and Director of the Technology, Innovation and Education Program at H G SE . Blatt’s work focuses on the effects of media content and technology on young people’s development, learning and civic behavior. He has created television series and websites for many types of learning environments, and he is now helping to renew the historic relationship between H G SE and Sesame Workshop. Blatt is a recipient of the Morningstar Award, H G SE ’s highest honor for teaching excellence, and also created the Usable Knowledge website, which makes H G SE faculty research available and accessible to practitioners.

PA MEL A M A SON is Lecturer on Education, Director of the Master’s Program in Language and Literacy, and Director of the Jeanne Chall Reading Lab at H G SE . Mason served for 10 years as a reading/language arts curriculum director and for 19 years as an elementary school principal in the Boston area. She is president of the Massachusetts Association of College and University Reading Educators (MACURE) and was president of the Massachusetts Reading Association. She collaborates with colleagues nationally and internationally on preparing reading specialist teachers, implementing literacy coaching, developing school leaders and evaluating school-wide literacy programs.

DE B OR A H J E W ELL- S H ERM A N is Professor of Practice at HGSE. Jewell-Sherman is a graduate of the School’s Urban Superintendents Program and has built a reputation over the past decade as one of the most successful urban district superintendents in the country.

She served as superintendent of the Richmond, VA schools from 2002 to 2008. During her tenure, 95 percent of Richmond’s lowest-performing schools achieved full accreditation under Virginia’s Standards of Learning legislation, and the district as a whole improved from 18 to 91.7 percent. Jewell-Sherman was named Virginia Superintendent of the Year 2009 by the Virginia Association of School Superintendents.

K AT H ERINE MERSET H is Senior Lecturer on Education and Director of the Teacher Education Program at H G SE .

Merseth has more than 40 years of experience in instruction, administration and research in public education in the United States and internationally. Her work concentrates on charter schools, teacher education, mathematics education and the case method of instruction. Most recently she was the principal investigator for a study researching highperforming charter schools, the results of which are presented in the award-winning book, Inside Urban Charter Schools: Promising Practices and Strategies in Five HighPerforming Charter Schools. Merseth is also a recipient of the Morningstar Award, H G SE ’s highest honor for teaching excellence.

For a complete list of program faculty, visit the individual program Web page at www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe

11

ADDITIONAL 2014 PROGR AMS Designed for public, charter and independent school leaders, our goal is to help you make the most of your role—whether it’s preparing you for a new challenge or providing fresh insight and strategies for successful leadership. Our professional development programs not only let you recharge and connect with like-minded individuals who face similar issues, but they also show you how to apply what you learn directly to your work for years to come.

Leadership Institute for Superintendents March 2–5 Women in Education Leadership March 6–8 Instructional Rounds: Spring March 30–April 3 Learning Environments for Tomorrow: Next Practices for Educators and Architects April 8–10 The Transformative Power of Teacher Teams May 4–6 New Tools for School Success: Three-Day Learning Lab on School-Improvement Teams May 7–9 Think Tank on Global Education May 14–16

Universal Design for Learning July 7–11

Data Wise: Using Assessment Results to Improve Teaching and Learning June 16–20

Project Zero Classroom July 21–25

Enhancing Teacher Effectiveness in High Schools June 23–27 Closing the Achievement Gap June 30–July 3

Future of Learning July 29–August 1

For a complete listing of 2014 programs, visit www.gse.havard.edu/ppe/k12 13

Request brochures at ww W.GSE.HARVARD.EDU/PPE/GREEN

The Principals’ Center, 44 Brattle Street, Fifth Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138 www.gse.harvard.edu/ppe | 800.545.1849