March 1997 Newsletter
Volume 9, Number 3
Mentoring Project Aims To Accelerate Achievement
What if new school leaders could pack two or three years of experience into their first year on the job? That’s the target that will be aimed for as LEAD continues working to implement a statewide mentoring system for beginning school principals and superintendents. Once the plan is fully implemented, trained mentors will be available throughout the state to help new school leaders launch their careers, increase the likelihood they will be successful, and avoid many of the pitfalls often associated with limited experience. During the past year, two training sessions took place where current practitioners learned strategies, processes, and best practice in preparation for service as mentors/coaches. Two more such sessions are planned during 1997-98. Additional challenges to be attacked during the coming year include designing systems and refining plans for matching mentors with new school leaders, monitoring mentoring relationships, and providing follow-up and support.
Instructional Leadership Course Makes A Difference
Two recent studies revealed that the processes and strategies taught in LEAD’s Instructional Leadership program are the ones most often used by principals for staff supervision. Instructional Leadership continues to be one of LEAD’s most popular programs with nearly 700 people having taken part in the last eight years. Each year retaining proven elements while adding or modifying instructional components to meet new and immerging needs refines the course. During 1997-98, the regular three-phase course begins in September. In addition, a Phase IV course will be offered for Instructional Leadership alumni who want to refresh and expand their skills. Those interested in participating in Phase IV should complete the advance registration survey inside. Also inside is the registration form for the regular three-phase Instructional Leadership course.
Grantwriting Course Aims To "Improve The Odds"
Participants at the recent Grantwriting course learned that with projected cutbacks in federal funds, that the dollars available from private foundations and corporations cannot come close to filling the need for funding special projects in schools. However, schools can "improve the odds" of securing funding for their special projects by understanding and applying the principles of grantwriting. During the one-day course, participants learned to conceptualize a special project by addressing the questions virtually every potential fundor will ask. Discovering how to do research to find a potential fundor was the second major theme of the course. Finally, participants learned strategies for writing the grant proposal to increase the likelihood the project is funded. Plans are to refine the course based on the first year’s experience and offer it again during 1997-98.
Superintendent Leadership Academy Begins Second Year
To continue meeting leadership development needs unique to school superintendents, the LEAD Center once again will offer the Superintendent Leadership Academy during 1997-98. Beginning with Phase 1 in September, participants will come together for three phases over the course of the year. Each phase includes instructional components designed especially for school superintendents to enhance their knowledge and skills and expand their thinking in the area of leadership, all with a focus of improving student achievement. Superintendents or aspiring superintendents interested in participating in the 1997-98 Superintendent Leadership Academy should complete the advance registration survey inside.
The "Right Stuff" Is Focus Of Aspiring School Leaders’ Conference
North Dakota’s next generation of school leaders were challenged with two questions at a one-day conference held recently in Bismarck: Is school leadership right for you? And, are you right for school leadership? To get closer to answering those questions, conference participants heard from a panel of successful school principals about the joys, challenges, and rewards of the job. They also spent several hours experiencing "what it’s like to be a principal" by diving into a mini-simulation of typical problems a principal faces on the job. Most participants agreed they came away from the experience with a better appreciation of the complexity of problems school principals deal with and how important it is to make decisions based on sound principles and values. The conference concluded with sessions focusing on topics such as administrative internships, credential standards, and networking. The Aspiring School Leaders’ Conference is a biennial event conference intended to generate excitement as well as presenta a realistic portrayal of the joys and trials of school leadership.
Seven Habits: Effective Organizational Leadership
Begins With Effective Personal Leadership
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People are based on universal, timeless principles common to all cultures. Some say it’s a course in common sense. Why is a course dealing with "common sense" so appealing to hundreds of thousands of people across the country? Probably, because what is common sense rarely is common practice. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People course aims to develop principle-centered leaders who understand and use principles and values in providing direction for their schools and in making decisions that affect the people they lead. Effective organizational leadership begins with effective personal leadership, so the course is as much personal growth as it is professional growth. Seven Habits will be offered at two sites, Bismarck and Fargo, during the coming year beginning in October. The course is divided into two parts. Foundational principles are laid out and the first three habits are explored during Part 1. Following several weeks of personal application, participants come together for Part 2, which focuses on the last four habits. During Part 2, participants also receive the results of a Seven Habits Profile, which provides highly specific information about their behavior in relation to the seven habits. See the advance registration form inside for more details about the 1997-98 Seven Habits of Highly Effective People course.
Beginning Principals Will Benefit From Involvement in LEAP
Beginning principals quickly discover that the role often is isolated and the opportunities for quality feedback on their performance are rare. In an effort to overcome those challenges, the LEAD Center is offering the Leadership Early Assessment Program (LEAP) for beginning principals with three or less years experience on the job. LEAP is a one-day event designed to provide developmental feedback to help build skills needed to be effective educational leaders. The process involves a series of activities that measure administrative, interpersonal, and communication skills as well as self-knowledge. Participants receive immediate verbal feedback on their leadership skills, including strengths and potential derailers, along with developmental suggestions. Following the initial one-day event, usually within two weeks, participants engage in a follow-up meeting with one of the LEAP staff. This meeting emphasizes establishing a personal development plan for growth in educational leadership. Participants receive a written summary of feedback along with a planning guide for preparing a personal development plan. Since LEAP staff are experienced practitioners, another benefit of LEAP is the opportunity for mentoring relationships. In fact, "being treated so professionally by people who are genuinely interested in helping me," is one of the phrases most often used when LEAP participants are asked what they liked most about the experience. LEAP will be offered in Bismarck and Fargo in the fall. This will be an excellent opportunity for early-career principals to do a "diagnostic tune-up" on their leadership skills. See the registration form inside or call the LEAD Center for more details.