Leadership
The role of the leader in education has both evolved and grown over the last several years. Research indicates that the teacher is the most important factor in the classroom and the principal (and leadership team) is the most important factor affecting the school. The JP Leadership Domain is designed to assist school and district leaders in creating an interactive climate in which strong leadership and effective teaching are bound together by a common understanding and acceptance of their mission and vision. The result is increased student achievement and a successful school.
In today’s schools, effective principals need to perform multiple functions to ensure their schools reach their potential in providing quality instruction and increasing student achievement. These functions include, but are not limited to:
- defining the school’s mission
- cultivating the school culture
- creating a sense of teamwork to support its mission
- providing necessary support to staff and teachers
- knowing how to apply successful school and classroom practices
- knowing how to work with faculty to implement continuous improvement
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The JP Leadership Domain is a systematic, responsive framework that includes the following critical elements:
The JP Responsive Guided Assessment Process:
JP’s experienced School Improvement Specialists start the process with a research-based and proven assessment tool coupled with a series of guided interactive workshops to identify critical areas of need for school and district leaders.
These collaborative, guided workshops explore critical leadership questions including:
- Do I have a vision for my school or district?
- How is leadership defined in my school district?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of my current leadership style?
- How can I accurately identify the strengths and weaknesses of my staff? How are teams currently being used and how could they be used differently?
- How do I spend my time (behavior, walk-throughs, meetings, etc.)?
- Who is in my professional network and how can they help me realize my vision?
Once the assessment and guided workshops have been completed, school and district leaders work collaboratively with JP’s School Improvement Specialists to develop a customized and innovative Responsive Professional Development Plan and a blueprint for follow up.
Once completed, the Responsive Professional Development Plan will clearly describe a customized and contextual system of support for school and district leaders. Based on each leader’s needs, the plan may include all or a combination of the following services:
- The JP Leadership Academy
- JP Responsive Leadership Coaching
- JP’s CoachNet
- Virtual Sessions
The JP Leadership Academy
Effective principals need to perform multiple functions to ensure their schools reach their potential in providing quality instruction and increasing student achievement. These functions include defining the school’s mission, cultivating the school culture and a sense of teamwork to support its mission, providing necessary support to staff and teachers, knowing how to apply successful school and classroom practices, and knowing how to work with faculty to implement continuous improvement.
The JP Leadership Academy is designed to provide educational leaders with a safe learning environment in which they can explore these functions, as well as develop a self awareness of their own development within the context of these functions. The participant centered approach of the academy empowers those attending.
The Preparation:
Participants complete a research-based online screener two weeks before the academy. The screener identifies both strengths and weaknesses of the participants and is used to design a customized professional development agenda for the academy.
The Process:
JP School Improvement Specialists will guide small groups of school and district leaders through a series of interactive strategies that help them identify and eventually define their vision of leadership, school mission and a call to action. Academy staff serve as facilitators and guides, rather than lecturers or trainers. Research indicates that retention of information is increased when participants are actively involved in role plays, discussions, and planning.
The bulk of the work in the Academy is conducted in small work groups by the participants. The activities focus on realistic, practical solutions, strategic interventions, and hands-on experiences. The Leadership Academy covers a comprehensive scope of content including planning and initiating changes in curricula, teaching practices, student support services, and school organization.
The activities are designed to achieve the following objectives:
- Clarify and solidify the participants’ role as leaders
- Provide a model for the participants so they can replicate these activities onsite with their staff
- Provide the support structures necessary to enable principals and assistant principals to meet their schools’ challenges head-on
- Enhance their school vision to emphasize curriculum, instruction, and student achievement
- Emphasize real-world training and field-based experiences to prepare participants to implement a coherent, sustained program of training in the field
- Build leadership capacity within their schools
- Development of a Professional Support Network
As with all Responsive Professional Development, topics covered during Leadership Academies are customized and contextual, and will vary based on the needs of the participants. They may include:
- The Seven Correlates of an Effective School
- Creating and Sustaining your Vision
- Creating a Positive School Culture
- Building and Sustaining Teams
- The Effective Use of Meetings
- The Effective Use of Data in Decision-Making
- Developing a Professional Development Plan for your School
- Continuous School Improvement
- The Walk-Through
- Technology in the Classroom
- How to Choose an Effective intervention Program
JP Leadership Coaching
JP’s extensive experience providing Responsive Coaching™ both nationally and internationally for over twenty years demonstrates that Responsive Coaching™ is the most effective vehicle to transition new knowledge to real life application. Site-based experiences and induction support are provided through one-on-one coaching and mentoring by experienced School Improvement Specialists. Whether building on the information shared in our Leadership Academy or working alongside members of your leadership team, our School Improvement Specialists provide expert support as across several focus areas:
- Team Building
- Working with resistant staff
- Analyzing and using data to guide decision making
- Planning professional development
- Time management and priority setting
- Identifying and supporting effective teachers
- Planning and initiating changes in curricula
- Instructional practices
A primary strategy employed is the Model/Lead/Test paradigm (MLT). Simply put, all processes and strategies developed and implemented are first “modeled” to illustrate a clear and accurate understanding of what the process should look like. Next, the school-based staff will implement the strategy while being “led” or supported by JP School Improvement Specialists. In the final phase, the “test,” school-based leadership and staff assume ownership of the process and carry their new skills forward independently.
Additional Services:
CoachNet: One-on-one coaching addressing your individual needs and concerns can be scheduled and conducted online with your own personal coach.
Virtual Sessions: Customized online 60 minute sessions are developed to meet the needs of your specific school and staff. Schools and districts receiving support services under the Leadership Domain can choose to attend these sessions live or view recordings at a later date via the JP Video Library at jponline.com.
CLICK HERE to see available Leadership Workshops and Online Professional Development:
What we're hearing:
"I thoroughly appreciated this session. We just started a leadership team at the end of the last school year. We are on the right path, and the info I acquired here is astronomical. Thank you so much for your expertise and the abundance of ideas I am leaving here with."
“Doug is a natural presenter – he was so enthusiastic and energetic, knows content extremely well, easy to understand and follow, great pacing, has SO MUCH knowledge about his topic.”
“Very informative and relevant for my own professional growth.”
“I feel empowered and my knowledge base has increased.”
These are just a few of the many comments we receive about our key presenter Douglas Blancero, Vice President – Development And Operations. With more than 25 years experience working with families, youth and community organizations, Doug’s presentation is both relevant and practical. His entertaining yet encouraging approach keeps attendees engaged and motivated. Click here to read more about Doug.
How To Register
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