General Professional Development Descriptions

Leading for Results Academy

Assume that you, as a school leader, have two years to increase student achievement in your school/district and close the achievement gap of your sub-group populations. How would you meet this challenge? The Leading for Results Academy aims to help participants increase their knowledge and skills in order to provide the necessary leadership to increase the achievement of all students. Particular emphasis is placed on closing the achievement gap between higher and lower performing students such as those with disabilities or those who are at risk. Participants assess the current status of their school’s performance and their own leadership abilities, they identify targets and set performance goals, and they design school and individual actions plans.

The target audience is school superintendents, principals, and other school leaders. The program consists of five days of training (two two-day segments and one one-day segment) over the course of several months.

Breaking Ranks II

Developed by the National Association of Secondary Schools Principals, Breaking Ranks II: Strategies for Leading High School Reform aims to improve the learning experience of every high school student by providing high school principals and high school leadership teams with strategies for implementing successful school improvement initiatives. Many teenagers are disengaged from the hard intellectual work expected by their high schools and the larger community, and they are unprepared for the harsh world beyond their schools. Many high schools are not doing as well as they want or as they should, especially for low-income and minority students and students with special needs. Breaking Ranks II provides 31 recommendations for school improvement clustered in three core areas: 1) Collaborative Leadership and Professional Learning Communities, 2) Personalization and School Environment, and 3) Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.

The target audience is secondary school leadership teams (e.g., administrators, counselors, teacher leaders), school superintendents, and other school leaders. The program is a two-day session.

Instructional Leadership Academy

Providing instructional leadership is one of the most important roles of a school leader. This program is designed to increase student learning by enhancing the instructional process in a school or school district. Topics include: 1) how brain research is tied to human learning theory and elements of effective instruction, 2) developmentally appropriate coaching and conferencing strategies to improve teacher effectiveness, and 3) mentoring and collegial coaching. Instructional Leadership is offered in three phases over the course of a year and is appropriate for any educational leader who supervises the instructional process. A refresher course also is offered to help instructional leaders refine their skills.

The target audience is any school leaders who has responsibility for supervising the instructional process. The program consists of 45 hours of training (two 2½-day sessions and one 1½-day session) over the course of several months.

Data, Standards, and Learning

This program is designed to provide administrators and teachers with the knowledge and skills to better understand and use data to become a data driven schools and classroom. The aim is to positively impact the abilities of educators to make instructional decisions based on the wise use of data in order to increase achievement for all students. The course places the most emphasis on teaching to standards and how to understand, analyze, and interpret performance data at the school and classroom levels. Teachers and administrators learn to work collaboratively to promote key educational improvement concepts to to proactively addressing the mandates of NCLB.

The target audience is school leadership teams (e.g., administrators, counselors, teacher leaders), school superintendents, and other school leaders. The program is a two-day session.

LEADership Academy

This program aims to help school leaders increase their knowledge and skills to lead improvement efforts in their school or school district. Included are a rich variety of organizational and personal growth topics designed to support school leaders in their efforts to increase student achievement and academic results. Topics include:
Growing the Administrative Team: current “best practices” for increasing administrative team effectiveness through supervising, coaching, and focused professional growth.
Supervising Support Staff: Helping ensure that your support staff is as effective as it can be.
Policies: Helping ensure policies reflect the best supervisory and evaluative practices.
Instructional Leadership: Helping ensure that high quality instruction is taking place in every classroom every day. The module includes the major principles from “The Instructional Leadership Academy” and “Brain Research.”
Taking Care of You: The best of what works to help school leaders improve psychological, emotional, and physical wellness.

The target audience is school superintendents, principals, and other school leaders. The program is a two-day session.

Brain Research
and Effective Instructions

This course helps teachers and principals understanding how the latest brain research can be applied to improve instructional practices in the classroom. Participants begin by learning how the human brain processes sensory input and the implications of this new knowledge on the teaching and learning process. Next they learn to analyze classroom instruction as effective, less effective, or non-effective based on learning theory, which is supported by brain research. Finally, they learn to identify, label, and explain their own strengths and growth needs related to effective instruction and prepare appropriate professional growth plans. Participants are actively engaged in individual and small-group study and application exercises.

The target audience is classroom teachers and building level administrators. The program is flexible and may be delivered as a two-day seminar or in multiple segments over the course of several weeks or months.

School Emergency Response Planning

This course provides emergency planning guidance to those responsible for developing and maintaining an effective safety and emergency response program for schools. Developed in cooperation with the North Dakota Division of Emergency Management, this course provides school and community leaders with knowledge and skills to help make schools as safe as possible for children and to minimize potential harm in the event of emergencies and disasters. Key components included in the course are: Hazard identification and risk analysis; hazard mitigation; emergency response planning; incident command system; exercising and testing plans; planning for recovery; and linking school and community plans.

The target audience is school teams (e.g., administrators, counselors, lead secretary, lead custodian, lead teachers) along with school superintendents, and other school representatives such as school board members, parents, or other members of the community. Typically, emergency responders also participate (e.g., representatives of fire, law enforcement, medical, and local emergency management). The program typically is a one-day session.

Time Management for Increased Productivity

School leaders continually are challenged to make the most effective and efficient use of their time while balancing the demands of their professional and personal lives. This program is designed to help participants exercise greater control over their time and their lives by understanding and applying universal time management principles and strategies. Program participants receive materials and instruction in use of the Franklin Day Planner System, recognized worldwide as a comprehensive, whole-life time management system. Time Management is offered as a one-day seminar with individual follow-up.

The program is appropriate for all educators, parents, and community members. The program is a one-day session.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Based on the national bestseller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey, this program aims to develop principle-centered leaders who understand and are able to apply Seven Habits principles and processes at both the personal and professional levels. Program participants learn foundational principles that apply to all the habits along with principles, paradigms, and processes associated with each of the respective habits. Learning takes place through direct and video-based instruction, group interaction, and individual application. Three days are required for this course. However, a flexible schedule is offered ranging from three consecutive sessions to multiple sessions over the course of several months.

The program is appropriate for all school personnel, school board members, parents, and community members. The program is flexible and may be delivered as a two-day seminar or in multiple segments over the course of several weeks or months.

Principle-Centered Leadership

Principle-Centered Leadership is an integrated approach to personal, interpersonal, managerial, and organizational effectiveness. This program helps participants apply The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People at the organizational level. Throughout the program, participants learn how to enhance their leadership abilities at four levels: Modeling, Pathfinding, Aligning, and Empowering. Participants come away understanding how to make better decisions that are guided by correct principles. Learning takes place through direct and video-based instruction, group interaction, and individual application. Three days are required for this course. However, a flexible schedule is offered ranging from three consecutive sessions to multiple sessions over the course of several months.

The program is appropriate for all school personnel, school board members, parents, and community members. The program is flexible and may be delivered as a two-day seminar or in multiple segments over the course of several weeks or months.

Peer Mentoring and Coaching

In addition to instructional leadership provided by a building principal, the level of instructional effectiveness in a building may be raised through peer mentoring and coaching. This program is designed to provide classroom teachers with high-level training to improve their abilities as peer mentors and instructional leaders. Participants first become familiar with the current literature on best practices and research relating to effective mentoring.
These include developing a relationship, professional growth planning and implementation, and cultivating collegial relationships. Next participants become familiar with current literature and research related to instructional strategies and cognitive peer coaching. They learn a variety of developmentally appropriate peer coaching strategies that lead to improved instructional abilities and increased student learning. Peer Mentoring and Coaching is offered in multiple phases over the course of a year.

The course is designed for classroom teachers and school administrators who wish to implement a peer mentoring and coaching system in their school. The program is flexible and is best delivered in multiple segments over the course of several weeks or months.

Communication Styles

People develop habits of communicating and interacting with others by repeating behaviors that make them feel comfortable or meet their needs. Understanding these habits and behavior patterns, understanding why people affect each other the way they do, and learning how to use this information for more effective communication and more productive teams are the themes emphasized in the Communication Styles program. Participants discover their own tendencies and strengths and weaknesses, along with those of others, using the DiSC Personal Profile System, a nationally recognized instrument for identifying interpersonal behavior patterns. Participants expand their interpersonal communication skills through simulations and role-plays.

The program is targeted toward school administrators but is appropriate for all school personnel, including school board members, as a team-building program. Communication Styles is offered as either a one-day or one-half-day seminar with individual follow-up.

Team Dimensions

The purpose of this program is to help educational leaders to better understand the various strengths and approaches individuals bring to a team and how these factors influence individual's attitudes and receptiveness to change. Participants learn about the change cycle and typical patterns of behavior people exhibit while they experience change. Participants also learn about people's preferences and natural tendencies that might enhance or detract from an innovation team's efforts to create, advance, refine, and execute a new idea. Team Dimensions participants discover their own preferences and strengths and weaknesses, along with those of others, using the Team Dimensions Profile, a nationally recognized instrument for identifying one's aptitude and attitude for innovation and change. Participants expand their skills for leading and managing change through simulations and role-plays.

The program is targeted toward school administrators but is appropriate for all school personnel, including school board members, as a team-building program. Team Dimensions is offered as either a one-day or one-half-day seminar with individual follow-up.

Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning services are offered at two levels: 1) strategic planning facilitator training and 2) strategic planning assistance. During Facilitator Training, participants learn strategies and best practices for leading the strategic planning process in their own district or as a consultant to another district. Topics include: assessing the environment; identifying strategic issues; clarifying or establishing mission and core beliefs; clarifying or establishing vision; establishing strategic goals and objectives; formulating action plans; and establishing systems to monitor progress and evaluate success. Participants also learn a variety of group-process techniques that enhance strategic planning facilitation. Facilitator Training is offered in a flexible one- or two-day format depending on the needs and experience level of the participants. If a district or school wishes to engage an independent consultant to guide them through the strategic planning process, Strategic Planning Assistance meets this need. Through the Assistance program, a LEAD Center facilitator works with a district or school to customize and facilitate a strategic planning process to meet local needs.

School Administrator Skills Program (SAS)

Four skill areas critical for success as a school administrator are emphasis in this program: educational leadership, resolving complex problems, communication, and developing self and others. SAS participants acquire knowledge and skills through demonstrations and realistic simulations. Learning is enhanced through on-the-spot feedback and coaching. Professional growth plans are developed and implemented with the support of peer mentors. Although SAS is designed as a three-day course, a flexible schedule may be arranged.. The program is targeted toward aspiring or early-career school principals; however, any school administrator will benefit from participating in the School Administrator Skills program.