Heartland Christian Schools and the Iowa Association of Christian Schools (IACS) are working together to implement a Future Leader Cohort, with the intent to encourage teachers and other school personnel to consider entering the field of school leadership. It’s no secret that our schools continue to have more school leader openings with fewer potential school leaders to fill them. What if we could be proactive about encouraging people to consider school leadership? What if we could increase the number of people interested in school leadership so we can continue to provide strong, stable, and thriving Christian schools? We are excited to give this a try!
The experience will focus on these learning targets:
- I can understand how I can lead like Jesus.
- I can understand the role that a school administrator plays in the operation and strategic vision of a school.
- I can learn more about the skills, abilities, and attitudes necessary to be a successful school administrator.
- I can self-reflect upon my own skills and abilities and what God might be calling me to.
- I can develop leadership knowledge and skills and apply them to my current school setting.
Cohort members will participate in a 1-year professional learning opportunity that will feature two half-day face-to-face sessions on Dordt University’s campus, six Zoom meetings, guest speakers and panels, case studies, application activities, personal assessments, leadership experiences, discussion opportunities, an encouragement for personal reflection, and more. Between sessions, participants will be encouraged to connect with school leaders, observe board meetings, and other leadership activities—just to dip their toe into the leadership waters.
Participants will be reading and discussing the texts Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time by Ken Blanchard, Phil Hodges, and Phyllis Hendry and Introduction to the Principalship by Leslie S. Kaplan and William A. Owings.
Participants will be able to receive 1 licensure renewal credit, personal connections with others interested in school leadership and networking opportunities with current school leaders, promoted access to school leader search opportunities through the Center for the Advancement of Christian Education (CACE), 50% off their first graduate class in the Dordt University program (a $600 value), a site of resources used throughout the cohort, and a special experience focused on encouraging them to consider school leadership.
Cost for the experience (all sessions, resources, licensure renewal credit, food, swag, opportunities, and connections) is $750/participant for Heartland and IACS members and $1,000/participant for non-Heartland and IACS members, with no limit on how many participants a school can register. If your school would not have anyone to participate in the program, we would love to have your support as well to put this idea into action, with an ask of $550 per school for those not having participants (as we think growing the school leadership pool will benefit all schools). This support will keep costs down for those participating.
Dates and times for the sessions include:
- On-site at Dordt University October 1, 1:00-5:00
- Zoom November 3, 6:00-8:00
- Zoom December 8, 6:00-8:0
- Zoom January 13, 6:00-8:00
- Zoom February 9, 6:00-8:00
- Zoom March 9, 6:00-8:00
- Zoom April 6, 6:00-8:00
- On-site at Dordt University May 1, 1:00-5:00
All Zoom sessions will be recorded in case some have schedule conflicts.
Registration deadline is September 19. Join us for a fantastic learning opportunity!