Workshop Series: Leadership for Deans, Department Chairs, and Division Heads

Deans, Department Chairs, Division Heads, and other roles within the school community that fall under the middle management umbrella, play a crucial role in catering to the diverse needs of faculty members, from novices to seasoned professionals.

They must provide guidance, affirmation, and constructive feedback to support new and second-year teachers in their growth and development. At the same time, they should offer inspiration, leadership opportunities, and encouragement to veteran faculty, helping them navigate challenges and explore areas for growth. Balancing these varying needs requires a multifaceted approach that emphasizes mentorship, professional development, and a supportive organizational culture.

No matter your title—Assistant Head of School, Curriculum Coordinator, Learning Instructor, Teacher Educator—this workshop series is designed for anyone who guides, supervisors, or mentors other staff and/or faculty.

Register

This is a 4-part workshop series. Your registration is for all 4 sessions.

• Monday, September 23, 2024 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
• Monday, October 21, 2024 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
• Monday, November 18, 2024 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM
• Monday, December 9, 2024 | 1:00 – 2:30 PM

All sessions are held virtually, via Zoom.

REGISTER HERE

Program Details

Session 1: Working Wisely and Organized
Being a leader can mean your brain is spinning with ideas about what you need or want to do at school. This can lead to valuable time being used just to getting organized rather than actually thinking about strategy and what’s important. You will come away from this session with a process for organizing information and efficiently planning and setting agendas. We will also review a modern, adaptable communication tool for your faculty and staff. Both easy-to-implement systems will allow for clear, effective communication with, and among, your team.

Session 2: Giving Great Feedback
It’s essential to observe teachers regularly and give feedback that will promote professional growth—but 3 obstacles stand in our way:

1. Finding the time to see every teacher.
2. Knowing how to take observational notes that will be helpful.
3. Sharing these notes with teachers in ways that will inspire them to reflect on their practice. 

This practical workshop will address all 3 of the above issues, focusing primarily on the “15-minute Drop-in” and using customized observation grids to share meaningful feedback with your faculty.

Session 3: Helping Your Faculty Grow at Every Age and Stage
No matter your title, you are called upon to meet the needs of both new and veteran faculty. New teachers need guidance, affirmation, and constructive feedback while the seasoned faculty need inspiration, leadership opportunities, and encouragement to lean into their blind spots.

In this session we will talk about the challenge of meeting everyone’s needs. You will gain practical techniques and resources for helping faculty grow, no matter their experience level. We will talk about collecting and sharing “short” data, giving feedback using aspirational criteria, and personal growth projects. You will be able to return to your school with concrete ideas for supporting your team. 

Session 4: Consensus, Collaboration, and Fair Process
You are expected to know what’s not working, have a vision, and to implement change. Easy, right? Not at all! Identifying the issues, designing a solution, and garnering buy-in from faculty is a daunting and complex task. In this session we will discuss how to move forward and jumpstart new initiatives. We will explore how change happens in schools, how to utilize Fair Practice and data and surveys to “tell a story.” We will hone skills for bringing faculty together to solve division-wide challenges. The goal of this final session is to give you the tools you need to take concrete steps for building sustainable change and realizing your vision and projects as a leader.

About the Presenter

Joshua Wolf | The Park School of Baltimore (Baltimore, MD)
Joshua Wolf has been an educator at The Park School of Baltimore for 30 years, where he has taught Spanish, served as the Modern Language Department Chair, coached boys varsity basketball, and since 2011 has served as the middle school principal. Josh received his undergraduate degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Columbia University, where he focused on teachers’ receptivity to feedback. He has been published in Baltimore’s Child Magazine and The Baltimore Sun. When not at school, Josh bikes, hikes, journals, makes short films, and enjoys time with his family.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations and transfer requests must be sent via email to info@aisne.org. Cancellations received up to 10 days before the start of the event will receive a 100% refund, less a $100 administrative fee. Transfers of registrations from one person to another are permitted up to 3 business days before the start of the event, or the first event of a series of events.

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