Ignite+: Your Virtual Masterclass in Leadership

Session 1: Pause. Breathe. Flourish. (Refocusing Care on Your Body and Mind)
September 14, 2023
2:00-3:00 p.m. (ET)

Reconnect with the core values that drive your service, learning, and life through a guided self-care assessment. Collaborate around shared practices for better habits and practices that benefit your body and mind. Engage with others on what practices work for you and may help others with their own.

Session 2: Being a Teacher’s Principal. (Building Trust with Teachers and Staff)
October 12, 2023
2:00-3:00 p.m. (ET)

In this session, we will help principals build trust with their staff. We will discuss skills for active listening, time management, goal setting, and conflict resolution. Principals will consider the value of collaborative engagement, shared leadership, and collective efficacy in increasing teacher effectiveness.

Session 3: Ensuring Whole School Wellness. (Prioritizing and Improving Staff Morale)
November 16, 2023
2:00-3:00 p.m. (ET)

As today’s environment continues to challenge educators, this session will help principals consider ways to prioritize teacher morale and increase a school’s symbiotic support system. We will discuss Maslow’s category of transcendence, and develop new ways to deepen collaboration, establish mentoring, and create coaching partnerships.

Session 4: Leaving Others Equipped and Finding Joy in the Journey. (Recommitting to Legacy Building and Experiencing Joy)
December 14, 2023
2:00-3:00 p.m. (ET)

Set realistic expectations for your engagement as an educator with those whom you serve and build the capacity of others to lead. Discover ways to stay engaged in celebrating milestones and highlighting the successes of your school community. Maintain perspective and joy for both short-term and long-term outcomes.

Session 1: Giving Meaningful Teacher Feedback
September 7, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

Blank stares. Polite smiles. Active resistance and pushback … you’ve seen it all. And although you’ve read all the “How to have tough conversations” books, you still haven’t been able to crack the code on how to give feedback that every teacher will not only welcome but immediately implement. In this interactive session, discover how to give more powerful feedback and see significant growth this school year. Find out the biggest feedback mistakes leaders make, and learn how Builders do feedback differently.

Session 2: Helping every teacher grow one level, in one domain, in one year or less
October 5, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

Let’s be honest. Most of the support leaders offer teachers don’t provide the tangible growth we are looking for. In this session, discover the “support traps” that prevent leaders from helping all teachers grow each year. Then, learn how Builders provide teachers with differentiated, developmental, and deliberate support that helps EVERY teacher you serve grow at least one level in one critical domain this school year. Plus, find out how to leverage eight types of support to help every teacher get the support they need most—without wearing yourself out in the process.

Session 3: Accountability doesn’t have to be a dirty word: Help every teacher do the right work, the right way, for the right reasons—even when you aren’t looking.
November 2, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

When we think of “accountability” we usually think of chasing, checking, and correcting teachers in order to hold them accountable. But Builders see accountability differently. Instead of “holding” teachers accountable, Builders help teachers become more accountable to the work so that teachers do the right work the right way for the right reasons even when the Builder isn’t looking. Discover the simple steps Builders take to create true accountability for their staffs and find out how to close “accountability leaks” in your school so that everyone becomes more accountable to the work.

Session 4: The Culture Cure: How to Build a Healthy School Culture
December 7, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

Do you wish you had a school culture where teachers were willing to do whatever it takes to help students succeed? A culture where your teachers embraced feedback, and where everyone was committed and focused on your school goals? It’s possible to build such a culture— and in a surprisingly short time (even if your teachers are resistant to change, often negative and unsupportive, or refuse to do more than the bare minimum). Discover how to identify the early warning signs of a toxic school culture, and then learn the building blocks of a healthy one. Conduct a “Culture Audit” of your school, and learn ways to develop new, healthier cultural habits.

Session 1: Leading From A Core Set of Values
September 12, 2023
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Setting and articulating a clear vision for your school/campus and identifying the agreed-upon behaviors it will take to accomplish that vision is a must in school/district leadership. Participants will revisit their vision, school growth plan, core values, and walk away with an understanding of how to lay the foundation for a culture of excellence.

Session 2: Cultivating a Community of Leaders
October 6, 2023
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Leadership was never meant to be a committee of one, and no person can lead an entire organization alone. Participants will leave with specific strategies on how to build leadership capacity from the heart of a teacher, specifically with their administrative assistant, office team, building leadership team, and student leadership teams.

Session 3: See the Culture Through the Eyes of Others
November 3, 2023
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Giving staff a voice is critical if you want to address the status quo in your organization. However, having an effective process to improve average performance is the key to building trust and credibility as a leader. Participants will learn how to see and avoid negative undercurrents and cultivate a healthier culture for all staff.

Session 4: Average Exists in Every Organization
December 8, 2023
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
Simply put, it is time to shift away from having to fix all of the problems for everyone and focus on yourself to get better results. In this final session, participants will learn specific processes, protocols, and frameworks in order to avoid the stress of having to solve all of the problems. Targeted areas will include the Power of Why, Delegation Coaching Cycle, Managing Complex Conversations, Meeting Protocols, and others.

Session 1: Why Leaders Should Be Crazy About Their Students
September 6, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

Student engagement begins with students feeling celebrated and joyful. Teachers need to feel the same way. When they are part of a joyful and positive school culture, they will be more engaging in the classroom. We must welcome students with joy and show them we are more than teachers and administrators. We are educators who have their best interest at heart, and we want to help them find joy in school and become successful. When we show students that we are crazy about them, they will feel welcomed, comfortable, affirmed, and excited about the classroom and school. Engaging classrooms foster critical thinking, boost participation, and strengthen learning. They spark interest, inspire students to ask questions, and apply academic concepts to their lives. We must engage students in the classroom experience for them to truly learn.

Session 2: Why Leaders Should Be Curious About Their Students
October 4, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

The pandemic taught us so much about the importance of connecting with our students and their families and learning as much as we can about their lives outside of school. Curiosity is the fuel that powers everything in education. Engagement, motivation, and relationships are inspired and sustained by our willingness to learn as much about our students as possible. The true impact of an educator is not based on our ability to teach, but rather our ability to learn and be curious. When we commit to becoming lifelong learners, we commit to creating classroom environments that thrive and facilitate the best outcomes for our students. This month we will explore how we can build learning cultures in our schools to foster curiosity, engagement, and connections.

Session 3: Why Leaders Should Be Consistent Adults in Their Students’ Lives
November 1, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

Children need consistency. Adults do too. Showing up for our kids and staff is major. Principals who stay in their schools for three to five years have better teacher retention. Supportive and consistent relationships are the foundation of motivated and engaged students. Children with strong relationships with caring adults are more likely to be engaged at school and more motivated to succeed academically. Unfortunately, many children lack the stability and support of an adult who is there for them consistently. When young people have consistent adults and safety, security, and predictability in their learning environment, it becomes easier to trust adults and build relationships with school staff. Having positive relationships at school does not just mean that children are taught academics and treated kindly. It also means schools fostering and supporting students’ emotional well-being through those relationships.

Session 4: Why Leaders Should Create Cultures of Joy, Motivation, and Support
December 6, 2023
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

Finding positive school cultures where children and adults are loved and supported is a focus of every teacher, administrator, and parent. School leaders have known for decades that developing cultures of love, joy, and support are key to creating safe and successful schools. Leaders must invest resources and time in creating joyful environments celebrating student and staff success and growth. Many leaders, including Principal EL, often struggle to clearly define, describe, and sustain a positive school culture. Building and sustaining a positive school culture is the key to successful school leadership. We need to develop school cultures that promote engagement, motivation, support, and joy. School cultures don’t change every week, and some even take years to change. Real sustainable change requires leaders to reflect, adapt, and grow. They must embrace an adaptive leadership mindset and empower others. Leaders build positive school cultures when they can change and adapt their leadership styles during challenging times.