Readers of this blog know that I officially retired from the employment of Wake County Public School System and the North Carolina Teachers and State Employees Retirement System, June 30. For six years, I had the enviable position of director and then executive director of Triangle Leadership Academy (TLA). So what is my point in writing after a month-long hiatus?
Students in recent cohorts of the NC State University Master of School Administration program in which I taught know that one of my favorite books for aspiring professionals is Chris Matthews' The Hardball Handbook: How to Win at Life. Chocked full of lessons learned from his many years as a congressional aide and political journalist, Matthews says to win the game you must be in the game.
I would suggest that for the last six years we have been winning the school leadership-development game. Our leadership pipeline filled positions, our programs improved professional practice, and as a result student learning improved. It is important to remember, however, that we were winning the game because we first found a way to get into it by leveraging public-private resources.
Never numbering more than four full-time professionals, TLA staff were joined by scores of contractors, subject matter experts, and organizational partners to serve educational leaders cumulatively experiencing our training and development products and services nearly 20,000 times. Margaret Meade was right about the power of a small, committed group to change the world.
Looking ahead, most of you know that, as a leadership development service provider, TLA is morphing into a subsidiary of Wake Education Partnership, the local education fund for Wake County Schools. In the wake of my retirement, I hope to continue serving as a kind of leadership training & development director under contract with the Partnership.
Although many rivers remain to be crossed before an official launch, business acquaintances of Partnership president Steve Parrott say that if it is to be done, he can do it. Meanwhile, I am delivering on contracts with the Partnership around re-imaging Race-to-the-Top-funded schools' organizational identity and planning training in other schools using VitalSmarts and SREB products.
In addition to contracts with Wake Education Partnership, I'm also developing and facilitating programs of professional learning for school administrators with the NC Principals and Assistant Principals Association, working as an adjunct professor with Gardner-Webb University School of Education, and preparing to facilitate online learning for school leaders with SREB. And as you may have noted, I am continuing my blog under a new banner.
I hope you will be inspired to forward the blog to your colleagues and weigh in as the spirit leads you. Our cause and our conversation is way too important to leave the game now.
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I hope this work finds a wide audience. Leadership development and succession planning for public schools and leaders is overlooked at the risk of societal wellness and quality of life.
ReplyDeleteSteve
ReplyDeleteYes, your track record for Future-ready Leaders is outstanding. As one of the few adjunct faculty with TLA, I was always impressed with the large circle of colleagues connecting, facilitating, collaborating, and sharing their learning.
I have benefited from your blog and always learned from both your ideas and your approach. I plan to continue to be in your circle.
Together and collaboratively we can continue to influence the future leaders by serving their needs as they meet their daily challenges.
Cheers, mjh