Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other
-John F. Kennedy |
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CONTENTS
1. Worth Considering: Addressing Teacher Retention Within the First Three to Five Years of Teaching
2. From the Educational Leadership Unit
3. Spotlight on Faculty Research- Dr. Nick Sauers
4. "Making a Splash"- Student News
5. Where Are They Now?- Ed.D. Cohorts I, II, and III
6. Our Alumni- Spotlight on Dr. Ken Zeff
7. From Our Centers - Principals Center
- Center for Urban School Leadership
8. Calendar of Events
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Past Issues of the Educational Leadership Newsletter |
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The number of teachers leaving the profession every year is increasing, and this trend is particularly true with those teachers in the first five years of their teaching career. This negative trend has several potential outcomes, including, but not limited to, negative impacts on student learning, school culture, district costs, and the potential for increased burnout among remaining staff members. Therefore, it is essential for school leaders to identify the reasons that lead to teacher departures and recognize the factors that encourage them to continue in the profession.
In the Athens Journal of Education's May 2023 research article titled "Addressing Teacher Retention with the First Three to Five Years of Employment," Cells et al. (2023) conducted a study examining three different central Florida schools with varying demographics and socioeconomic status. By interviewing teachers within their first three to five years of teaching, the study aimed to explore the support teachers receive within the first few years of their careers, the impact of school leadership on their decision to remain, and the culture and climate of the schools. The study concluded that mentoring, job-embedded professional development, perceptions of school leadership, and being able to contribute to the culture and climate of the school are critical factors that affect teachers' decision to stay in their schools.
Thus, education leaders should take the necessary steps to provide mentorship, specific support, and opportunities for novice teachers to connect with other novice and veteran teachers in their buildings. Education leaders should also conduct regular check-ins and create a comfortable environment where novice teachers can share their experiences. While this study focused on elementary schools, the study offers lessons to educators at all levels. Although it is crucial to continue recruiting the best and brightest teachers for our students, we must intentionally find ways to keep those same teachers in our buildings. Supporting novice teachers in meaningful ways is one way to increase the chances that they will be successful in their classrooms and want to stay in the profession. Based on the themes presented in the study, here are a few questions for education leaders to consider when working with novice teachers in their schools:
Is there intentional and specific specific support offered to novice teachers? What do check-ins look like, and how often are they conducted? Do novice teachers have a mentor in the building? Are there opportunities for novice teachers to meaningfully connect with other novice teachers? Is job-embedded professional development provided? Are there opportunities for novice teachers to give meaningful feedback on their experiences and perspectives?
(Thanks to Dr. Phillip Luck for the article summary) |
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Hello and thank you for being a member of the GSU Ed Lead community! If you don’t know me, my name is Dr. Kristina Brezicha, and I am the unit coordinator for the Ed Leadership team. In this section, I want to share about the work the unit has been undertaking.
The Spring semester is always a busy time for the Ed Leadership unit as we work to support our students who are moving into doctoral candidacy and those who are completing their dissertations. In addition, we are gearing up to admit our newest cohort of doctoral students. Hard to believe this summer we will welcome our thirteenth cohort of doctoral students.
In the fall, I shared that the Ed Leadership unit has been working on developing our unit’s mission and vision and asked for feedback from our GSU Ed Lead constituents on potential missions and visions. We want to thank everyone who took the time to provide input on their experiences with their GSU programs. It was very insightful! While we will continue to do this work, we have paused this work as the College of Education has announced the development of a new mission and vision. Therefore, to align our work to the College’s, we will pause on developing our unit’s mission and vision for now.
We are thrilled to share that the Ed Leadership team has been working with Associate Dean Patterson on a project called the Partnership for Residency Opportunities for Paraprofessionals, Educators and Leaders (PROPEL). The PROPEL Grant is designed to create multiple pathways to the education profession from the level of recruitment to induction for both teachers and leaders. Our work on this grant will include welcoming two new cohorts of Tier I and Tier II students and working with our district partners to better support their clinical experiences in leadership.
As you read the rest of the newsletter, you will learn a little bit more about our respective programs, the work our students and alumni are doing, and different opportunities to connect with us. We also have a section entitled “Worth Considering” that works to translate research into practical research-based best practices.
If you find anything in this newsletter helpful or potentially interesting to other ed leaders, please forward our newsletter. Feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
Contact the Unit Coordinator: Kristina Brezicha
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Assistant Principals, Curriculum Supervisors, Program Coordinators, Coaches |
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Tier I |
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A recent change we have made to the Tier I Program is the addition of a 360-degree assessment for students. The term "360-degree" refers to the idea of receiving feedback from all directions. A 360-degree assessment, also known as 360-degree feedback or multi-rater feedback, is a performance evaluation method that collects feedback from various sources around an individual.
In a traditional performance appraisal, feedback is typically obtained from a supervisor or manager. However, a 360-degree assessment expands the feedback process to include input from multiple perspectives, including peers, subordinates, and sometimes even external stakeholders such as customers or clients. The purpose of a 360-degree assessment is to provide a more comprehensive and balanced view of an individual's strengths and development areas. It can help individuals gain self-awareness, identify blind spots, and guide their professional growth and development. Additionally, it can be used by organizations for succession planning, training and development initiatives, and performance management.
The 360-degree feedback tool we are using in the Tier I Program is the Georgia Professional Standards Commission's Interpersonal Leadership Dispositions Assessment (ILDA). For each student in the Program, ILDA collects responses to from up to 15 people across the 8 dispositional leadership behaviors and 38 indicators below.
Respect
- Demonstrates self-respect
- Is considerate of the feelings, opinions, knowledge, and abilities of others
- Is receptive to different ideas and to different people
- Acknowledges intellectual property of others by giving credit and avoiding plagiarism
- Demonstrates fairness
Responsibility
- Is reliable and trustworthy
- Accepts consequences for personal actions and decisions
- Prepares for classes/meetings/group work/ instruction
- Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior, such as confidentiality, punctuality, appearance
- Represents him/herself in an appropriate manner via technology (webpage, blogs, chatroom, Facebook, etc.)
Flexibility
- Adapts to change
- Is open to new ideas
- Deals appropriately with less-than-ideal situations when necessary
- Maintains a positive attitude when changes occur
- Demonstrates resilience
- Maintains composure under stress
Collaboration
- Supports teamwork and works together with peers to achieve common goals
- Shares knowledge and responsibilities with others
- Gives and receives feedback in an appropriate manner
Reflection
- Demonstrates accurate self – assesses knowledge and performance and responds appropriately
- Demonstrates accurate self–analysis regarding strengths and weaknesses
- Accepts and responds positively to constructive feedback
Commitment to Learning
- Has enthusiasm for the process of learning
- Demonstrates intellectual curiosity through willingness to seek out and try new ideas and leadership strategies
- Encourages ownership of learning
- Inspires and empowers students and teachers
- Provides dynamic contexts for engaged learning
Belief in Educator Efficacy
- Demonstrates a belief that all students can learn
- Demonstrates the belief that leaders can influence student learning
- Views the work of an educator as meaningful and important
- Is willing to take risks
Intelligence
- Engages in socially appropriate behaviors
- Is able to accurately interpret social situations, i.e., is perceptive to the feelings of others; responds appropriately and diplomatically
- Interprets non-verbal communication accurately
- Demonstrates ability to adapt and “fit” in various situations and environments
- Understands one’s role in a group or the larger community
- Recognizes self as part of a whole
- Actively listens and responds appropriately to others
If you have questions about the new 360-degree assessment tool, or anything related to the Tier I Educational Leadership Program at GSU, please feel free to contact me.
Contact the Tier I Coordinator: Will Rumbaugh
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Principals and Principals' Supervisors |
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Tier II |
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Certification in Georgia has changed drastically in the past eight years. I’d like to give you some brief updates on those changes and the impact they have had on our students. In 2016, Georgia implemented the two-tiered leadership certification. The Tier I program is now the entry level certification (i.e. Assistant Principals) and the Tier II is the advanced certification (i.e. Principals, Superintendent, and Principal Supervisors). Most programs across the state have seen relatively low numbers in the Tier II programs because those students are required to have already completed the Tier 1 program and they must be in a leadership program. At GSU, we’ve addressed this challenge in two ways. The first is to work with district partners and offer Tier II cohorts in a district. The second option is that our Tier II certification can now be obtained as part of our Ed.D. or Ph.D. programs. Please reach out if you’d like any more information on our Tier 2 certification programs!
Contact the Tier II Coordinator: Nick Sauers |
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Professional Doctorate in Educational Leadership |
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Ed.D. |
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It is hard to believe, but we are currently reviewing applicants for Cohort XIII! Our cohort model continues to be a huge success and our graduation rate is higher than most other doctoral programs. This past year I worked with a graduate assistant to track down (virtually) over 90 graduates of our program. We are trying to identify where students currently are working and what their role is. We’re excited to share our first draft of that work in this newsletter. If you aren’t included or would like us to update your information, please email Javier Torres ([email protected]) with your updates.
Contact the Ed.D. Coordinator: Nick Sauers |
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Doctorate in Educational Policy Studies |
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Ph.D. |
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The Ph.D. program is busily preparing for its new doctoral students. We also had our first doctoral student complete their comprehensive exams since restarting the programming in 2021. Please reach out if you’d like any more information on our Ph.D. program!
Contact the Ph.D. Coordinator: Kristina Brezicha |
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Looking for a Preparation Program? |
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If you know current and/or aspiring leaders who need a high-quality, affordable preparation program, please forward this newsletter to them and/or share the program flyers below
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Associate Professor of Educational Leadership |
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Dr. Nick Sauers |
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This past year, I published an article with Sean Antonetti (Ed.D. Class of 2020) in the Education and Urban Society journal. The study looked at the impact of school leaders on the self-efficacy of African American Male (AAM) alternatively certified teachers. This study has significant implications for school leaders for two reasons. First, schools are facing major challenges with the current teacher shortage. Embracing alternative certification is one way some schools are dealing with that challenge. The second major implication is related to the diversity in most alternative certification programs. These programs have historically produced a much more diverse workforce than traditional teacher preparation programs.
The findings from this study revealed three themes that captured the ways school leaders impact teacher self-efficacy. The first theme, emotional support, showed the need for school administrators to be aware of their AAM teachers’ emotional needs and provide emotional support when needed. The second theme focused on building and maintaining trust by providing leadership opportunities within the school site. The final theme showed the importance of consistent, constructive feedback.
The full article can be found at the link below as well as contact information for both authors. Feel free to reach out to either us with questions or comments!
Antonetti, S., Sauers, N.J. (2023) Educational Leaders and Their Impact on African American Male Teachers Educational Self-Efficacy. Education and Urban Society, 0(0). doi.org/10.1177/00131245231202496
Sean Antonetti- [email protected]
Nick Sauers- [email protected]
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"MAKING A SPLASH": Student News |
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Brett Savage, Ed.D.
Finalist for the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals’ 2024 Principal of the Year Award
Lisa Thompson, Ed.D.
Published an article in the February issue of the Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership called "The Black Room"
Jessica Hodge
Published an article in the Jan./Feb. issue of Principal Magazine called "Seeking Equitable Solutions in Discipline"
Taylor Johnson Richardson, Ed.D. Candidate
Atlanta Public Schools Outstanding Teacher of the Year
Do you have any news to share? You or anyone you know in a GSU Educational Leadership Program "making a splash"? We'd like to know and to share! Just click the button below. Thank you for sharing!
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Ed.D. Cohorts I, II, and III
Where Are They Now?
We are so proud of all who complete any leadership program at Georgia State. For the next three issues of the newsletter, we will be sharing where former Ed.D. graduates are currently serving. For this newsletter, you will see where graduates from Cohorts I, II, and III are now. It's amazing to see the influence these GSU graduates are having in the field of education!
Please email us if any of our information is incorrect and we’ll be happy to update.
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COHORT I
- Dr. Tracie Brack, Principal, Tadmore Elementary School (Hall County Schools)
- Dr. Dustin Dykes, Principal, Northside High School (Houston County School District)
- Dr. RaNae Fendley, Site Director, Jasper Foothills High School
- Dr. Jewelle Harmon, Chief Accountability Officer, Senior District Leadership
- Dr. Camille Havis Gomez, Principal, Campbell Middle School (Cobb County School District)
- Dr. Aleigha Henderson, Assistant Superintendent, Instructional Technology (Atlanta Public Schools)
- Dr. Edward Lindekugel, Founder and Senior Consultant, School Operation Support, LLC
- Dr. Qualyn McIntyre, Assistant Principal, J. W. Dobbs Elementary School (Atlanta Public Schools)
- Dr. Dan Sims, Superintendent (Bibb County Schools)
- Dr. Gyimah Whitaker, Superintendent (City Schools of Decatur)
- Dr. Namik Secran, Chief Education Officer, Central Jersey College Prep Charter School - Middlesex County STEM Charter School
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COHORT II
- Dr. Tamara Candis, Zone 2 Superintendent (Fulton County Schools)
- Dr. Zduy Chu, Assistant Vice President for the Division of Student Affairs (Florida State University)
- Dr. Dionne Cowan, Executive Director of the Principals Center and Clinical Assistant Professor Educational Policy Studies (Georgia State University)
- Dr. Karen Dozier, Elementary Coordinator of Instruction and Professional Learning (Newton County School System)
- Dr. Katika Lovett, Deputy Superintendent (Bibb County Schools)
- Dr. Kimberley McDermon, Chief Human Resources Officer (Rockdale County Public Schools)
- Dr. Jennifer Pinkett Smith, Director of Diversity, Wesleyan School
- Dr. Kelly Scarborough, Principal, Sycamore Elementary School (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
- Dr. Sharissa Seymour, Assistant Principal, Mountain Park Elementary School (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
- Dr. Felecia Spicer, Consultant, Inspire HD, LLC
- Dr. Christina Wagoner, Principal, Westside Elementary School (Marietta City Schools)
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COHORT III - Dr. Michael Barr, Chief Operations Officer (Newton County School District)
- Dr. Douglas Callahan, Assistant Principal, North Gwinnett Middle School (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
- Dr. Stephanie Chattman, Principal, School of Modern Skills (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
- Dr. Bobby Virgil Cole, Superintendent (Morgan County Charter Schools)
- Dr. Peter Coombe, Assistant Superintendent (Calhoun City Schools
- Dr. Debra Michelle Farmer, Virtual Instructor and Tutor, Proximity Learning
- Dr. Erin Hahn, Principal, BB Harris Elementary School (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
- Dr. Tameka Osabutey-Aguedeje, Principal, Piney Grove Middle School (Forsyth County Schools)
- Dr. Lesley Pendleton, Director, Talent Management, Division of Human Resources and Talent Management (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
- Dr. Kena Worthy, Executive Director of Leadership Development (Clarke County School District)
- Dr. Brett Savage, Principal, Brookwood High School (Gwinnett County Public Schools)
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EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP ALUMNI |
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Alumni Spotlight |
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Ken Zeff, Ed.D.
GSU Ed.D. Cohort V
Degree:
- Ed.D. from Georgia State University (Educational Policy Studies, College of Education)
Current Position:
- Atlanta Board of Education, District 3 representative and Executive Director of Learn4Life, metro Atlanta education partnership
How your GSU work has influenced/supported your work:
- The Ed.D. program gave me the insight and tools to better understand the complexity in public education. I am a much better consumer of research and program evaluation, which is essential to build a high performing school district. More specifically, my own dissertation informed my views on education reform and the value of distributed leadership. My professors along the way helped me translate scholarship into actionable policy steps to serve kids. In my new role on the Atlanta Board of Education, I look forward to incorporating research, in combination with the lived experiences of students and teachers, into our policy discussions.
Any words of wisdom you would like to share with our current-prospective students?
- My cohort meant so much to me throughout my GSU experience. We supported and challenged each other to get better so we could be better for our students. We even hugged from time to time. Invest in those relationships. It makes the work a lot more doable and meaningful.
We would really love to keep track of you and your contributions to education. Would you consider updating us about where you are and what you are doing? If so, please click the "Where are You?" button below and complete the very quick survey form.
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FROM OUR AFFILIATED CENTERS |
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Our Vision:
Every school community served by leaders of learning
The Principals Center will be hosting our first Cohort Preview Days during the month of March. If you are interested in joining one of our cohorts for the 2024-2025 school year, we encourage you to attend our preview day this month and check out the amazing learning opportunities that we offer. Please select the cohort you are interested in attending by completing the survey found here.
Preview Days Offered
Tuesday, March 5, 2024 - Seminar for Assistant Principals
Saturday, March 9, 2024 – Aspiring Leaders Institute
Saturday, March 9, 2024 – Aspiring Principals Institute
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 – Beginning Principals Academy
Wednesday, March 27, 2024 – Instructional Coaches Collaborative
*Click the name of the cohorts listed above to learn more
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Expert Leaders Session with the Lucy Leadership Project
Co-Founders, Kelly Peaks Horner and Dr. Kendra Washington-Bass
Women’s Leadership Well-being Matters!
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
9am - 3:30pm
Location: Barack & Michelle Obama Academy
970 Martin Street SE
Atlanta, GA 30315
Overview
The Lucy Leadership Project (LLP) is excited to partner with the Georgia State Principals Center as part of their Expert Leader Series. At LLP, we believe that leadership is the best way to improve and transform schools, and our vision is to increase the pathway and access to leadership opportunities for women and women of color. To support the development of women in leadership, it is essential to address and support the well-being of women leaders so that they can thrive in the workplace.
Objective
The primary aim of the full-day session is to delve into the unique stories, challenges, and successes of women in leadership positions, while uncovering the profound impact of well-being on their professional journey—whether it leads to suffering, survival, or thriving in the workplace. The session will align with the 5 elements of well-being identified by Gallup: purpose/career, physical, financial, community, and social.
Registration
If you are interested in attending, please complete the form here.
To learn more about our programming, please visit our website: www.principalscenter.org. If you have questions about our programming, please contact Dr. Dionne Cowan, Executive Director at 404-413-8257 or [email protected].
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The Center for Urban School Leadership
Directors: Kristina Brezicha, Ph.D.; Will Rumbaugh, Ed.D.; Nick Sauers, Ph.D.
The Center for Urban School Leadership is fortunate to have an amazing Advisory Board that meets quarterly to review the work of the Center, to revise the vision, mission, and strategic goals, and to lend expert feedback and input. Who are the Advisory Board Members?
- Dr. Jennifer Esposito, Professor and Educational Policy Studies Department Chair at Georgia State University
- Dr. Lauri Johnson, Associate Professor at Boston College
- Dr. Marsha Modeste, Assistant Professor at The Pennsylvania State University
- Dr. Brian Williams, Executive Director of the Bob Moses Research Center at Florida International University
- Alexandra Bates, Zone Superintendent for the Fulton County School System
- Dr. Dionne Cowan, Clinical Assistant Professor and Executive Director of the Principals Center at Georgia State University
- Dr. Alvin Thomas, Tapp Middle School Principal in the Cobb County School District
- Dr. Janice Fournillier, Professor at Georgia State University
- Dr. Phillip Luck, Clinical Assistant Professor at Georgia State University
- Beulah San Rangel, Doctoral Candidate at the University of Texas and USL Center Fellow
Along with the Advisory Board, we are working on finalizing the Center's mission and vision and strategic plan and will share those in the Summer 2024 newsletter.
Are you interested in the intersection of educational leadership and urban settings? Check out USL and connect with us!
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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April 11-14
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American Educational Research Annual Meeting in Philadelphia
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April 15
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Applications due for Summer Admissions for Tier I and Tier II
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April 20
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Principals Center Symposium
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May 1
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Graduate Ceremony
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May 6
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Ph.D. Hooding and Commencement
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