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Launching School Leader Network
The goal of the Launching School Leader Network (LSLN) is to provide administrators who are new (or new to their school) with the skills, resources, and community of peers necessary to cultivate culture, assess systems, and understand the leadership necessary for the unique context of their learning organization. Individuals who will be first time, first-year lead/head Illinois principals during the 2023-2024 school year qualify for 40 hours of free mentoring. For those who do not qualify for free mentoring, 20, 40 or 60 hours of mentoring is available to individual administrators for an additional fee. This network is designed to serve school leaders who are in their first or second year as a school leader.
IPA Member application Fee: $900
IPA Non-Member Application Fee: $1,350*
*Individuals applying for the Network may join IPA at reduced rate of $300.
IPA member applicants may qualify for a $500 scholarship (awarded on a first-come, first-served basis) reducing the final cost to $400.
The Application Fee includes:
- All Network Sessions
- IPA Education Leaders Annual Conference Welcome Reception
- IPA Education Leaders Annual Conference (Day 1)
- Opportunity to add Day 2 of the Conference for $50
- Illinois State Capitol Advocacy Tour
- Everyday Courage for School Leaders book by Cathy Lassiter
Participant Outcomes
Learning Objectives
- Examine the School Leader Paradigm to understand the personal, social and systems intelligences needed to effectively lead a learning organization.
- Learn strategies for building relationships with all stakeholders.
- Understand how to assess local context and culture foundations.
- Explore personal and organizational management systems.
- Establish a professional learning network for growth and support.
Leading Objectives
- Impart their why, both verbally and nonverbally, through multiple communication channels.
- Apply questioning techniques and coaching strategies that lead to educator reflection on practice and impact.
- Identify their school’s most critical problems of practice within the School Leader Paradigm.
- Develop clear processes for time and task management.
- Identify and connect with their PLN thought leaders and accountability partners.
Network Leader
All members of the Network Team are experienced educators and school leaders. The Team Leader will present the activities at all sessions which will be highly interactive and provide new learning, application strategies, pitfalls to avoid, reflection, and collegial sharing as well as resources and tools to support leadership development and actions. In addition, they will be available to individually support network members throughout the program.
Dr. Herschel Hannah will present the activities during highly interactive sessions and provide new learning and application strategies through knowledge sharing, reflection and collegial discussion. Participants will receive a rich variety of resources and tools to support their leadership development. In addition, Team Leaders will be available to individually support network participants throughout the program.
Retired District Administrator and IPA Consultant, Mentor and Coach
Bloomington Public Schools, District 87
Dr. Herschel Hannah
Retired District Administrator and IPA Consultant, Mentor and Coach
Bloomington Public Schools, District 87
Dr. Hannah was the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources with Bloomington Public Schools District 87 until the 2019 school year when he retired. His 31 years as an educator began with teaching and coaching health, science, and physical education at Columbia Middle School in Peoria. He has held assignments as an Assistant High School Principal, Middle School Principal, and High School Principal before moving to district cabinet level assignments as Associate Superintendent in District 150 and his last assignment as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources in District 87. Read more about Dr. Hannah here.
Network Practitioners
Dr. Dan Krause
Principal
Willowbrook High School, DuPage High School District 88
Dr. Amy Dixon
Superintendent
Harrisburg Unit District 3
Mentoring
New principals, assistant and associate principals, and administrators face new tasks, responsibilities, and decisions on a regular basis and need an “expert” to not only coach but to mentor and provide instructional mentoring. As part of the comprehensive leadership development offered by the Illinois Principals Association, highly trained and experienced mentors are available to IPA professional development program participants and districts. All first-year principals starting in the 2023-2024 school year are eligible for free mentoring. Find out more here.
Program Sponsors
