This course will provide administrators with the knowledge and skills to supervise and evaluate certified staff (administrators, teachers, & school service personnel). Public school administrators who evaluate certified staff are required by state law (105 ILCS 5/24A) to complete this course prior to beginning any evaluations.
This course includes both a pre-instruction reading and writing assignment and a post-instruction application/dissemination component assignment. After the first session on September 9th, an application/dissemination component will be assigned. The application/dissemination component must be completed and turned in on October 5th. The goal is for all participants to have completed the academy requirements by the end of the October 5th academy session.
Participants should bring the following items/documents to the training: district evaluation plan and instrument, district’s negotiated agreement with certified staff (specifically dealing with the supervision and evaluation process), board policy or any other district policy or plan relating to supervision and evaluation. The pre-instruction assignment will be sent to participants.
Breakfast, lunch and course manual provided.

Instructional Practices Inventory: Using student engagement data for collaborative faculty conversations around student learning.
The Instructional Practice Inventory (IPI) provides observational data about the nature of student learning across the school. During this “walkthrough” training, participants will learn how to walk into a classroom and in 1 to 3 minutes, code the level of student cognitive engagement on a 6-point scale.
The morning of this training will be spent learning the coding process and protocol. After lunch, time will be spent in a school, observing classrooms and practicing coding. Participants trained in the coding process will be able to use it to further the progress toward instructional improvement based on real and meaningful data.
IPI is not about the activity in which the students are engaged. IPI is about how the students are engaged in the activity.
A light breakfast & lunch will be provided.

This workshop will offer practical strategies to help effective leaders intentionally build and shape a positive, healthy culture that embraces change and promotes student success. Included will be indicators that identify positive and toxic cultures and tools that assess culture. This workshop will show the relationship between effective leadership, school culture, and student achievement. Recommended for principals who want to improve school culture.
Participants will leave energized with practical ideas, research based practices, and handy tools to create and maintain a positive school culture that promotes learning and engagement for students and staff.
A light breakfast & lunch will be provided.

This course will provide participants with effective tools to transform faculty meetings into powerful opportunities for the staff to learn and
problem-solve together. A faculty meeting offers a venue for job-embedded professional development focused on the school's vision, values, and goals. Meetings are also opportunities to enhance positive school culture through the use of celebrations, traditions, and stories. "Meetings that Matter" provide safe, trusting environments for collaborative conversations around student learning. These meetings ultimately strengthen the
staff's collective commitment and collective efficacy, shifting the paradigm from the traditional "sit and get" operational meetings to true professional development. Participants will leave energized with practical ideas, research based practices, and handy tools to help make "Meetings Matter!"
A light breakfast & lunch will be provided.

Instructional Practices Inventory: Using student engagement data for collaborative faculty conversations around student learning.
The Instructional Practice Inventory (IPI) provides observational data about the nature of student learning across the school. During this “walkthrough” training, participants will learn how to walk into a classroom and in 1 to 3 minutes, code the level of student cognitive engagement on a 6-point scale.
The morning of this training will be spent learning the coding process and protocol. After lunch, time will be spent in a school, observing classrooms and practicing coding. Participants trained in the coding process will be able to use it to further the progress toward instructional improvement based on real and meaningful data.
IPI is not about the activity in which the students are engaged. IPI is about how the students are engaged in the activity.
A light breakfast & lunch will be provided.

Initiative overload? Barriers that impede change? Toxic culture? Are the school's efforts focused on student learning and continuous
improvement? This course offers practical strategies that will help effective leaders use a shared vision, core values and beliefs, and goals to lead change in a professional learning community. This session will show the relationship between effective leadership, a constructive culture with a vision, values, and goals and student achievement. Recommended for principals who want to use the power of vision to get focused, get
energized, and get great results.
Participants will leave with ideas and practical strategies to lead change initiatives that inspire excitement, commitment, and a focus on results. Participants will also gain a deeper understanding of how vision, values, and goals are the pillars of the professional learning community.
A light breakfast & lunch will be provided.

This workshop will offer practical strategies to help effective leaders intentionally build and shape a positive, healthy culture that embraces change and promotes student success. Included will be indicators that identify positive and toxic cultures and tools that assess culture. This workshop will show the relationship between effective leadership, school culture, and student achievement. Recommended for principals who want to improve school culture.
Participants will leave energized with practical ideas, research based practices, and handy tools to create and maintain a positive
school culture that promotes learning and engagement for students and staff.
A light breakfast & lunch will be provided.

This course will provide participants with effective tools to transform faculty meetings into powerful opportunities for the staff to learn and
problem-solve together. A faculty meeting offers a venue for job-embedded professional development focused on the school's vision, values, and goals. Meetings are also opportunities to enhance positive school culture through the use of celebrations, traditions, and stories. "Meetings that Matter" provide safe, trusting environments for collaborative conversations around student learning. These meetings ultimately strengthen the
staff's collective commitment and collective efficacy, shifting the paradigm from the traditional "sit and get" operational meetings to true professional development. Participants will leave energized with practical ideas, research based practices, and handy tools to help make "Meetings Matter!"
A light breakfast & lunch will be provided.