Hamilton County Department of Education leaders have selected a leadership program that will both increase leadership capacity and increase student achievement throughout the district, by implementing McREL International, said officials.
McREL International is the market leader for school level leadership research in the field of education, according to a memorandum submitted by McREL International to the Hamilton County Department of Education.
The memorandum says a roundtable discussion followed a one-hour presentation of McREL International’s Services.
McREL International will work with the Hamilton County designated executive staff to plan,
coordinate, and deliver Balanced Leadership sessions (for two groups of approximately 45
participants each) beginning this fall.
The initial session will consist of Balanced Leadership content including the Balanced Leadership Overview session on day one. McREL will follow with professional learning sessions during the 2017-18 school year to include content related to Managing Change, Purposeful Community and focus of Leadership (the order of sessions will be determined with district leaders and based on the greatest needs of staff).
Balanced Leadership content will be connected to the district's mission, vision, and initiatives and will focus on enhancing the superior execution of the McREL's research and approach for supporting school level leaders. Each Balanced Leadership session contains tools and processes to be utilized between sessions for application and to solidify participant learning. Additionally, McREL will provide Trainer-of-Trainers sessions to selected Hamilton County staff following delivery of each module.
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Justin Robertson was also instrumental in entering this partnership with McREL International. “Our district leaders will learn about McREL’s research-based findings that link school-level leadership with increased student achievement. This will help ensure our students graduate post-secondary ready,” said Dr. Robertson.
McREL Managing Consultant Mel Sussman said the program’s teaching strategy prepares leaders ability to improve their leadership skills by teaching the what, how, why and when of the Balanced Leadership Framework program. “This enhances the leader’s ability to implement the framework with a high degree of fidelity. McREL’s years of leadership research has revealed that implementation in addition to knowledge of its framework provides the key to increased student achievement. When both district and school level leaders are accountable for the successful utilization of the balanced leadership approach, the potential for success is increased. The Balanced Leadership Framework program creates not only a common vocabulary for all school leaders, but presents a validated research model in how quality, shared instructional leadership should be carried out throughout the district.,” said Sussman.
McREL consultants advised HCDE opt for the Balanced Leadership Framework consortium model, combined with the Trainer-of-Trainers model to create a foundation for a common leadership approach all schools in the district.