January 16th Leadership Academy Agenda
9:00am to 9:10am: Welcome and Framing – Michael Watkins
9:10am to 10am – Opening session
Moderator
Dr. Michele Bowers
CAAASA President-Elect and Superintendent, Lancaster Unified School District
Panelist
Mr. Michael H. Forde
Public Health Specialist and Author of “Success Begins From Where You Are!”
Panelist
Dr. NanaEfua B. Afoh-Manin
Founder of myCovidMD and Shared Harvest Fund
Panelist
Dr. Jann Murray-Garcia
Founding faculty member and associate clinical professor, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis
10:05am to 10:55am: Breakouts, Session One
11:00am to 11:50am: Breakouts, Session Two
1. Role and Responsibilities of a School Superintendent
Jabari Willis
Michael Watkins
Diane Marshall-Freeman
This workshop will focus on the impact that COVID-19 has had on the role and responsibilities of the District Superintendent and administrators. The pandemic has affected every aspect of school district programming including, instructional, educational, labor relations, and more. We will address how Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, and administration have had to regroup, adjust, and push forward through the obstacles posed by the pandemic. As the educational leader of the district, the superintendent has continued to focus on promoting success for all students, equity in education, and messages of unity for the Board, teachers and community during this crisis.
2. Women In Leadership – How To Swim In Muddy Waters in Difficult Times
Dr. Patricia Brent-Sanco
Dr. Judy White
Kimberly Hendricks-Brown
Women, especially minority women in School Leadership positions, face different challenges than their male counterparts. This workshop will focus on how to navigate these subtle and not- so-subtle differences. These presenters will share stories of how they navigated the ever-shifting educational and political landscape in order to achieve successful careers. Men will also find the career strategies to be helpful.
3. Pathways to Becoming a Successful School Leader
Dr. Frank Wells
Dr. Steven Dorsey
Tracy Thompson
The road to Chief level leadership can be very challenging for minorities. Only 6% of California’s student population is of African American descent. As a result, most minority school Superintendents have to have a deep understanding of different cultures and how to navigate that landscape. You will hear the stories of three successful African American education leaders.
4. The Vital Role Played by Search Firms on Your Path to Becoming a School Leader
Teri Vigil
Will Ector
Eric Andrew
Most school districts will contract with a search firm to conduct and facilitate the screening process, when looking for a Superintendent or other school leaders Search firms play a unique role. It is critical that school leaders get to know these firms and their perspectives to be in a better position to pass the screening process and secure an interview.
5. CHANGE! The Only Thing Constant: Leading and Learning During COVID of Leadership For People of Color
Garth Lewis
Dr. Leilah Kirkendoll
No system would self-impose a monumental adaptation of its operations within a 72-hour period, yet this is exactly what schools across the state of California were forced to embrace in March of 2020. Our ability to lead through this significant pivot demonstrated that we have the capacity to change. The core leadership challenge educators now face is to recognize the need to accelerate learning for students who have been historically underserved, and provide tools for the adults who are responsible for their learning. Rapidly changing contexts and systemic structures are part of our current reality and likely the manner in which leadership will be defined in this moment, and into the future. Attendees of this workshop will be introduced to a set of key leadership “nuggets” that empower leaders at all levels.
11:50am to 12:00pm: Close out remarks – Michael Watkins
Sponsored by:
