SSDA Announces Institute For 2010
by Shelly Tillery
“Meeting the Challenge of Leadership in California Small School Districts”
The Small School Districts’ Association, in partnership with Teach the Teacher Collaborative and Central Valley Educational Leadership Institute, is pleased to announce a week-long institute (July 26 - 31, 2010) at Thacher School in Ojai, CA.
A group of small school Superintendents and Superintendent-Principals via a conference call outlined specific content areas the Institute should address. Leading speakers on these topics are now being contacted.
Attendees will have the opportunity to not only deal with critical educational issues, but the real issues small school Superintendents see on a day-to-day basis: relationship building, effective school research, managing the limited time of a small school Superintendent, building a budget during difficult (impossible) times, WASC in a small district, identifying and meeting the most critical daily work items, available grants, time to write grants, addressing issues unique to your district are but a few items on the agenda.
Trustees are also invited as the team prepares a program to help Trustees not only study governance issues but also identify the critical role they must fill. “There is a great opportunity for team building and district problem solving when the members of the governance team assemble in a learning environment. We want to create that environment in Ojai,” report conference planners, Al Sandrini, SSDA Executive Director, Bob Walczak, TTTC Director and Walt Buster, Director of CVELI.
As budgets for 2009-2010 and beyond are prepared, Superintendents are strongly urged to allocate funds available through Program Improvement Funds, Stimulus Funds and other sources that require expenditures in staff development. “It is unfortunate we often forget the leaders of districts when we think about staff development,” reports Sandrini.
School leaders are encouraged to "Mark the Date" and allocate the funds that will provide for this significant staff development program.
If you have any questions or for more information, please contact Al Sandrini at (916) 444-9335.
