Governor’s Institute for School Leadership Launched in Delaware
Governor John Carney and Dr. Susan Bunting on Friday announced the launch of the Governor’s Institute for School Leadership (GISL), a two-pronged training program for aspiring school leaders and current district leaders.
A partnership between the Governor’s Office, Delaware Department of Education, University of Delaware, and Delaware’s public schools, the institute launches this month with two programs: Superintendent Study Council and Assistant Principal Academy.
“We know how critical great school and district leaders are to the success of our schools,” said Governor John Carney. “This is a two-pronged approach to support the professional learning of those at both ends of the school leadership spectrum. The Institute will help foster critical collaboration and leverage best practices to develop a talented cohort of school and district-level leaders.”
Dr. Susan Bunting, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education said supporting and developing school and district leadership is critical to the state’s school system.
“Both current and aspiring leaders need the kind of ‘on-the-job support’ that this institute offers. The challenges they face evolve constantly. Having both a peer network and the opportunity to collaborate with state and national experts will facilitate their making the best decisions for both our educators and students,” she said.
The Superintendent Study Council creates a leadership network of Delaware school district superintendents and other district office administrators who will meet monthly for discussion, collaboration, and professional learning on relevant and timely topics related to school improvement, equity, and improving outcomes for all students.
“The opportunity for superintendents and other leaders to network together and learn from experts in the field is invaluable. This will only strengthen leadership across our state,” said Appoquinimink Superintendent Matt Burrows.
The Assistant Principal Academy is a highly selective 12-month program designed to develop distinguished assistant principals into transformational building-level principals. The program consists of five modules of instruction aligned to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), coaching by University of Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL) leadership coaches and a practice-based mentorship with a successful building principal.
Academy fellows must have three or more years of experience. The first cohort includes 12 assistant principals representing schools from across Delaware.
“I appreciate that at the core of the Governor’s Institute for School Leadership program is a targeted focus on cultivating the capacity and disposition of assistant principals to confront and alter conditions that place barriers to student success. As a fellow, I am grateful for the opportunity to immerse myself in this work with a stellar cohort of forward-thinking educators from across the state and renowned national researchers in the field,” said Nathalie Princilus, assistant principal at New Castle County Vocational Technical School District’s Delcastle Technical High School.
