ACSA Academies help school administrators build their skills in nine leadership specialties. They are run on the local level by directors, experienced leaders in those jobs who are committed to helping the next generation advance in their careers. We asked the directors of four academies why they enjoy paying it forward and what makes Academies a unique PD opportunity.

Personnel Administrators Academy: Director Sherri Beetz, Region 6 “Succession planning is one of the most important responsibilities of a personnel administrator. With the impending retirements of the Baby Boomers, we need to be proactive in the recruitment and development of all administrators, and more specifically in the area of business and personnel, where the shortage seems to be greater. As a ‘veteran’ personnel administrator, I believe it is my responsibility to the students and staff to do what I can to help develop the next generation of personnel administrators. “A general degree in Human Resources does not cover the nuances of public and private education. The Academy, and specifically our presenters, are targeted toward the skills that participants will need to become proficient in all aspects of personnel in an educational setting.”

Principals Academy: Director Derrick Lawson, Region 19 “There is a deep sense of satisfaction in knowing that you are sowing into the lives of others, who will then be impacting multitudes of administrators that lead and inspire teachers, who in turn shape a generation and more. The honor of perpetuating the gift of time, knowledge, skill development, and leadership impact that was given to each of us by our mentors, results in our being a part of an exponential impact over time.  “The Academies are unique for multiple reasons. The first and foremost is that the content is provided by in-the-field practitioners and highly regarded mentors. Additionally, the content is annually revisited to ensure that we are connecting it directly to the actions and work of the administrator as well as reflecting the current professional standards.”

“There is no question that school business is complex. The intricacies within the school business world are not getting any simpler, but the best methods for facing them is through training and preparation. The fiscal strains that many districts face with COLA-only budgets requires the district superintendent along with cabinet and site administrators being conversant and comfortable with school business and the financial aspects of the district as a whole.   “What makes the ACSA Business Academy unique are the presenters. They understand that the subject of school business was not an emphasis in school administrator preparation programs and realize that most of the participants come in the door with trepidation about discussing school fiscal issues.”  

“My co-directors at the Pupil Services Academy I attended in Ontario have been great friends and colleagues, and through their training, inspired me to give back to ACSA and our profession by sharing my knowledge and learning alongside with new and aspiring pupil services administrators. “Each Academy provides direct access to the experts of each topic presented, allowing participants the ability to ask questions, learn from the best, and be able to receive the most current documents. ACSA Academy presenters are practitioners who are in the trenches, doing the work, able to share their personal experiences with the topics at hand. One cannot receive a better training than those provided through ACSA’s Academies.”

What: A ‘fast-track’ to career advancement in nine leadership specialties When: 70-100 hours of instruction held on weekends throughout the school year, with start dates in August through November Where: Various locations statewide (see web for details) Cost: $1,285-$1,695, depending on academy and location Info: