Principals Academy puts effective, diverse leaders in the ‘pipeline’
March 18, 2024
Participants in the Rancho Cucamonga cohort of ACSA’s Principals Academy recently wrapped up their online academy with a virtual graduation.
They celebrated completing the academy, which was held over eight weekends throughout the school year, with a virtual “graduation.” In lieu of the traditional group photo on the final day, they embraced the new environment and took a Zoom photo to commemorate the event.
“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,” said Academy Director Derrick Lawson.
There were 39 participants (higher than the typical 30 to 35 planned cohort size), indicating strong demand for this virtual Academy.
Through professional development offerings like this, ACSA is responding to the nationwide principal shortage and the need for professional development and continuous learning to create “principal pipelines.”
Following the pandemic, ACSA Academies were adapted to a new virtual format that provided the same high-quality instruction, interaction and networking connections as the in-person academies. The virtual format continues to be embraced by the newest generation of site administrators as the preferred format. Great consideration was made to continue offering the Principals Academy in a virtual environment this year in order to meet and support needs in the more remote areas of the state. In addition, this format is also embraced by superintendents in remote, rural or distant areas as a means of supporting their new teams.
Academy graduates shared their final thoughts following this signature ACSA professional learning opportunity.
“One of my biggest takeaways from the Academy was networking with professionals facing similar challenges and fostering collaborative idea generation.”
— Gloria Moreno, Principal, Myrtle Avenue School, Lamont Elementary School District
“My biggest takeaway from the Principals Academy is the importance of being an effective instructional leader, building relationships and establishing effective communication at all levels of the school and organization,” said Amy Bowen, New Teacher TOSA and aspiring principal in Soledad Unified School District.
Marco Page, the principal of Emmett S. Finley Elementary School in the Holtville Unified School District, noted that learning about special education and human resources was especially valuable, in addition to discovering plenty of support for administrators.
Gloria Moreno, Principal of Myrtle Avenue School in Lamont Elementary School District, said she appreciated the academy’s emphasis on leading schools to address 21st century learning, among other topics.
“One of my biggest takeaways from the Academy was networking with professionals facing similar challenges and fostering collaborative idea generation,” she said. “The diverse range of topics served in various ways and reminded me of my ‘why.’”
Joe Prosapio, principal of Berry Elementary in South Bay Union School District, said the academy served as a networking opportunity with other growing leaders across the state to learn from discussions with others.
“The ACSA Principal Academy was a fantastic opportunity to learn from expert educational leaders that have lived what they are teaching in the academy,” he said. “The knowledge they shared is an invaluable resource as I go along my leadership journey.”
FYI
2024-25 Academies
Registration for 2024-25 Academies will begin June 1. Visit acsa.org/academies for more information.
The Rancho Cucamonga cohort of ACSA’s Principals Academy recently celebrated completing the eight-weekend academy with a virtual group photo on Zoom.
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