A Professional Development Program for Teacher Leaders
- Promotes collaboration with learners.
- Provides opportunities for learners to utilize communication and problem-solving skills.
- Encourages self-directed learning.
- Provides learners with the skills and processes of leadership.
Developed in partnership with Cleveland State University’s College of Education and Human Services, the First Ring Leadership Academy (FRSC) is a year-long professional development and leadership training program serving the 16 districts that surround the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. Participants are Teacher Leaders or Administrators nominated by their Superintendents each spring to become part of the cohort the following school year.
Meeting for nine full days throughout the academic year, the Academy focuses on building capacity to address the unique challenges of First Ring Districts: poverty, student mobility, diversity and the achievement gap. Sessions provide Teacher Leaders or Administrators the opportunity to collaborate, network, share and learn from others in the cohort, develop knowledge of best practices and targeted strategies for promoting students’ academic and non-academic success, and visit various sites among the First Ring Districts hosting all-day sessions.
Each cohort of professionals discusses and explores a range of topics and strategies, and engages in a variety of learning activities including on-site presentations, group discussion, readings and reflections. This year, FRSC participants had the additional opportunity to gain leadership experience and insight during four “shared” sessions with its sister program, the First Ring Student Leadership Institute. With a focus on youth empowerment through community awareness and youth-adult collaboration, the Institute nurtures high school students to become change leaders in their schools and communities. In the role of adult collaborators, each FRSC participant mentors a team of Student Leaders as they research critical issues and opportunities faced by their schools and communities. During the final session of the year, FRSC participants and Student Leaders co-present their research findings and recommendations to the First Ring Superintendents and High School Principals.