Welcome to the ​​Association for Academic Leaders

A professional community purpose-built to support the essential and evolving work of all Academic Leaders.

We provide the community, learning, and resources you need to be successful in your role, enhancing your personal leadership and expanding your impact at school.
What your school needs changes daily. Figuring out where to start can be the hardest part. Our Association Research Assistant helps you quickly find the most relevant resources from our extensive offerings, so you can dive into the work addressing your school’s key issues.

​Tackling Big Challenges and Realizing Key Opportunities
At the Association for Academic Leaders, we understand the complex nature of your role. From supporting teachers to helping your school achieve its strategic priorities, the work of Academic Leaders touches all levels and facets of a school community.
​Our resources address the vast responsibilities facing Academic Leaders so you can help fulfill your school’s ambitious mission, tackling the big questions of today and thriving in the education landscape of tomorrow.

An Association Designed For You

Advancing your school’s unique approach to education requires effective leadership and meaningful collaboration among Academic Leaders across your campus. We designed the Association’s membership with these realities in mind. With a single annual fee, all Academic Leaders at your school can access the network and knowledge they need to lead together.

Community

We know that people do their best work when connected to the right peers and resources. Through the Association, Academic Leaders connect with peers who share their work. Whether you’re looking to workshop a shared challenge, seeking advice on approaching a new initiative, or simply in need of fresh a perspective, the Association’s network is there for you. 

Learning

Accessing opportunities to engage and grow alongside other Academic Leaders is key to success in your current and future roles. The Association provides ample moments for Academic Leaders to come together and learn with, and from, one another. Our online courses provide Academic Leaders with research, expertise, and conversation about today’s essential topics. And Association meetups and cohorts create the space to troubleshoot everything from curriculum audits to staffing decisions with your peers. ​

Resources

The Association provides the tangible resources—along with insights, research, and learnings—needed to execute and grow in your work. Tailor-made templates, tools, resource guides, discussion guides and prompts, checklists, and more address the multitude of responsibilities undertaken by Academic Leaders. A weekly newsletter, resource library hosting more than 250 articles and recordings, along with additional timely resources provide the strategic and pragmatic information Academic Leaders need, just when they need it most.​

An Ecosystem of Learning Opportunities for Members
As Academic Leaders, we know you’re constantly on-the-go, moving from solving in-the-weeds issues to working on strategic initiatives in a single day, across your week, and throughout the academic year. We’ve created an ecosystem of opportunities for Association members to learn, ideate, and grow, taking advantage of different formats to help you get the most out of our resources.
​Week-long, asynchronous courses offered throughout the year, built using proven best practices of adult learning.
Regularly scheduled and just-in-time, these online sessions cover key topics and challenges faced by Academic Leaders.​
Live, online cohorts designed around a role, skill, or workflow, to connect Academic Leaders engaged in similar work.
Extensive online, searchable repository of research-informed resources, tools, articles, and more.

Who is an Academic Leader?

​We think of academic leadership broadly and inclusively.

Assistant Heads of School for Academics, Academic Deans, Deans of Faculty, Department Chairs, Curriculum Coordinators, ​Division Directors, Deans of Teaching and Learning, Instructional Coaches –anyone at your school responsible for teaching and learning beyond a single class or classroom.
The Association gives me the chance to hear what other people are actually doing, like how long projects really take, and examples of how they shifted culture. We share actual resources, like timelines and job descriptions. That means when it comes to my projects, I know what the starting point or framework could be, so I can ask, "What works for my community?"

​Joel Sok Sohn, Assistant Head of School for
Planning and Strategic Initiatives
Head Royce School
In Association Meetups, I could join folks from all over the country who were grappling in the same ways we were, and had the same questions and the same concerns. I reached out to one person in particular who was incredibly helpful, and people reached out to me as well. We're all there to support each other in this community that the Association has created.

​Bob Weiman, Associate Head of School
St Stephen and St Agnes's School

Become a Member

Not a member school yet? Join the Association today!

Get In Touch

Have any questions? Email our Senior Director, Sarah Hanawald, to learn more. ​