Our courses are designed to help you build your skills in one of the competency areas essential for Academic Leaders. Participants should expect to spend about four hours per week completing coursework. Each course is focused on a single topic, and draws on curated research in the field as well as academic expertise. As always, the design of each course includes opportunities for reflection and interaction, empowering you to boost your competency with a group of peers interested in the same issues.
Participation in online courses is an Association benefit. All Academic Leaders at your school can participate at no cost. |
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Beginning June 12
Onboarding (and Keeping) New Faculty
Objectives:
Faculty retention begins before new hires ever set foot in their classrooms. In this course, participants will learn how to weave faculty support into the onboarding process. We’ll discuss what practices to abandon, how to modify typical onboarding processes for greater impact, and how to forefront your mission and values from the beginning of a new teacher’s career.
- Create a inclusive and welcoming structure for new faculty
- Learn onboarding practices that foster confidence
Faculty retention begins before new hires ever set foot in their classrooms. In this course, participants will learn how to weave faculty support into the onboarding process. We’ll discuss what practices to abandon, how to modify typical onboarding processes for greater impact, and how to forefront your mission and values from the beginning of a new teacher’s career.
Wellness for Academic Leaders
Objectives:
Led by two independent school professionals who led campus wellness plans for their communities. Academic Leaders need to learn to "put their own oxygen masks on first!" when it comes to wellness. In this course participants will learn about three important aspects of wellness; rest, mindfulness, and exercise. Participants will consider these three within the context of academic leadership. The course will encourage participants to reflect on their current practices that support their wellness and consider what changes they may want to make that can increase their ability to model and encourage wellness in their school communities.
- Understand three essential elements of personal wellness
- Consider which wellness strategies might be beneficial and achievable
Led by two independent school professionals who led campus wellness plans for their communities. Academic Leaders need to learn to "put their own oxygen masks on first!" when it comes to wellness. In this course participants will learn about three important aspects of wellness; rest, mindfulness, and exercise. Participants will consider these three within the context of academic leadership. The course will encourage participants to reflect on their current practices that support their wellness and consider what changes they may want to make that can increase their ability to model and encourage wellness in their school communities.
Beginning June 19
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers with Dr. Lisa Damour
Objectives:
Join New York Times best-selling author Lisa Damour in exploring her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, in this members-only, two-week online course with unique content for independent school educators. Lisa’s urgently needed guide is designed to help parents understand their teenagers’ intense and often fraught emotional lives—and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. In each week of this course, Lisa frames the lessons of her book through an educator's lens and offers her thoughts and questions for educators to consider while reading the text. This course contains additional material from Lisa (video and written) exclusively available to members of the Association for Academic Leaders. You’ll learn directly from Lisa while having the chance to reflect on the practical application of the insights shared in the book and additional content with other Academic Leaders.
Following the end of the course, participants are invited to join a live Q&A with Lisa.
Please note: participants should obtain a copy of the book prior to the start of the course.
- Dispel the “three big myths” that challenge educators who care about adolescent well-being
- Learn strategies for helping teens manage their emotions
Join New York Times best-selling author Lisa Damour in exploring her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, in this members-only, two-week online course with unique content for independent school educators. Lisa’s urgently needed guide is designed to help parents understand their teenagers’ intense and often fraught emotional lives—and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. In each week of this course, Lisa frames the lessons of her book through an educator's lens and offers her thoughts and questions for educators to consider while reading the text. This course contains additional material from Lisa (video and written) exclusively available to members of the Association for Academic Leaders. You’ll learn directly from Lisa while having the chance to reflect on the practical application of the insights shared in the book and additional content with other Academic Leaders.
Following the end of the course, participants are invited to join a live Q&A with Lisa.
Please note: participants should obtain a copy of the book prior to the start of the course.
Preparing for Your First Year in Department Leadership
Objectives:
This course is designed to help leaders new to a department leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves and their network of support.
- Explore tools to help you transition from peer to leader while maintaining collegiality
- Set personal goals for your approach to your first year
This course is designed to help leaders new to a department leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves and their network of support.
Beginning June 26
Building Trust As An Academic Leader
Objectives:
Participants will learn processes for developing better systems for understanding and supporting those they lead who may be challenged during times of change. The course will share strategies for holding coaching conversations to support other campus adults in their roles. Participants will learn tools that make difficult communication more productive.
- Acquire coaching skills for engaging with individuals that engender better trust in both parties
- Develop systems of communication that help build trust within groups
Participants will learn processes for developing better systems for understanding and supporting those they lead who may be challenged during times of change. The course will share strategies for holding coaching conversations to support other campus adults in their roles. Participants will learn tools that make difficult communication more productive.
Preparing for Your First Year in Division Leadership
Objectives:
This course is designed to help leaders new to a divisional leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves. Participants will learn how to build a network of support.
- Explore tools to help you transition into leadership
- Set personal goals for your approach to your first year
This course is designed to help leaders new to a divisional leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves. Participants will learn how to build a network of support.
Beginning July 10
Competency-Based Learning: A Primer for Academic Leaders
Objective:
This course is a primer in competency-based learning. It is designed for academic leaders who are curious about this pedagogical approach. Participants will leave with an understanding of competency-based learning and ideas about how to start the conversation within their school community.
- Evaluate whether competency-based learning is an appropriate pedagogy for your school
This course is a primer in competency-based learning. It is designed for academic leaders who are curious about this pedagogical approach. Participants will leave with an understanding of competency-based learning and ideas about how to start the conversation within their school community.
Onboarding (and Keeping) New Faculty
Objectives:
Faculty retention begins before new hires ever set foot in their classrooms. In this course, participants will learn how to weave faculty support into the onboarding process. We’ll discuss what practices to abandon, how to modify typical onboarding processes for greater impact, and how to forefront your mission and values from the beginning of a new teacher’s career.
- Create a inclusive and welcoming structure for new faculty
- Learn onboarding practices that foster confidence
Faculty retention begins before new hires ever set foot in their classrooms. In this course, participants will learn how to weave faculty support into the onboarding process. We’ll discuss what practices to abandon, how to modify typical onboarding processes for greater impact, and how to forefront your mission and values from the beginning of a new teacher’s career.
Independent Advanced Courses: Leadership Considerations
Objectives:
This course is designed for academic leaders who are interested in rigorous, non-standardardized course design. We will make the case for developing these courses on your campus, share our principles, and provide tools for exploring this path with your leadership team or curriculum cabinet.
- Understand the case for developing advanced courses that are not subject to standardized assessment
- Interpret our principles for independent advanced courses
- Explore this path with your leadership team or curriculum cabinet
This course is designed for academic leaders who are interested in rigorous, non-standardardized course design. We will make the case for developing these courses on your campus, share our principles, and provide tools for exploring this path with your leadership team or curriculum cabinet.
Beginning July 17
Aligning Teacher Evaluation with Pedagogical Priorities
Objective:
Teacher evaluation has not kept up with innovation in independent schools. This course will help participants revamp an evaluation process so that it aligns with the school's current values. Academic Leaders can then effectively use the teacher evaluation process to move pedagogical initiatives forward.
- Leverage the teacher evaluation process to promote pedagogical growth
Teacher evaluation has not kept up with innovation in independent schools. This course will help participants revamp an evaluation process so that it aligns with the school's current values. Academic Leaders can then effectively use the teacher evaluation process to move pedagogical initiatives forward.
Building Trust As An Academic Leader
Objectives:
Participants will learn processes for developing better systems for understanding and supporting those they lead who may be challenged during times of change. The course will share strategies for holding coaching conversations to support other campus adults in their roles. Participants will learn tools that make difficult communication more productive.
- Acquire coaching skills for engaging with individuals that engender better trust in both parties
- Develop systems of communication that help build trust within groups
Participants will learn processes for developing better systems for understanding and supporting those they lead who may be challenged during times of change. The course will share strategies for holding coaching conversations to support other campus adults in their roles. Participants will learn tools that make difficult communication more productive.
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers with Dr. Lisa Damour
Objectives:
Join New York Times best-selling author Lisa Damour in exploring her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, in this members-only, two-week online course with unique content for independent school educators. Lisa’s urgently needed guide is designed to help parents understand their teenagers’ intense and often fraught emotional lives—and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. In each week of this course, Lisa frames the lessons of her book through an educator's lens and offers her thoughts and questions for educators to consider while reading the text. This course contains additional material from Lisa (video and written) exclusively available to members of the Association for Academic Leaders. You’ll learn directly from Lisa while having the chance to reflect on the practical application of the insights shared in the book and additional content with other Academic Leaders.
Following the end of the course, participants are invited to join a live Q&A with Lisa.
Please note: participants should obtain a copy of the book prior to the start of the course.
- Dispel the “three big myths” that challenge educators who care about adolescent well-being
- Learn strategies for helping teens manage their emotions
Join New York Times best-selling author Lisa Damour in exploring her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, in this members-only, two-week online course with unique content for independent school educators. Lisa’s urgently needed guide is designed to help parents understand their teenagers’ intense and often fraught emotional lives—and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. In each week of this course, Lisa frames the lessons of her book through an educator's lens and offers her thoughts and questions for educators to consider while reading the text. This course contains additional material from Lisa (video and written) exclusively available to members of the Association for Academic Leaders. You’ll learn directly from Lisa while having the chance to reflect on the practical application of the insights shared in the book and additional content with other Academic Leaders.
Following the end of the course, participants are invited to join a live Q&A with Lisa.
Please note: participants should obtain a copy of the book prior to the start of the course.
Preparing for Your First Year in Division Leadership
Objectives:
This course is designed to help leaders new to a divisional leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves. Participants will learn how to build a network of support.
- Explore tools to help you transition into leadership
- Set personal goals for your approach to your first year
This course is designed to help leaders new to a divisional leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves. Participants will learn how to build a network of support.
Beginning July 24
Leading Curricular and Pedagogical Change
Objective:
Whether rolling out an incremental process or taking on a seismic shift, making a curricular or pedagogical change requires planning. Whether you are introducing a new pedagogy school-wide or in a single department, moving to a new schedule, sunsetting a standardized-test driven program, or redesigning an entire scope and sequence, this course will provide a framework for managing change to an academic program in a way that is sustainable, supports all participants, and can be adapted to meet a school's needs.
- Create a framework for managing a significant change to your academic program
Whether rolling out an incremental process or taking on a seismic shift, making a curricular or pedagogical change requires planning. Whether you are introducing a new pedagogy school-wide or in a single department, moving to a new schedule, sunsetting a standardized-test driven program, or redesigning an entire scope and sequence, this course will provide a framework for managing change to an academic program in a way that is sustainable, supports all participants, and can be adapted to meet a school's needs.
Preparing for Your First Year in Department Leadership
Objectives:
This course is designed to help leaders new to a department leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves and their network of support.
- Explore tools to help you transition from peer to leader while maintaining collegiality
- Set personal goals for your approach to your first year
This course is designed to help leaders new to a department leadership role in planning their approach to their first year. We’ll share strategies designed to help new leaders begin the year with confidence in themselves and their network of support.
AI Considerations for Academic Leaders
AI conversations have exploded and resource and information abound, overwhelmingly so. In this course, we'll offer Academic Leaders a list of highly curated resources to share with their communities. Then we'll offer a framework for Academic Leaders to use as they lead decision-making conversations around the role of AI in the school's curriculum, pedagogy, and professional responsibilities in alignment with their school's mission and values.
Beginning July 31
Leading a DEIBJ Curriculum Audit
Objectives:
In this course, Academic Leaders will gain a thorough understanding of the distinctions between diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice audits, and how to determine which one best suits the needs of their school. We will provide frameworks for leading equitably and equip participants with strategies for effectively managing and evaluating the audit process, which can be tailored to suit the unique needs of a division, department, or entire school. By the end of the course, participants will be able to confidently apply their knowledge to foster a more inclusive and just educational educational program.
- Learn to define the objectives in accordance with the school’s mission and priorities
- Develop a DEIBJ process for your school’s community
In this course, Academic Leaders will gain a thorough understanding of the distinctions between diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and justice audits, and how to determine which one best suits the needs of their school. We will provide frameworks for leading equitably and equip participants with strategies for effectively managing and evaluating the audit process, which can be tailored to suit the unique needs of a division, department, or entire school. By the end of the course, participants will be able to confidently apply their knowledge to foster a more inclusive and just educational educational program.
Wellness for Academic Leaders
Objectives:
Led by two independent school professionals who led campus wellness plans for their communities. Academic Leaders need to learn to "put their own oxygen masks on first!" when it comes to wellness. In this course participants will learn about three important aspects of wellness; rest, mindfulness, and exercise. Participants will consider these three within the context of academic leadership. The course will encourage participants to reflect on their current practices that support their wellness and consider what changes they may want to make that can increase their ability to model and encourage wellness in their school communities.
- Understand three essential elements of personal wellness
- Consider which wellness strategies might be beneficial and achievable
Led by two independent school professionals who led campus wellness plans for their communities. Academic Leaders need to learn to "put their own oxygen masks on first!" when it comes to wellness. In this course participants will learn about three important aspects of wellness; rest, mindfulness, and exercise. Participants will consider these three within the context of academic leadership. The course will encourage participants to reflect on their current practices that support their wellness and consider what changes they may want to make that can increase their ability to model and encourage wellness in their school communities.
Beginning August 7
The Emotional Lives of Teenagers with Dr. Lisa Damour
Objectives:
Join New York Times best-selling author Lisa Damour in exploring her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, in this members-only, two-week online course with unique content for independent school educators. Lisa’s urgently needed guide is designed to help parents understand their teenagers’ intense and often fraught emotional lives—and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. In each week of this course, Lisa frames the lessons of her book through an educator's lens and offers her thoughts and questions for educators to consider while reading the text. This course contains additional material from Lisa (video and written) exclusively available to members of the Association for Academic Leaders. You’ll learn directly from Lisa while having the chance to reflect on the practical application of the insights shared in the book and additional content with other Academic Leaders.
Following the end of the course, participants are invited to join a live Q&A with Lisa.
Please note: participants should obtain a copy of the book prior to the start of the course.
- Dispel the “three big myths” that challenge educators who care about adolescent well-being
- Learn strategies for helping teens manage their emotions
Join New York Times best-selling author Lisa Damour in exploring her new book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, in this members-only, two-week online course with unique content for independent school educators. Lisa’s urgently needed guide is designed to help parents understand their teenagers’ intense and often fraught emotional lives—and how to support them through this critical developmental stage. In each week of this course, Lisa frames the lessons of her book through an educator's lens and offers her thoughts and questions for educators to consider while reading the text. This course contains additional material from Lisa (video and written) exclusively available to members of the Association for Academic Leaders. You’ll learn directly from Lisa while having the chance to reflect on the practical application of the insights shared in the book and additional content with other Academic Leaders.
Following the end of the course, participants are invited to join a live Q&A with Lisa.
Please note: participants should obtain a copy of the book prior to the start of the course.
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"As a current department chair moving into an assistant division head role, I found the Preparing to Lead a Mission-Aligned Curriculum Audit course to be quite valuable in terms of giving me a starting point for thinking about broader curriculum work. I especially enjoyed reading about the experiences of peers at other schools, to hear what did and did not work for them when they engaged in similar work." "Once again, One Schoolhouse and the Association for Academic Leaders deliver on its promise of robust professional development. I leave the Onboarding (and Keeping) New Faculty course with a new, inspiring perspective on faculty onboarding." |
More about online courses at the Association for Academic Leaders
At the Association for Academic Leaders, we know these two things about our members: their time is short and their interests and needs encompass a wide array of issues. As a competency-based professional association, we have intentionally designed our courses to meet these seemingly divergent needs.
Almost all of our courses are short, lasting one week; they open on a Friday afternoon and close on Sunday evening 10 days later. Every course is designed to be completed in what we call an “asynchronous but paced” manner in about 4-5 hours total over the course of those 10 days. This time frame includes both weekend and weekday time to ensure that participants can complete the assignments at the times their schedule permits.
In practice, this means that each course targets a specific aspect of one of the competencies Academic Leaders need to grow to help their schools thrive. While the overall topic may seem quite large, once inside, participants will find a highly-curated selection of resources that target the objectives of the course.
Just because the courses are short does not mean they are completed in isolation. We ask that participants plan to pace themselves by including time to interact, not just consume the course material. Each offering is led by one of our highly knowledgeable facilitators, who provides feedback to participants’ submissions and questions. In addition, participants are encouraged (expected) to engage with one another in making meaning from the course material though our discussion assignments.
The conversations don’t end when the course is completed and the badges awarded. We provide opportunities to continue the connections made in our courses in our members-only discussion areas in our online portal.
Almost all of our courses are short, lasting one week; they open on a Friday afternoon and close on Sunday evening 10 days later. Every course is designed to be completed in what we call an “asynchronous but paced” manner in about 4-5 hours total over the course of those 10 days. This time frame includes both weekend and weekday time to ensure that participants can complete the assignments at the times their schedule permits.
In practice, this means that each course targets a specific aspect of one of the competencies Academic Leaders need to grow to help their schools thrive. While the overall topic may seem quite large, once inside, participants will find a highly-curated selection of resources that target the objectives of the course.
Just because the courses are short does not mean they are completed in isolation. We ask that participants plan to pace themselves by including time to interact, not just consume the course material. Each offering is led by one of our highly knowledgeable facilitators, who provides feedback to participants’ submissions and questions. In addition, participants are encouraged (expected) to engage with one another in making meaning from the course material though our discussion assignments.
The conversations don’t end when the course is completed and the badges awarded. We provide opportunities to continue the connections made in our courses in our members-only discussion areas in our online portal.