Summer 2026
Registration is now open for the Association for Academic Leaders summer professional learning opportunities! Whether you're focusing on GenAI, leadership development, teaching and learning, or student mental health, our professional lineup offers valuable learning for every Academic Leader on your team:
Summer Book Club
AI Bootcamp (two-day, in-person)
Want to discuss how we can support your school’s initiatives and leadership development this winter or spring? Let’s find time to chat in the coming weeks.
Generative AI
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AI You Can Use: Practical Applications for Academic Leaders
Discover how AI can act as your personal chief of staff. We will explore practical ways to automate your routine office work and give you more headspace for strategic thinking and supporting your faculty.
June 22 - June 26
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Building the Custom AI Tool Your School Needs (No programming)
Build the digital assistant you’ve always wanted. We’ll show you how to create custom AI tools tailored to your school’s specific tasks. You'll save time and simplify your workflow without writing a single line of code.
July 13 - July 17
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Leading Your Team or Department in Understanding Generative AI
Learn to guide your team in exploring Generative AI and considering the implications for teaching and learning in alignment with school mission and values.
July 13 - July 17
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Making Custom-Built Bots to Align Curriculum to Mission
Learn to use custom GPTs for mission-driven curriculum design and adaptation. This course covers creating custom GPTs, evaluating GenAI-generated content, and tailoring it to your school’s unique program.
July 20 - July 24
Teaching & Learning
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What to Ask (and What Not to Ask): Student Feedback in Academics
Academic leaders will learn how to generate actionable, reliable insights from academic surveys. This session covers designing effective instruments, writing clear, neutral questions, and avoiding common pitfalls that compromise data quality. Participants will explore practical examples and leave with strategies they can apply immediately.
June 15 - June 19
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Competency-Based Learning: A Primer for Academic Leaders
Gain a foundational understanding of competency-based learning. Designed for Academic Leaders, this course offers practical insights and strategies to initiate meaningful conversations within your school community.
June 29 - July 3
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Curriculum Mapping: What You Need to Know Before You Start
Plan effective curriculum mapping that honors your school's values and culture. Leave with a personalized plan and timeline, developed from our templates. We'll suggest how AI tools can support and streamline the process.
July 6 - July 10 -
Onboarding New Faculty to Your School's Culture and Pedagogy
Ensure long-term faculty success by learning actionable onboarding strategies that align new hires with your school’s mission, culture, and pedagogy.
July 6 - July 17
Leadership Development
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Assessing Your Assessments in the Age of AI
This course prepares academic leaders to guide faculty conversations about assessment in the age of Generative AI. Participants will identify misalignments, examine what assessments truly measure, and leave with practical tools to lead conversations that drive meaningful, actionable improvements.
June 15 - June 19
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Leading from the Middle: What to Expect (and Where to Start)
Moving from the classroom to a leadership role is a big shift. Gain the practical tools and confidence you need to manage your former peers, lead effective meetings, and set a clear tone for your team.
June 22 - June 26
and
July 20 - July 24 -
Instructional Rounds: Fostering Reflective Teacher Practice
Explore instructional rounds as a tool for improving student learning by fostering teacher reflection. Learn to implement a pilot program and develop observation frameworks.
June 22 - June 26
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More Than a Welcome: Getting New Faculty Mentoring Right
Develop mentoring strategies that support new faculty and their mentors, with a focus on growth, well-being, and a strong start. Participants will design a program aligned with their school’s culture and equip mentors to guide new faculty with confidence and clarity.
June 29 - July 3
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Aligning Teacher Evaluation with Pedagogical Priorities
Teacher evaluation has not kept up with innovation in independent schools. This course will help participants rebench 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.
Tentatively: June 29 - July 3
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Evaluating Department Leaders as Academic Leaders
Learn about using a competency-based approach that will help leaders reconsider how they assess the effectiveness of department and team leaders
July 6 - 10 OR July 13 - 17
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Tough Talks: Challenging Conversations with Parents and Guardians
Gain confidence and skill in navigating emotionally charged conversations with parents and guardians. This course equips independent school leaders to engage in difficult discussions with empathy, candor, and a clear sense of authority.
July 13 - July 17 -
Curriculum Leadership: Storyboarding for Impact
Learn to guide and communicate curriculum work more effectively using curriculum storyboards—practical tools that support planning, collaboration, and clarity across your school community.
July 20 - July 24
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Tough Talks: Challenging Conversations with Direct Reports
This course helps independent school leaders strengthen their supervisory skills by engaging in the kinds of conversations that are tempting to avoid, yet essential for professional growth, accountability, and team cohesion.
July 20 - July 24
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Leading a Mission-Aligned Curriculum Audit
Learn to lead a curriculum audit aligned with mission-centered goals. Gain tools and templates for planning an audit within a school year, adaptable for single departments or cross-division competencies.
July 27 - July 31
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Getting Recruiting Right: Attracting Strong Candidates to Your School
Recruiting is a strategic, ongoing effort to attract educators who bring your mission to life, not just fill open roles. In this course, participants will explore practical tactics to strengthen recruitment efforts and build meaningful professional relationships from the very first interaction.
July 27 - July 31
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Leading Curricular and Pedagogical Change
Our adaptable framework helps Academic Leaders plan for curricular and pedagogical change and manage a sustainable and supportive implementation process.
August 3 - August 7
Student Mental Health
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The Emotional Lives of Teenagers with Dr. Lisa Damour
Join NY Times best-selling author Dr. Lisa Damour to learn how to apply new insights on teens’ cognitive and emotional development in schools.
June 15 - June 26
and
July 6 - July 24 -
Leading Strong, Connected School Communities
A school’s culture can be its greatest strength. Join us to explore practical ways to build an environment where every student and staff member feels genuinely welcome and supported.
July 6 - July 10