“Becoming a school leader is a calling. You are not just becoming a principal. You are becoming an agent of change.” This powerful opening message at the orientation to Concordia University Chicago’s (CUC) Principal Preparation Program is the vision and mission that makes CUC so unique. It is inextricably woven into every course in the program so that principal-candidates never forget that their first responsibility as a school leader is to serve their students, their faculty, and their community. Having studied, and taught at, Christian schools for most of my life, the term “servant leadership” was new to me, and this perspective has transformed my teaching and elevated my leadership skills.

CUC’s program is specifically designed to help educators become competent and trustworthy leaders who model life-long learning and compassion for their school and their community. Since principals make significant political, social, economic, legal, and cultural impacts on both the micro and macro levels, it is vital that they leave their preparation program understanding the impact of these responsibilities. Concordia graduates become part of a network with a shared commitment to integrity and morality as the cornerstone of leadership. After all, choosing to become a “change-agent” is not just a career shift; it is a conscious decision to become a force for social justice.

What You’ll Learn in a Principal Preparation Certification Program

Through CUC’s curriculum, candidates develop expertise in school law, cultural competency, empathetic collaboration, communication, ethical managerial skills, community outreach, and fiscal responsibility.

School Evaluation & Change

Candidates deep-dive into their current school’s state report card, test scores, diversity, mission, and values. They learn how to mobilize resources, collaborate with stakeholders, and lead the necessary steps for creating a shared and sustainable vision for a positive school climate with high expectations for all students.

Ethics

Ethics are part of every decision a school leader makes. Candidates explore a variety of methodologies for ethical decision-making and reflect on factors, such as legal rights, restorative justice, and fairness that go into those decisions.

Curriculum & Assessment

Learning should be a journey that does not end with an assessment if the student has not shown proficiency in the topic. After evaluating alignment between standards, curriculum, and assessments at the classroom, district, and state levels, cohort participants develop quality, curriculum-aligned assessments demonstrating an understanding that assessments are for learning rather than just of learning.

Supervision & Evaluation

One of the largest aspects of school leadership is supervising and evaluating faculty. Principals must model research-based, compassionate, and competent approaches to instructional coaching. Candidates apply these skills by creating plans for professional development as well as role-playing simulations of teacher remediation and of clinical supervision.

Resource Management

Principals must manage school and community resources in an ethical way that provides social justice for all stakeholders, including protected classes. Candidates explore their school budgets and examine different fiscally responsible methods of allocating financial resources, human resources, and supplemental resources to maximize student achievement.

Instructional Leadership

School Improvement Plans (SIP) help building leaders determine where to allocate resources. Students reflect on the strengths and weakness of their school to practice creating SMART goals and action plans to improve educator effectiveness and student outcomes.

Education Law

Federal and state laws, regulations, case law, and constitutional provisions impact students and faculty. As such, administrators must be well versed in these policies. Privacy laws, educational rights laws, and employment laws inform daily decisions as a school leader.

Internship

A year-long internship working with a school principal allows candidates to use their research done in previous courses to plan, implement, lead, and assess outcomes of a data-driven, department-wide action plan aligned with their school’s SIP.

Going to graduate school while working full-time may seem like a daunting task, but CUC’s program is accommodating and flexible. Each week I was energized by my in-person collaboration with my cohort.

Advantages of a Principal Certification

One of the best pieces of advice that I was given when considering applying for a Principal Preparation Program was, “Chase the dream; don’t chase the money.” A principal’s certificate can mean a higher salary, but it also opens doors that you didn’t know existed. Your cohort peers and your professors create a professional network that will support you throughout your career.

Furthermore, the opportunities for building leadership positions are not just limited to principalships. Peers from my cohort have become instructional coaches, curriculum coordinators, department chairs, educational consultants, deans, and education specialists.

While I have remained in the classroom, teacher leadership roles in my school were offered to me after I graduated. I am one of three “back-up” administrators in my building when our principals are unavailable. I have also become a union leader, a new-teacher mentor, and a student-teaching coordinating teacher. Perhaps most importantly, though, is that the professional development I gained through the program has improved how I deliver instruction, how I communicate with students and parents, how I design and align my curriculum, as well as how I interact with colleagues.

No matter which path you choose after graduating, you will have a broader, systems-based view of education, which you will share with and model for other educators. Inevitably, the ripple effect of your new perspective will extend far beyond you.

Are you an educator ready to step into a leadership role? Check out our Principal Preparation Program here and enroll today!

The post What are the Advantages of a Principal Certification? appeared first on Concordia University Chicago.

Why did you want to work in education? What inspired you?

As a child my stuffed animals were the most educated in town, and my chalkboard easel with colored chalk was likely the best gift that Santa ever brought me. From five years old, I was certain that I wanted to be a teacher, and I lived for Institute Days in my district so that I could “help” my mother teach kindergarten in her district.

Oddly enough, my mother was the one to initially caution me against going into education because of the political shifts that she felt detracted from the best interest of children, teachers, and families. However, despite her frustrations, she remained in education and helped lobby for a more progressive education system. She was passionate about making change that was meaningful rather than just for the sake of change, and her determination has inspired me to pick up where she left off.

Why did you choose Concordia University Chicago for your principal certification?

Prior to becoming a teacher, I studied child law and earned my master’s in social work. My desire to work with children never wavered, but I found that I was my happiest while in the classroom. There aren’t many professions where you can say that you laugh at least once every day – even on your most frustrating day. Of course, that is the luxury of working with children. Their optimistic view of the world is contagious.

Considering leaving those happy four walls of my classroom for a more managerial position is a struggle, but Concordia’s unique commitment to servant leadership helped give voice to the urge that I felt to initiate change from a more systemic level, and the affordability and flexibility of their schedule for working teachers made it the perfect fit.

What skills did you gain or sharpen through your program at Concordia University Chicago and how do you use them today?

While I have not yet investigated principalship opportunities, I have brought that servant leadership model into my classroom and into my involvement in my district. Quarterly student and parent surveys guide my classroom expectations and procedures because they help me to understand the needs of those specific stakeholders, which we sometimes forget is the purpose of schools and education in the first place.

I also better understand the concept of learning and assessment alignment. Leading my department in creating more standards-based practices and reporting has been one of the most challenging and worth-while endeavors I’ve experienced as an educator, and it has forced us to reflect on our purpose, structure, and effectiveness as teachers. Without Concordia’s final internship project, I may never have had the opportunity.

How has your principal certification impacted you in terms of your current position or a position you’d like to attain in the future?

Since finishing my principal certificate, I have used my knowledge of the education system in my leadership role on the district’s union. Having this more well-rounded point of view has helped clarify for me the needs of both teachers and administrators at the micro and macro levels. It has given me a broader perspective that helps me create a more cohesive district that best meets the needs of students, families, and all faculty. It also gave me the confidence to mentor my first student-teacher because Concordia’s framework for leadership focuses so heavily on the importance of instructional coaching.

What was a challenge you faced during your principal certification program, and who or what helped you overcome it?

I have studied and taught at Christian schools for most of my life, but the faculty at Concordia lives these values in a way that I had not experienced before. As is the case with most students who attend Concordia, I am a diligent student and a bit of a perfectionist. Feeling vulnerable isn’t something to which I often admit, and I have high expectations for myself.

There was a moment at Concordia that really helped to reframe some of that for me, though. It forced me to acknowledge the human side of myself and of learning. My father was permanently injured and I had to take over as his caregiver and legal guardian. The emotional and physical exhaustion was visibly noticeable. When I opened up to my cohort, the outpouring of sympathy and kindness reinforced for me that this was a safe place. My professor even insisted that I go home, “eat something and rest.” He posted the slides from the class for me, and I didn’t have to take any time off. I am not sure that I had always shown the same grace and mercy to my own students, but I am mindful of that lesson now.

What was the biggest takeaway from your principal certification program?

Undeniably, the best part of Concordia’s program is the relationships built within the cohort. The bond that you form with your cohort creates a support system that motivates and energizes you. We looked forward to those four hours together every week, and we often chose to get together outside of that time, too. Moreover, for the eight weeks that we were with a professor, he/she felt like one of the group. They modeled flexibility, empathy, knowledge, experience, and servant-leadership in their interactions with students. It was clear from orientation that these are values prized by Concordia.

Being back in school while working full-time also reminded me what it felt like to be on the other side of the desk, and this I something all teachers could likely benefit from after teaching for several years. Sometimes we forget how challenging it is to balance the academic workload with commitments outside of school. Putting myself in the shoes of a student again reminded me how important it is to empathize with this more human side of learning. Students need a safe place to learn, to be vulnerable, and be known as a whole person. As a principal, I hope to create that culture for students, teachers, staff, and families, as well.

What would you tell (or what advice would you give) prospective students considering the principal certification program at Concordia University Chicago?

It is daunting to take on graduate courses while working full-time, but this program is designed specifically for that situation. You not only expand your learning, you form strong connections with people who share the same goals. Having at least a few years in education before taking on a leadership role may provide a little more perspective on the system as a whole, but once you are in the program, everyone at Concordia is invested in your success. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

At whichever level of education I end up, Concordia University Chicago has taught me to keep learning as the central focus of each endeavor and that it is through our actions as much as our words that we create positive change. My career path has been a winding road, but my five-year-old-self would not be at all surprised that my dream of being an educator finally came true.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Katlyn Culligan, Principal Certification appeared first on Concordia University Chicago.