As an educator who has utilized her licensure to lead a school building and inspire children to love learning and use what they learned outside of the classroom, we asked Cathryn to tell us about her time pursuing her master’s degree at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago.

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

When I began my education career twenty-six years ago, my goal was to inspire children to love school and ignite their passions, creativity, and curiosity. As a student, I had several teachers along the way that differentiated instruction for my classmates and me (though at the time, I didn’t know that’s what they were doing).

Several of my classmates and I worked on independent projects and were permitted to develop how we shared our learning. As I got older, those opportunities did not present themselves as often, but I never forgot how excited I was to learn about my chosen topics and ideas. I was fortunate enough to begin my teaching career in the same building where I grew up and many of my former teachers were still teaching.

They became mentors for me in their ways, and I took “the best” of their talents to combine them with my own ideas to begin working with children. I hope that the students in my classroom began to love learning and have continued that beyond the walls of my classroom!

Why did you choose OAESA with Concordia University Chicago for your Superintendent Licensure?

As a board member for OAESA with Concordia University Chicago for years, I knew many colleagues who had attended Concordia’s many different programs. When I decided to pursue my Superintendent License, I investigated many options. Still, it was the flexibility of OAESA’s program as well as the program cost that solidified my decision. I found the enrollment, registration, and actual courses accessible and manageable, even in the midst of 2020 when the pandemic first began!

What skills did you gain or sharpen through your program at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago and how do they benefit you in today’s educational climate?

It was incredibly beneficial to engage with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and share experiences. Additionally, the program allowed me to gather ideas for utilization in my own experience as a current administrator. The superintendent licensure program provided me with a wider lens of district operations, functions, and board relations. Engaging in a mentorship also provided me with a deeper understanding of many concepts that helped me review and provide feedback regarding human resources and district policies and procedures.

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

The superintendent licensure has provided me with more context for understanding district-level decisions. It has also provided me with the flexibility to pursue other opportunities as they arise for the next phase of my career.

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

I began my coursework in January 2020. One of the biggest challenges was the pandemic. Like so many others, the entire way we had to navigate teaching and learning pivoted in a way that none of us had ever experienced. As a building principal, this changed how I managed and supported my staff and students.

This was one of the blessings of selecting OAESA with Concordia University Chicago for my coursework. Being entirely online already allowed me to have the flexibility I needed to face the challenges of being a principal during a pandemic. Another challenge was the final phase of my program, which included the internship. I will say the faculty and site supervisor were incredibly supportive and assisted in ensuring that every facet of my internship was successful.

What was the biggest takeaway from your Superintendent Licensure program?

The Superintendent Licensure gave me a greater appreciation for the role of superintendents. While the job of a building principal is incredibly complex, the role of a superintendent also includes navigating and managing board relations, community engagement, and a deep level of understanding district finances. I feel my program allowed me to gain these skills and more.

What would you tell (or what advice would you give) prospective students considering the Superintendent Licensure program at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago?

Talk to the university graduates; I guarantee they will tell you the program is comprehensive and robust while also being flexible, affordable, and manageable.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Regardless of your future plans, I would encourage all current building principals to join OAESA and complete a Superintendent Licensure program. OAESA will connect you with colleagues across the state and provide state and national updates that impact how we perform our jobs. The university also connects us with professional learning opportunities to continue to grow as professionals, like the licensure program.

Finally, pursuing the Superintendent Licensure will provide insight and needed perspective regarding understanding the other departments and their functions within the school district and will bring clarity to the decision-making process at the district level. I’m grateful to OAESA with Concordia University Chicago for the rich experience provided!

The post Alumni Spotlight: Cathryn Petticrew-Rice, Superintendent Licensure Only Program appeared first on Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators.

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

My grandma was a teacher, so I always listened to her stories growing up. Her students often visited her and sent her mail, and I really wanted to be that kind of teacher. I’ve always had the desire to help people and make their lives better, and I felt working with children I could do exactly that.

Why did you choose OAESA with Concordia University Chicago for your School Leadership degree?

I heard from a friend how great the program was and how helpful the professors were. I wanted to learn from people I knew could make me a better person and teacher, and in talking with the staff involved, I knew this was the place.

What skills did you gain or sharpen through your program at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago, and how do they benefit you in today’s educational climate?

I loved all of the experiences I was able to learn from both my professors and classmates. There is no better teacher than experience, and having those conversations really helped open ideas for me as an educator. Simple things like thinking outside the box with a lesson or not being afraid to take on a leadership role made me better.

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

My dream has always been to be a principal. I love teaching and working with the kiddos every day, but I felt becoming a principal would allow me to do more for my families in the grand scheme of things. My husband is waiting on orders, so we will be moving soon, but I am hoping to utilize my degree at our next location to improve education for the district we are in.

What was a challenge you faced during your School Leadership degree program, and who or what helped you overcome it?

Life hit me hard during this program. One of my students I was very close to had passed away, and then I decided to move across the country to be with my husband. A lot of trauma and changes were experienced in a short time, but the professors did not let me give up. They talked with me and gave me the grace to do what I needed to do. Dr. Hornberger was my saving grace; even with my move, she allowed me to finish the program because she believed in me, and I will forever be grateful for that.

What was the biggest takeaway from your School Leadership degree program?

Put the kids and their families first. Rules matter, protocol matters, professionalism matters, but at the end of the day, we need to use our education and experiences to do what is best for our kiddos.

What would you tell (or what advice would you give) prospective students considering the School Leadership program at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago?

Take the leap of faith! Do not let things like money and time stop you from furthering your education. It is the greatest tool we can use to change the future.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 

Just that I am so grateful to have completed a program with the kindest professors who taught me so much about life and being a leader. I am so glad I took the leap of faith and signed on for the program. It’s truly helped me be better.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Courtney Angelo Pantone, M.A. School Leadership with Principal Licensure Program appeared first on Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators.

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

I don’t really have a great story that led me to being an educator. I couldn’t decide on a major, and a nun at Ohio Dominican suggested education to me and that’s what I did. Since, I have realized how much of an impact that a good or bad teacher can have on a student’s success or failure and on the rest of their life.

Why did you choose OAESA in conjunction with Concordia University Chicago for your Leadership Doctorate – Educational Leadership?

I started my work on my doctoral degree at another university. I originally stared my work towards a Ph.D. After taking many classes, I was told I would have to take sabbatical leave to finish. Due to my situation at home being a single parent of four children, I was financially unable to take sabbatical leave. I found out about the program with OAESA in conjunction with Concordia University Chicago. After contacting Concordia University, I realized I could transfer some of my credits and complete my degree online. They also explained the difference in the Ed.D. and Ph.D. My desire is to stay in the K-12 schools as a school leader and use my education in a practical setting. Therefore, I decided to pursue my education to get an Ed.D.

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

Taking classes at OAESA in conjunction with Concordia University Chicago gave me a larger skill set. I not only had to learn the content and more computer skills, but also how to navigate online courses. I had to work at setting up a schedule and having good time management. All of this has helped me in my job as a school principal, but the most important thing I learned was how personal and engaging online classes can actually be. I always felt that you would not learn as much or get as much help taking online classes. I had personalized help throughout my program. Many of the professors were even willing to call me on the phone to help me with assignments. Now that I currently teach online classes, I have used the skill of personalizing classes in my work.

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

Currently I am a middle school principal and I also teach online classes for Concordia. Having a doctoral degree opened up many new opportunities in my school district for me and it allowed me to become an adjunct professor for Concordia. It has given me the ability to start looking into superintendent jobs because many require you have a doctoral degree. The knowledge I gained during my studies gave me a whole new perspective on leadership. It helped better prepare me for the challenges and give me the ability to make decisions based on research. 

What was a challenge you faced during your educational leadership doctorate program, and who or what helped you overcome it?  

The biggest challenge I faced was trying to figure out how to narrow down my topic for my dissertation and then actually go through the process. The whole process is very lengthy and challenging. It is a marathon not a sprint. I got a lot of help from my dissertation committee. Every step of the way working through my dissertation, I had a wonderful committee who gave me a lot of feedback. They were always there to answer any of my questions and encourage me when I was frustrated. I would like to take this time to really thank Dr. Sims, Dr. Safer, and Dr. Tagaris.

What was the biggest takeaway from your doctoral program?

My biggest take away from my doctoral program was really learning how to research something and defend it. I learned how important it was to do thorough research and provide complete evidence to defend your opinion about something. Many times, I submitted chapters that came back to me with many questions where I did not provide enough evidence or research. I learned how to really pay attention to details and provide documentation. Now when I am asking for something for my building or I am trying to convince senior leadership of something, I am fully prepared. I have found many times I am overly prepared and usually receive compliments on how prepared and thorough I am.

What would you tell (or what advice would you give) prospective students considering the Leadership Doctorate – Educational Leadership degree program at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago?

If you are interested in working on an Ed.D. program, I think the best place to do the work is through OAESA in conjunction with Concordia University Chicago. As I said before, I started my doctoral degree at another university in face-to-face classes. It was very difficult to work a full-time job and raise kids as a single mother. I struggled to get babysitters and to complete classwork. When I started with OAESA in conjunction with Concordia University Chicago, it was much easier for me to schedule time to study and complete the process online.

I worried the program would not be as rigorous and would be very hard to complete since I did not have face-to-face interaction. I was concerned about how I would get the help and support I needed through a computer. I quickly found out that it is very personalized and you have all of the support you need. Everyone is very friendly, easy to get in contact with, and they always respond quickly to questions. Many of my professors did phone calls to help me through questions and assignments. I felt like my dissertation committee really cared about my success and they were there to do whatever they could do to help me succeed.

Everyone was very positive and encouraging. They understand that most of us are working, have families, and life happens. They do everything they can to work with you and your schedule. They really provided me with courses that have helped me to be successful at my job and related to my work. I found myself using what I was learning at work at the same time I was learning it. The curriculum is very practical and practice based.

The post Alumni Spotlight: Joyce Albright, Leadership Doctorate – Educational Leadership appeared first on Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators.

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

I actually started my undergraduate degree in nursing school and pursued that for two years. During that time, I worked as a preschool teacher and babysat for a few families. As I learned more about the medical field, I realized my passion for shaping children and helping them meet educational milestones was increasingly burning brighter and brighter. At that time, I decided to shift gears professionally and align my future career with my heart. In doing so, I went from being a struggling C student in my nursing program to a 4.0 student in my early childhood education courses.

Why did you choose OAESA with Concordia University Chicago (CUC) for your M.A. degree in school leadership?

There were several reasons why I chose OAESA with Concordia University Chicago for my second master’s program. At the time I was making my decision, I had a colleague who had just finished the program and shared how wonderful his experience had been which led me to research more. I knew I wanted to pursue a master’s degree in school leadership but hadn’t narrowed down the best option for me as a full-time educator. When looking at a variety of programs, many offered evening courses where I’d need to physically attend, online programs from different states that didn’t guarantee Ohio licensure at the completion of the program, or the requirement of being a full-time student which meant I’d have to leave my current job. Because OAESA partnered with Concordia University Chicago, I was able to be a full-time educator while having the flexibility of receiving an online degree without worrying if my license would be valid in the state of Ohio.

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

The program allowed several opportunities for me to meet with my advisor from Concordia University Chicago as well as my supervisor(s) at my current school. Within the context of these meetings and through regular dialogue with them, I was able to enhance and build a stronger foundation of skills. Knowing their time is valuable and limited, I learned how to make clear proposals for projects and tasks. I was able to pre-plan meeting agendas to effectively communicate progress, questions, or concerns. Within these conversations, I was encouraged to lead in new ways which included presenting professional development to faculty and staff, heading committees, and analyzing student data. Additionally, I had exposure to several different styles of leadership as I sat in a variety of meetings. This offered perspective on how leadership styles can impact the direction and responses from a team. I continue to use and build upon these skills to prioritize and structure my time and meetings with colleagues.

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

Completing the school leadership program provided opportunities for leadership which consequently impacted my position for this school year. Through the exposure of organizing meetings, projects, and committees, my supervisors were able to observe skills that I previously did not have the opportunity to demonstrate. Because of this, I was promoted to oversee my department at the beginning of this school year!

Additionally, due to the nature of my job, I work with several local school districts. Many directors in the area knew that I was completing the program and have continued to share their interest in offering me a leadership position if one opens up in their school district.

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

By no fault of the program, the biggest challenge for me was navigating the difference between private and public educational settings. I work at a private school but all of the coursework in the program is geared toward public education. Because funding and curriculum look different in each setting, I was able to reach out to other directors in the community that work in public schools. Engaging in these conversations allowed me to partner and learn from other leaders in my community to increase my understanding of public education as well as build professional relationships that may not have occurred otherwise.

What was the biggest takeaway from your school leadership program?

A leader can make or break the success of a team. Having the opportunity to sit in a variety of meetings with different leaders from my school allowed me to observe and experience how leadership styles impact teams. I witnessed teams that were more fragile and timid when sharing their thoughts due to a micromanager; whereas, leaders that viewed themselves as collaborators cultivated creative, independent problem solvers. Although all schools, private or public, have their own unique strengths and challenges, I found that leaders who empower their teammates are vital to the success and growth of students’ educational careers across all academic settings.

What would you tell (or what advice would you give) prospective students considering the M.A. school leadership degree program at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago?

Though the idea of taking on additional responsibilities as a full-time educator while maintaining a healthy personal life certainly seems overwhelming, the program at OAESA with Concordia University Chicago makes this very attainable. The expectations and due dates for every course are consistent throughout the program. Once you learn the pattern of when discussion posts and papers are due, you will maintain that pace throughout the entirety of the program. Not only are the professors easily accessible, they provide scaled rubrics for every paper. This helped me plan, outline, and prepare successful papers that met the requirements of the course.

Because the program is geared toward full-time educators, the professors within the program know the demands of our daily work as educators and make your success in the program achievable. If you’re looking to further your career as an educator, I strongly encourage you pursue this!

The post Alumni Spotlight: Maggie Bender, M.A. in School Leadership appeared first on Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators.

I felt that asking an administrator that knows me closely for a letter of reference, would be better than asking my superintendent. While my superintendent  is a strong supporter, he is not as familiar with my day-to-day abilities. Luckily for me, I have a new administrator in my building that I could call upon, and also an administrator who has been in the district almost as long as I have been.

When I approached each one about writing a letter, I approached it as if it were a job interview, knowing that this letter was an integral communication, and an introduction to get acceptance into the graduate program. I spoke to my head principal, who has known me the longest. Getting him on board was critical.  I noted that his initial interest in why I wanted to pursue the degree was that he saw this as an advantage for my professional approach to the building and to the classroom. He readily accepted my letter of interest in the program, and wrote a supportive and convincing letter to the university. Giving him detailed information helped him to understand the information that he needed to include to make the letter appealing.

I followed the same protocol with my assistant principal. He had only known me for two years at that point. I was on his supervisory list for the year, so this was an advantage for me. His impression of my classroom, the structure, and the dedication to building relationships with my students was evident in his letter. The letter that he wrote reflected every aspect of how I view teaching. The power of his written word impressed to me how important this degree would be. The content was similar to the head principal’s letter, with a fresh approach to language that reflected a defined confidence in my abilities.

Both of these letters confirmed that they believed in the possibility of me becoming a leader and attaining a third degree. They gave me the confidence to not give up. Also, I keep the letters close by. Whenever I feel that the pressures are getting strong, I read them, which reminds me of their belief in me, and I push through.

The post How to Find a Good Reference appeared first on Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators.

I had previously found myself feeling less confident prior to starting this doctorate degree. Over this past year, I have begun to understand much more from a whole-building perspective, and from a leadership point of view.

All leaders begin as teachers. All teachers are leaders in their classroom. I lead five different grade levels of music each day. The task to switch from each emotional mindset is challenging. Over a period of ten years, the task has become more challenging as students’ emotional needs are evolving. After my internship last year and now that I’m more than half way through this program, I am much more competent at any and every conversation. I understand people and can see into situations instead of thinking from a onesided perspective.

Teacher leadership is critical. Finding new collaborative tools, tools that have been proven successful through research, is a very exciting development in my teaching career.

The doors have flown open in the last months with employment opportunities of leadership, having ripe, educational conversations with colleagues, and building incremental growth with professional and community relationships. This process has begun a new chapter of life for me, and I am quite excited to see which doors open next. Even though every day is not rosy and I still meet adversity frequently, I have the skills that enable my mindset to focus on the vision of being a leader through “servitude: and gracious collaborative learning.

The post How My Doctorate from OAESA with Concordia University Chicago Advanced My Career appeared first on Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators.