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All activities in the Academy were designed to provide an excellent foundation for assessing and modeling one’s leadership style and for improving day-to-day management processes. Each session focused on best practices for improving one’s leadership, and process development through carefully developed agendas. The focus of each agenda was to move from research into practice while providing practical applications that could easily replicate in a school district. Processes for addressing organizational needs were explicitly taught, and these helped one establish clarity of purpose and provided a specific approach to meeting a specific need.

The Academy for Education CEOs offers an exceptional opportunity to improve leadership skills. Each session introduces practical strategies for applying systems thinking to current district challenges. The process of learning, doing, getting feedback, and revisiting/revising one’s practice motivates immediate application in a manner that few other programs achieve. Peer support from the cohort group encourages collaboration that deepens insights into educational leaders' difficult work today. The interaction with business leaders from various fields enhances the lively and engaging discussions. Ken, Joe, and Fred facilitate an excellent program focused on continuous improvement that yields great dividends for the disciplined investment of time and energy.

The Academy has been the single most impactful professional development experience of my career. As a result of the application of this work in my District, I have seen real and sustained positive change in the thinking and actions of my leaders. The focus on strategic planning and process has finally filtered to the staff level. The question, “How do we know?” resonates throughout the organization. As a result, each department/grade level will begin the process of strategic planning in the coming year. Imagine the impact on student achievement of every building and department developing a coherent strategic plan well aligned with the District Mission and Vision of All Students Achieving! Very exciting work.

The Academy provided insight into how an effective educational leader functions to guide a school system toward a clearly articulated vision.

The Academy for Education CEOs provides invaluable training in effective leadership practices utilizing a systems perspective to achieve successful educational outcomes. This program guides the participants in goal setting, data analysis in problem-solving process, and effective planning and deployment processes. Our district has had several administrators attend this Academy thus far and plans to enroll three administrators next year to ensure that we all utilize this efficient approach in our quest for academic excellence.

I found the Academy to be a very worthwhile use of my time. In my 13th year as a Superintendent, the “tools” introduced were and are very useful in impacting the complex issues we face. The “teachers” were available to us, and your review of our homework before we used it with our staff was very helpful. The relationships with the other Superintendents grew over time and are helpful now and in the future as we call on our peers as “sounding boards.”

The most valuable information I learned is how to align MVVG to an organization, no matter what industry it may be in. The importance behind such measures was not holistically apparent to me until I participated in this course. With this knowledge, I now understand the significance that the MVVG plays in the daily functioning of a system and, in turn, the success or area of improvement that may exist. I also now understand the scope of utilizing graphs and charts with showing processes. Overall I feel comfortable expanding my leadership abilities into transformational and transactional methods with what I learned in this course.

I have been classically trained in educational methodology, and our journey marked the first time I introduced a system approach into my educative thinking. As a result, I was challenged to think in a very different way. The fundamental tools and concepts of system thinking have changed the trajectory of meetings cooperative decision-making with key stakeholders. It has instilled in me a disciplined way of thinking. I understand how the vision, mission, values, and goals are aligned and should be viewed when various parties discuss a problem. But, I think one of the most valuable things I have learned is the breakdown of an effective problem-solving process.

I learned/value most that will make me a better education executive: Flow charts can be applied to any process to create a powerful visual to explain the procedures and find ways to improve.

Ken Biddle has changed my mindset! I went into his training stale and focused on everything that I could accomplish. Now, I know that systematic change is possible when I gather the problems, analyze their root causes, brainstorm solutions, and devise an action plan to apply those solutions. Most importantly, P.E.G training crystalizes the phrase “Work smarter, not harder!” by applying data-driven processes in a scaffolded approach, leading to an applicable project that will make CHANGE!