First Time Administrator Academy
Turn up the volume on your leadership journey!
The First-Time Administrator Academy is a high-energy, multi-session series designed to help new campus leaders find their rhythm from September 2025 through March 2026. Each workshop builds on the last to strengthen your leadership skills, from clarifying roles and responsibilities to mastering feedback cycles and creating a positive campus culture. Alongside mentors and peers, you’ll gain the tools, strategies, and confidence to lead with vision and impact, all while hitting the right notes for student and staff success.
The First-Time Administrator Academy is a high-energy, multi-session series designed to help new campus leaders find their rhythm from September 2025 through March 2026. Each workshop builds on the last to strengthen your leadership skills, from clarifying roles and responsibilities to mastering feedback cycles and creating a positive campus culture. Alongside mentors and peers, you’ll gain the tools, strategies, and confidence to lead with vision and impact, all while hitting the right notes for student and staff success.
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WORKSHOP INFORMATION
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REGISTRATION |
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September 4, 2025
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Mentor/Mentee Kickoff Workshop: Building Leadership Clarity and Consistency (½ Day) This half-day kickoff sets the stage for strong instructional leadership through the Effective Schools Framework, Lever 1 – Essential Action 1.1. Participants will focus on creating clear, written roles and responsibilities while ensuring leadership tasks like observations, debriefs, and team meetings are purposefully scheduled and consistently implemented. The session also emphasizes setting measurable performance expectations, fostering student progress through data-driven decision-making, and developing effective professional development practices. As required by TAC 241.25, this session serves as the starting point of a year-long induction period for new principals and assistant principals, with mentoring as a key component of leadership growth. |
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September 16, 2025
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Building Leadership Excellence: Aligning Vision, Strategy, and Practice
Day 1 provides a comprehensive look at leadership strategies that enhance school culture, instructional practices, and student outcomes. Participants will explore the T-PESS Rubric, study how its performance standards connect with ESF Levers and leadership literature, and learn how to gather and present evidence of growth. The session also includes guided goal-setting and Leadership in Action scenarios that allow participants to practice strategic decision-making in real-world contexts. Through reflection and collaboration, attendees will leave with greater clarity, confidence, and direction in their leadership journey.
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October 28, 2025
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Mastering the Practical Aspects of Leadership
Day 2 shifts the focus to the hands-on skills that drive student success and organizational effectiveness. Participants will learn strategies for intentional scheduling that maximize instructional time and align with campus initiatives. The session also covers effective change facilitation, equipping leaders to guide staff through transitions and sustain long-term improvements. A key component will be developing a plan for monitoring campus initiatives to ensure ongoing progress toward school goals. In addition, participants will deepen their understanding of ESF Lever 5 (MTSS) and T-PESS Indicator 3.3, with an emphasis on addressing learning gaps through proactive support systems and data-driven interventions. By the end of the day, attendees will leave with practical tools and frameworks to strengthen their leadership impact.
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January 13, 2026
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Prioritizing Instruction Through Strategic Coaching and Scheduling
On Day 3, participants will build specialized coaching skills to strengthen the T-TESS and T-PESS observation cycles. The focus will be on effective techniques such as active listening, questioning, feedback, and goal setting to support teacher growth and improve performance. The training also emphasizes rapport building, trust, and navigating challenging conversations. In addition, participants will learn how to design strategic master schedules that maximize student outcomes and align with campus priorities.
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February 18, 2026
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Feedback that Fuels: Mastering Effective Observation Cycles
Day 4 offers participants a hands-on, on-site visit (location TBD) to apply the Get Better Faster Scope and Sequence feedback cycle introduced in Day 3. This real-world experience will allow administrators to refine their approach to observations, strengthen their feedback skills, and enhance instructional practices. The day concludes with a Leadership Panel, where experienced administrators will share insights, answer questions, and provide practical strategies for sustaining growth. This session equips participants to implement feedback and leadership practices with confidence.
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March 31, 2026
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Celebrating Growth and Building Positive Cultures
The final session is a half-day celebration of participants’ progress and accomplishments alongside their mentors. This reflective workshop highlights leadership development achieved throughout the academy while focusing on strategies that sustain a positive school culture. Participants will explore ways to build routines that foster engagement, well-being, and success for both students and staff. The session closes the academy with a focus on collaboration, celebration, and empowerment to continue leading thriving, supportive campuses.
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Questions? Contact a member of our team!
