University of Richmond leadership program for public school administrators in its fourth year

December 5, 2007

Fifty assistant principals from Hanover, Henrico, Chesterfield and City of Richmond public school districts have enrolled in University of Richmond's Next Generation Leadership Academy.

The program is offered through the Center for Education in Leadership, a partnership between the university's Jepson School of Leadership Studies and School of Continuing Studies.

In its fourth year, the academy provides leadership education to local school administrators. The nine-month curriculum started in September and has five more sessions before commencement in June. Spring sessions will feature university faculty and other lecturers speaking on group dynamics and leadership, ethics and leadership, communication and leadership, and equity and race in schools. Participants listen to faculty presentations in the morning and in the afternoon discuss how to apply those lessons to their school districts.

The National Association of Counties for work recently recognized the program with an achievement award for crossing jurisdictional boundaries.

"The academy is integral to developing educational administrators who can take on future leadership roles," says Tom Shields, director of the Center for Education in Leadership. "The school districts are looking for this type of program to help them prepare for smooth succession within their schools."