Executive Leadership Study Group

With great excitement, we announce the 37th annual “Executive Leadership Study Group” series (formerly known as the Administrative Study Group). For those of you who are new or unfamiliar with the group, its purpose is to provide area superintendents with an opportunity to examine current issues in an educational and practical context. It brings together educational leadership and speakers to interact in an informal setting.

There are some other significant changes coming this year, too. First, Dr. Vince Coppola, Superintendent Search Consultant for the Council, has agreed to take over coordination of the series for 2009-2010. In addition, we have changed the location from the Marriott to the Millenium Hotel (map) on Walden Ave in Cheektowaga, and are now adding a couple of breakfast meetings for those who find morning hours to be more convenient. Finally, we are returning to the practice of including superintendents only…not assistants or others in their place.

Here is the schedule for the 2009-10 year:

Sept. 24th 4:15 – 6:15pm Dr. Peggy Wozniak, Binghamton City
Schools; Former Administrator of the Year in California
“How to Create a Successful Board-Superintendent Marriage ”

Oct. 22nd 4:15 – 6:15pm Dr. Kate Foster, UB Regional Institute
“Probing the Boundaries of Public Education”

Nov 19th 7:45 – 9:30 am Dr. Walter Polka, Niagara University
“The Dark Side of Educational Leadership: Superintendents and the Professional Victim Syndrome”

Dec 10th 7:45 – 9:30 am Dr. Cathy Battaglia, Community
Superintendent, Buffalo Public Schools
“Supervision in Support of Leadership Practice: Evidence-based Performance Reviews"

April 15th 7:45 – 9:30 am Dr. Mary Alice Price, Superintendent
Pittsford C.S. Current NYS Superintendent of the Year.
"Lessons Along the Way"

Considering these changes, we have reduced the registration fee for this series to $225 for the five sessions. If you are interested in participating in this series, please fill out the Registration form and FAX it to us today.

School Site Leadership Study Group

Thirty-seven years ago, the Western New York Educational Service Council responded to a request for in-service work from a number of administrators in the in the field by offering a Study Group for School Site Leaders (i.e., principals, assistant principals and central office administrators. The response from the field has been outstanding, and we are presently recruiting members for the 2009-10 group.

The primary purpose of the “School Site Leadership Study Group” is to stimulate thinking about ways of improving administrative practice and to create an informal support base among highly competent peers. The format, whether a breakfast or a dinner meeting, will include a presentation by persons who have clear eminence in their field, followed by discussion.

For those of you who have participated in the past, please note there have been some changes. First, we will be meeting this year on Tuesdays, not Wednesdays, as in former years. Second, in order to add some variety and alternative times, there will be two Breakfast Meetings this year. Finally, Dr. Tom Ramming is now a Clinical Assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education at UB, and he will be joining Professor and Associate Dean, Dr. Stephen Jacobson, to coordinate another topnotch program for the year.

As in the past, all sessions will be held at the Marriott on Millersport in Amherst (map), as follows. Again, note the breakfast meeting dates:

Sept 22nd 4:00 – 6:30 pm Fran McGreevy, Casey M.S. Principal and Dan Walh, Casey M.S. Assistant Principal
“Building a Positive School Culture - Your Place in History”

Oct 20th 7:45 – 10:00 am Julie Gorlewski, PhD. Medaille College
“Resistance Literacy: Reaching Reluctant Readers and Writers”

Dec. 1st 4:00 – 6:30 pm Karl Kristoff, et.al. Hodgson Russ, LLP
“Progressive Discipline When Praise and Positive Reinforcement Don't Work”  

Mar 2nd 4:00 - 6:30 pm Robert Farwell, Retired Orchard Park
High School Principal and Supervisor of Counselor Interns, University at Buffalo
"Strategies for Building an Effective Team of School Counselors, Social Workers and School Psychologists"

Mar 30th 4:00 - 6:30 pm Karen Karmazin, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction - Grand Island CSD.
“Sustaining a Shared Vision for Common Formative Assessments”

May 4th 4:00 pm Dr. Stephen Jacobson will be the speaker. It has been switched to a 4:00 event rather than a breakfast meeting. Title will be ”Sustaining School Leadership: A Case for Governance Change”

Considering these changes, we have reduced the registration fee for this series to $260. for the six sessions. If you are interested in participating in this series, please fill out the Registration form and FAX it to us today.