The Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) selected three NYC Leadership Academy (NYCLA) leaders to participate in two high-profile programs in late November, both of which were focused on the development of effective leaders for schools and school systems. We are thrilled that NYCLA and its professionals have been recognized for their breadth of knowledge and experiences in cultivating leadership development capacities of school systems across the country.

On Thursday, November 20th Irma Zardoya, NYCLA President and CEO, was part of a panel discussion at HGSE’s Askwith Forum, a series of public lectures featuring relevant experts that are intended to address the highest-priority challenges facing education. This forum, “Being and Becoming an Educational Leader,” was moderated by Stacey Childress, CEO of NewSchools Venture Fund and also included:

  • Norman Atkins, Co-Founder and President of the Relay Graduate School of Education and Founder and Board Chair of Uncommon Schools
  • Carl Cohn, Director of the Urban Leadership Program and Clinical Professor in the School of Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University
  • Peter Gorman, Executive Vice President, Education Services of Amplify

The rich panel discussion focused on how leadership pipeline programs can best meet the challenges of recruiting and equipping leaders with the necessary knowledge and skills to be effective. The four participants each shared their personal experiences with Irma grounding some of her perspectives in NYCLA’s deliberate and standards-based approach. To view the panel discussion please click here.

On Friday, November 21, Nancy Gutierrez and Liliana Polo-McKenna, Senior Leadership Development Strategists, participated in an invitation-only convening that will meet two additional times over the next 18 months. Co-sponsored by HGSE and the Walton Family Foundation, this esteemed group of 50 education leaders includes representatives from university-based preparation programs, practitioners from other organizations that develop talent, state and federal policymakers, and funders. These participants also attended HGSE’s Askwith Forum the day before.

The group’s objectives are several fold:

1. Define the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as a school and system level leader.
2. Catalogue and share best practices for recruiting and equipping leaders with that knowledge and skills.
3. Envision ways to build a robust talent pipeline that will drive the field for the future.
4. Identify the political, culture and practical barrier to achieving this vision.

At the end of this series of meetings, the participants will define common performance metrics for programs seeking to produce effective leaders and produce a blueprint for building a talent pipeline for the next decade and beyond.

The three NYCLA professionals were thrilled to be recognized for their contributions in the school leadership field and to represent NYCLA’s thought leadership and expertise on a national platform with colleagues who share our passion and commitment to develop effective school leaders and change practice on behalf of students throughout the country.

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