Return to News Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 24, 2000
Number: nr 13
Contact: Nan Powers Varoga, 713-658-1881, ext. 14
nvaroga@houstonaplus.org

The Houston A+ Challenge has created a new type of leadership program for Houston area school principals. The first class of 30 principals entered the Academy in June. The Houston A+ Challenge plans to accept 75 principals annually. This leadership academy is a unique, year-round program that provides ideas, motivation, support, and assistance to principals to help ensure ongoing reforms and changes in individual schools. This program is modeled after the Harvard Graduate School of Education Principals’ Center, which brings nationally known experts in education to work with principals.

The Leadership Academy provides a series of intensive institutes housed at a local university with nationally recognized speakers on leadership skills and issues in school reform aimed at principals from reforming schools. In addition, monthly meetings with small teams of principals from the institute from ongoing, in depth levels of shared learning and professional growth. Not only does the Leadership Academy provide intense institutes and monthly meetings, but yearly cycles with increasing numbers of participants and increasing regional and national influence overtime. Another highlight of the Academy is the partnerships with the corporate world to increase the principals’ business skills, including knowledge in technology, budgeting and marketing.

Dr. Shirley Rose, retired Superintendent of the Harris County Department of Education, is the Project Director of the Leadership Academy, and is working in association with the Program Department of the Houston A+ Challenge. Michelle Pola, an educator and principal for 22 years- is the Director of the Program Department.

Each principal attending will have an individual assessment of skills at the Texas Education Agency Region IV Service Center. Results of the assessment will be used to develop an individual plan with outcomes for each principal. These outcomes support the State of Texas’ new standards for Principal Certification, which was adopted in January 1999. Each principal will be assigned a coach who will further define their professional development plan based on these standards to monitor and adjust growth. These standards outline the professional pathway for principals in Texas.

Principals and schools are listed as follows: