Wednesday, November 13, 2002

WRITER: Michael Childs, 706/542-5889, mchilds@coe.uga.edu
CONTACT: Mary Chandler, 706/542-6785, mchandle@coe.uga.edu

UGA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, GWINNETT SCHOOLS COLLABORATE
ON PROGRAM TO DEVELOP SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

ATHENS, Ga. — With projections of more than 125 assistant principal positions to fill over the next few years, you can’t blame Gwinnett County Public School leaders for worrying where they will find enough qualified candidates.

However, they are not worrying quite as much since entering a new collaborative partnership with the University of Georgia College of Education to develop school-based leaders through a leadership program for certification.

A team of instructors from both institutes have planned a program of study for three semesters that will culminate in an L-5 add-on certificate in educational leadership. The program is being directed by Bill Swan, professor of educational leadership at UGA, and Gale Hey, director of staff development for Gwinnett Schools.

The program will focus on the integration of courses to reflect Gwinnett Schools’ emphasis on leadership expectations along with the standards established for leadership development and certification by the university, and with the most current research.

The L-5 add-on certificate program requires completion of 20 semester hours in such courses as supervision of instruction; organizational leadership; school law; personnel administration and staff development; school business and resource management; and curriculum development and evaluation. In addition, candidates must complete one semester hour of a practicum.

Twenty-five candidates will began the first cohort in January 2003. Applications for the January 2004 cohort group will be accepted in the fall of 2003.

"The effort continues to respond to the Regents’ mandate for partnerships with school systems by enhancing the prior cooperative effort Project LEAD," said Swan. "With our faculty and Gwinnett School leaders working together to design and implement all of the program, including selecting the participants, teaching and monitoring the courses — it is probably the most comprehensive effort at establishing a collaborative partnership in the college."

A reception to welcome the new cohort is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 18, at 5 p.m. at Lawrenceville East, an annex of the school system’s central office, off Hi-Hope Road in Lawrenceville. Those scheduled to attend the reception include Gwinnett County School Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks, and from the UGA College of Education, Louis Castenell, dean; Michael Padilla, associate dean for educator partnerships; Karen Watkins, director of the School for Leadership and Lifelong Learning and the entire team of instructors.

For more information on the program, visit www.coe.uga.edu/leadership.

##