Leadership Development Workshops
The Center for Professional Development and Education Reform at the Warner School of Education is happy to share a series of short, virtual, professional development sessions for district leaders. These sessions require no registration and are free to participants.
Leadership Workshop Session Details
Seeing Ourselves Clearly: Feedback, Self-Awareness, and a Path to Better Leadership
Presenter: Kathy Graupman
Effective leadership begins with emotional intelligence, the ability to understand ourselves and connect meaningfully with others. This workshop/session will explore two core components of emotional intelligence: internal self-awareness (recognizing our own emotions, values, and impact) and external self-awareness (understanding how others experience and perceive us).
Although most of us believe we are self-aware, research tells a different story: while 95% of people think they’re self-aware, only about 10–15% actually are (Eurich, 2018). This gap matters because leaders who lack self-awareness often miss how their behavior impacts their team and organization. The key to closing this gap is feedback, seeking honest perspectives, reflecting on them, and continuously working to grow.
Through reflection, discussion, and application activities such as beginning to create their own “Personal User Guide”, participants will:
- Deepen their understanding of internal and external self-awareness as foundations for effective leadership.
- Recognize the gap between perceived and actual self-awareness and why feedback is essential to closing it.
- Explore and leave with tools to enhance their leadership presence, strengthen team relationships, and support continuous improvement.
Date: Thursday, October 23, 2025
Time: 12:00-1:15 P.M
Planning for a Courageous Conversation
Presenter: Marla Iverson
Details:
When courageous conversations do not happen, there are negative implications for relationships and school culture. This session will help participants build confidence in planning and conducting a courageous conversation. We will also look at what follow-up to a courageous conversation looks like.
Date: Thursday, November 13, 2025
Time: 12:00-1:00 P.M.
Leading with Feedback and Heart: Becoming a Warm Demander in Practice
Presenter: Kathy Graupman
Details: Effective leadership requires the ability to both support and challenge others by holding high expectations while cultivating trust and care. This session introduces the “warn demander” stance (Hammond, 2015), a leadership approach that fosters accountability, equity, and authentic relationships by combining rigor with empathy.
Participants will explore how feedback practices rooted in emotional intelligence can strengthen team dynamics and build leadership capacity across an organization. Through reflection, discussion, and application activities, participants will:
- Identify their leadership stance using Hammond’s Warm Demander framework
- Practice feedback strategies that are respectful, constructive, and actionable
- Explore how to balance empathy and high expectations to promote growth and trust
Date: Thursday, December 4, 2025
Time: 12:00-1:15 P.M.
Supporting and Supervising Mathematics Teachers- Identifying Indicators of Strong Classroom Practice
Presenter: Maryanne Maves
Details: In this presentation and interactive conversation, we will examine key components of effective and engaging instruction through the lens of the Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices (NCTM, 2014). Participants will identify indicators of strong classroom practice and consider ways to support mathematics teachers within their specific contexts.
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Time: 9:00-10:00 A.M.
Empowering Teachers as Leaders: Building Leadership Opportunities in Your Schools
Presenter: Jennifer Kruger
Details: Teacher leadership is a powerful way to professionalize teaching, drive school improvement, and enhance professional learning to maximize student outcomes. Teachers are uniquely positioned to take on leadership roles in schools due to their deep understanding of content, curriculum, and instruction. But how can we develop and support teacher leaders while keeping them in the classroom? In this session, we will explore how administrators can elevate teacher as leaders in their schools, allowing teachers to influence colleagues and school communities without removing them from the classroom.
Date: Wedneday, February 25, 2026
Time: 3:30-4:30 P.M.
A Balanced Focus: Prioritizing Accountability in a Post-COVID World
Presenter: Pat McCue
Details: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools continue to experience lasting effects, including interupted learning, teacher burnout, and a heightened need to support students’ social-emotional learning (SEL) and mental health. This workshop will center on supporting school leaders as they navigate the ongoing challenges of the post-COVID era. Participants will explore strategies to help leaders balance the critical need for addressing SEL and mental health concerns with the core mission of ensuring high-quality instruction and student achievement. Through collaborative discussions and shared insights, this session will empower administrators to foster resilience and accountability in today’s educational environment.
Date: Thursday, March 5th, 2026
Time: 3:30-4:30 P.M.