The provincial government is increasing the training requirements for future principals as part of its strategic plan to improve student achievement, says Education, Early Learning and Culture Minister Hal Perry.
“Recognizing that school leadership has a major impact on student learning, we are expanding professional learning for our aspiring principals and vice-principals through our new School Leader Development Program,” said Minister Perry.
The program was developed by Island administrators and the Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture, with consultation from York University. The University of Prince Edward Island helps administer the program and current Island school leaders serve as program instructors.
The first cohort of 23 participants completed Part 1 of the program in May 2015. The program will become a requirement for all future principals and vice-principals in Prince Edward Island.
Maribeth Neale, a physical education teacher at Spring Park Elementary recently took part in the program. “The course was extremely insightful about what a leadership role in our school entails. It provided a great foundation for what it would take to become an effective school leader on PEI," she said.
Spring Park Principal Terry MacIsaac is also a program instructor. “The School Leader Development Program offers prospective administrators the opportunity for advanced professional development to see if this role is something they truly are interested in,” said Mr. MacIsaac. “The ability for these people to receive this type of training, which was not available before, will allow us as a province to develop strong, future school leaders.”
By 2019, this course, along with a Master of Education degree will become a requirement for all those who intend to become principals and vice-principals in Prince Edward Island. The new required qualifications for principals and vice-principals were developed in consultation with the school boards and the Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation.
Backgrounder: PEI School Leader Development Program
The PEI School Leader Development Program will be the standard requirement for school leaders in the province of Prince Edward Island.
The program includes five domains: Leadership, Setting Direction, Student Success, Communications and Staff Development.
Learning occurs through a blending of instructor, participant, and guest speaker led sessions/presentations. Online components have been developed to both reinforce and extend learning. Candidates will work in small collaborative groups to investigate and address current issues in education.
Course structure:
The 60 hour Leadership Practicum provides the candidate with a structured opportunity to lead a school-based initiative forward to completion, gaining valuable insight and experience into the role of the school leader as both an initiator and agent of change/improvement.
Level 2 will require the candidate to develop a personal leadership portfolio that addresses the board’s leadership domains. This will provide the candidate with the opportunity to evaluate their experiences in relation to these domains and plan accordingly for their future professional experiences and development.
Credits from the PEI School Leader Development Program will be recognized automatically as equivalent to two graduate credits in the UPEI Masters of Education in Leadership and Learning degree.
Course requirements:
In order to apply, you must have a tenured contract with either the ELSB or FLSB and provide evidence of at least 7 years of successful contractual teaching experience in a school providing elementary or secondary education, as certified by the Office of the Registrar. This opportunity is open to, but not limited to, teachers, school board staff, and Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture staff.
Course cost and dates:
The cost is $550 for Part 1 and $550 for Part 2.
More information is available through UPEI at
http://www.upei.ca/skillsdevelopmentandlearning/course/pei-school-leader-development-program-part-1