The following
are quotes from past participants of the AASA National Superintendents
Certification Program®. If you would like further information, please contact
AASA Leadership Network at 703-875-0700 or the Amy Sichel, Lead Superintendent
at amy.sichel@aasa.org.
• The AASA National Superintendent Certification
Program was more than just a professional development opportunity for me... It
was a career-changing experience that paired me with high-quality thought
partners who pushed my daily practice as a leader and was also a personal
outlet amongst a group of people that understood exactly what I was going
through. I would recommend that every superintendent who is sincere about being
successful in this work enroll.
•
The AASA National Superintendent Certification Program® was an amazing
learning experience for me! I have not only grown as a school leader over
the past two years, but I have grown as a person. AASA has invested in me
by providing excellent, relevant sessions led by knowledgeable and experienced
school leaders. The opportunity to network with and build a resource of 30
fellow superintendents across this great nation has been an opportunity of a
lifetime!
•
The AASA National Superintendent Certification Program was incredibly
impactful and provided an opportunity to collaborate with other national
superintendents which helped me to grow professionally. Even during the
global pandemic, AASA was able to provide an outstanding program by offering
seminars and conversations for our cohort to work collaboratively to navigate
issues and problems associated with the pandemic. AASA listened to the needs of
our cohort and pivoted aspects of the program to accommodate the unique
situation in which we were working. This has been an incredibly valuable
experience and will have an indelible impact on my role as a superintendent.
•
The program provided an intense opportunity for me to engage as a
thought partner with superintendent colleagues from across the country to
discuss critical constructs like ‘equity.’ The professional collaboration
is unbeatable and helps to promote excellence by system leaders in
America.
•
The National Superintendent Certification Program is one of the few
opportunities that new-to-the-profession administrators have to accelerate
their growth and truly develop a collaborative, nationwide peer network.
Being a part of this professional development process and watching the impact
that the superintendent capstone projects have in their home districts has been
one of the most rewarding aspects of my time and service.
•
I applied to AASA’s National Superintendent Certification Program® to
continue to develop myself professionally through exposure to a faculty of
nationally recognized leaders delivering a rigorous and relevant
curriculum. The cohort model provided an amazing support network of critical
colleagues with varied experiences and perspectives who work together in
enhancing our practice as educational leaders in our roles as superintendents.
•
The AASA National Superintendent Certification Program® afforded me
with an opportunity to connect with experienced superintendents as my thought
partners, access to the latest research on how school systems can fulfill our
vision of all children learning and thriving to their full potential. In
addition to these benefits, being a part of the program allowed me to develop a
network of leading superintendents from across the nation.
• I learned how to apply new leadership concepts and
incorporate principles into my work. It was gratifying to be part of high-level
leadership opportunities for my personal and professional growth, which will
help me better serve my school district and the community.
• Amazing minds lead to amazing work and AASA’s National
Superintendent Certification Program® was filled with amazing minds! Through
AASA, I became involved in the Redefining Ready! initiative and framed a whole
new “Pathways to Graduation” for New York State which is currently under
consideration!
• The timing was perfect when AASA, The School
Superintendents Association, informed me that my application was accepted to be
among the East Cohort for its AASA National Superintendent Certification
Program®.
• This unique leadership program, designed to help school
district leaders succeed on the job, brings together superintendents from around
the country. The East Coast Cohort, consisted of 26 superintendents
represented 15 states. We were able to benefit from lead learners as well
as veteran superintendents. Just as important, we also learned from one
another. These expert superintendents helped us understand that the working
relationship with our board is perhaps the most important relationship we have.
• During reflective leadership exercises highlighting our
unique experiences, we built bonds that united us in the consistencies of the
challenges we each face. We also engaged in board and governance workshops with
representatives from the National School Boards Association.
• The AASA National Superintendent’s Certification Program®
opened the door to a wide range of experiences and opportunities. Due to my
participation in this program, I was elected to AASA’s National Governing
Board, which is allowing me to influence education policy and practice
nationwide!
• An essential element of the program included coach/mentor
support from a master superintendent. This mentor relationship supported
multiple levels of growth and support in the superintendency. The
superintendency is often described as “lonely at the top,” but AASA is making
efforts to change that through supportive, deliberate, thoughtful and
high-level leadership and education.
• As a member of AASA, I benefited from timely and relevant
information about policy, leadership, board relations and other necessary tools
to help me and others become more successful. AASA also directly supported my
leadership development through this program, which gave us the opportunity to
ponder the differences between preparation and readiness.
• Superintendents are licensed and prepared with degrees for
the post. Are they ready to lead a district? Are they clear about their
leadership story? This program supported growth, development and values from
top leaders across the nation. For sustained success of education and growth in
our nation, I strongly support participation in this program. This professional
development initiative was critical for K-12 education as superintendents lead
millions of children and effective leadership can be defined, learned and
refined.
• Engaging in the AASA National Superintendent Certification
Program® has enhanced my leadership and skills in ways that will benefit me and
my profession for many years to come.
• I have been truly blessed to serve as a mentor and teacher
in the National Superintendent Certification Program. The superintendency is a
solo role in every district. It is often a position that you “learn by
doing”. Given the limited opportunities we have for peer-to-peer
professional development, the learning curve can be steep and slow. The
National Superintendent Certification Program is one of the few opportunities
that superintendents must accelerate their growth and truly develop a
collaborative, nationwide peer network.
For more information, please visit the AASA National Superintendent Certification
Program® webpage
Additional Video Testimonials