Delaware Academy for School Leadership

Governor’s Institute for School Leadership

Participants converse during a conference

About the Program

The Governor’s Institute for School Leadership (GISL) is a partnership between the Delaware Governor’s Office, Department of Education (DOE), University of Delaware College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), local Delaware school districts and Delaware public schools. GISL is a collaborative response to the need for continual support and development of leaders at all levels within public education and acts upon the benefits that are derived from intentional and collaborative district, university and government partnerships. The Governor’s Institute for School Leadership is conceptualized as a two-prong approach to support the professional learning of individuals at both ends of the school leadership spectrum. To this end, GISL will (1) support capacity building of the nineteen public school district superintendents with the creation of a Superintendent Study Council, (2) serve to strengthen the principal pipeline in Delaware with the creation and implementation of an Assistant Principal Academy, and (3) develop the skills and knowledge of principal supervisors to support the instructional leadership of principals they supervise and evaluate.

Participants listen attentively during a conference session.

Our Mission

The mission of the Governor’s Institute for School Leadership is to foster a collaborative state-wide climate and culture that supports and promotes leader learners and to mobilize resources, research and collective knowledge to build school-level and district-level leadership capacity.

GISL Program Overview

The initial kickoff of the Governor’s Institute for School Leadership includes the launch of two programs in January 2021.

Attendees listen to a collegue during a meeting

The Superintendent Study Council

The Superintendent Study Council will create a leadership network consisting of State of Delaware superintendents and other district office administrators who will meet monthly for discussion, collaboration and professional learning on relevant and timely topics related to school improvement, equity, and improving outcomes for all students. The Council is a collaborative effort between districts, DOE and UD-DASL that provides relevant, timely, and meaningful research, best practices, and professional learning to support executive level leaders in addressing complex and evolving challenges in education.

The Assistant Principal Academy

The Assistant Principal Academy is a highly selective 12-month program designed to develop distinguished assistant principals into transformational building-level principals. The program consists of 5 modules of instruction aligned to Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), coaching by University of Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL) Leadership Coaches, and a practice-based mentorship with a successful building principal.

The Assistant Principal Academy curriculum was developed by Dr. Lauren Bailes and Dr. Bryan VanGronigen, Assistant Professors in the School of Education in collaboration with school leadership specialists from the Delaware Academy for School Leadership and Dr. Michael Saylor from the Delaware Department of Education.

Faculty who teach in the program include: Dr. Tony Middlebrooks, Dr. Janine DeNovais, Dr. Lynsey Gibbons, Dr. Elizabeth Soslau, Dr. Jeff Klein, Dr. Lauren Bailes, Dr. Bryan VanGronigen, Dr. Jackie Wilson, and Dr. Bill Lewis.

DASL leadership specialists co-teaching and supporting faculty include: Chester Cox, Dr. David Santore, Tracy Hudson, Dr. Amy Grundy, Dr. Ann Little, Dr. Alison Travers, and Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald.