After more than two decades as an educator and education leader, Antonio Garcia was excited to draw from his experience as he stepped into a new role supervising and coaching high school principals. He also knew that if he wanted to truly make an impact on other leaders, it was important that he not walk the road alone. “I needed the support, structures, and tools that Culturally Responsive Principal Supervision was ultimately able to provide me,” said Garcia, a Senior Director of Secondary Education and one of the hundreds of principal supervisors nationwide to participate in The Leadership Academy’s Culturally Responsive Principal Supervision (CRPS) program.
CRPS is a 9-month-long professional learning engagement that helps build the leadership capacity of district leaders who supervise and support principals. Featuring a combination of both virtual and in-person sessions, CRPS also brings participants together for school walkthroughs to learn how to put culturally responsive instructional practice into action.
For Garcia, the program proved to be invaluable. “CRPS deepened my capacity as an equity-driven transformative leader,” he said. “It helped me create a strong structure for intentionally supporting the growth of school principals.”
The Leadership Academy’s CRPS national facilitator Nicole Cathey said what Garcia experienced is exactly what the program aims to provide. “CRPS allows you to learn in an environment that pushes you, no matter how many years of experience you have. It’s spirited, it’s lively, and we empower you to think creatively about solutions to the real-world challenges that principal supervisors face. This program helps you become a more culturally responsive leader who helps to develop more culturally responsive principals, and it does it all while fostering connection with others who are on the same journey,” said Cathey.
Participants collaborate in teams with peers who hold similar roles in school systems across the country, creating robust communities of practice. “I forged deep connections with colleagues from all over as a result of this program,” said Garcia, who called the network of CRPS participants a program highlight.
In the year since completing Culturally Responsive Principal Supervision, Garcia says he frequently taps into the learnings of CRPS to grow and support the principals he works with, and he’s experienced his own growth as well. “I continuously turn to the practical tools and frameworks of CRPS,” said Garcia. “This is truly the best community to learn with.”
The tenth cohort of this transformative program kicks off July 17, 2024. Click here to learn more about Culturally Responsive Principal Supervision and to register before all seats are filled.