Leadership
Training & Development
Job Alike Institutes - Earn PDPs in a schedule that works for you!
AthenaK12 has created structured yet personalized forums for learning alongside a cohort of peers with skilled facilitators guiding the growth and development of the group. This is a great opportunity for leaders to develop a strong professional network and build skills for addressing current problems of practice and a long-term capacity for success. District leaders can support the development of their novice and their seasoned leaders while building their bench for the future.
An ongoing cohort of support and coaching for principals in their first three years
New principals often struggle with the numerous and unexpected demands of the job, such as:
- Implementing an entry plan
- Creating a culture based on core values
- Creating trust and collaboration
- Making effective decisions
- Running effective meetings
- Maintaining a healthy life balance
- Effectively navigating the dynamics encountered when in a position of authority
- Creating a solid leadership team
This institute provides new principals with the skill development and support needed to be effective and strategic in their new positions.
Cohort begins JULY 30, 2025. ENROLLING NOW.
Navigating the waters of the Assistant Superintendency
Assistant superintendents - and other district leaders with similar roles - are crucial players who support the broad work of the district and their superintendent.
In these varied roles, challenges exist in curriculum and instruction, personnel, finance, student services, DEI and SEL. Building strong relationships with school-level leaders, the superintendent, and other stakeholders is a key element in navigating the complexities and conflicts that are ever-present.
To avoid the isolation that is inherent in these positions, and to turn challenges into opportunities, these leaders need a strong network of support (both within and outside of their school districts) to facilitate problem-solving and to strategize solutions.
Cohort begins FALL 2025. ENROLLING NOW.
Cohorts for principals, asst. supts, and supts.
Assistant Supt. Cohort launches September 2025. Space is limited - enroll today.
Create a climate of trust while navigating key obligations.
The team chair is integral in ensuring that the needs of all parties are met. This requires a skillful balancing of curriculum, instruction, student services and family engagement, along with strong relationships with colleagues, students and families. Unfortunately, this work can become conflict-driven, complex and isolating with few occasions for turning experience into wisdom. In a process where optimism, positivity, and belief in the process is critical, you must hone your ability to read the room, set the tone, model and deal with the physical and emotional manifestations of stress.
In this program, you will learn to lead meetings where everyone recognizes that they have shared goals, how to navigate the demands from each stakeholder, and to leverage your daily interactions into opportunities for growth.
Next cohort begins FALL 2025.
One of our most popular programs, this sells out every year! Be sure to enroll early.
Navigating a myriad of responsibilities
Assistant principals play an integral role in creating a positive school culture and impacting the success of all students. Theirs is one of the most varied and challenging school leadership roles - crossing the boundaries of operations, curriculum, instruction, student services and community engagement - and requires strong relationships with administrators, teachers, teacher leaders, students and parents. Many struggle to navigate the numerous demands placed on them from each sector of the school community and to leverage their daily interactions into opportunities for growth.
Our INSTITUTE provides 24 hybrid hours of training and facilitated roundtable problem-solving focused on applying your learning to your real time issues throughout the year.
Next cohort begins in September 2023. ENROLLING NOW.
Leading the way to instructional excellence
Curriculum Coordinators, Department Heads, and other Teacher Leaders play a crucial role advancing the central work of a school district. The expectations for their roles are usually specific to the day-to-day needs of their respective programs and faculty. Often selected based on their instructional excellence and content expertise, they do not always have the opportunity to develop the leadership skills necessary to be effective and strategic in their new roles.
The Curriculum Leadership Institute provides skill development, support and a forum for engaging in dialogue about issues of leadership pertinent to the program level of the school district.
Next Cohort begins October 4, 2023
Coming Soon
Coming soon
Leadership Coaching & Induction
Sharpen your skills, dive deeper into key responsibilities, face new challenges, expand your toolkit, and grow your wisdom while working with an experienced coach.
Because you deserve it.
Everyone deserves a coach - someone who has been there, who understands, and is singularly focused on your goals. We work collaboratively with you to plan coaching experiences that increase capacity at both the instructional and leadership levels. Coaching plans are tailored to meet the needs of you and your staff. Whether it is implementing new initiatives, growing leaders or impacting pedagogy, we have trained coaches ready to guide you.
Because no one should go it alone.
Our coaches are veteran educators who have trained for years to develop coaching expertise that will benefit you and your staff. Drawing on their strong leadership, excellent communication skills and expertise in adult learning, our coaches will guide you as you identify meaningful goals, create and implement plans to reach those goals, collect data and assess the impact of your efforts, and ultimately, determine your next steps.
Mentoring & Induction for New Principals
New principals often struggle with the numerous and unexpected demands of the job including instructional leadership, supervision and evaluation, running meetings, budgeting, personnel issues, decision making, crisis management, and more. They are also often navigating these demands ALONE, with few opportunities to seek guidance from others facing similar challenges and responsibilities. Our institute and our 1-1 mentoring provide the leadership skill development and confidential support needed to be effective and strategic while creating school cultures based on core values.
New Principal Institute plus 1-1 Mentoring (RECOMMENDED PLAN)
Combine our New Principal Institute with 22 hours of 1-1 Individualized Mentoring to meet the MA DESE 50 hour induction requirement.
See below for a description of our Institute and of our 1-1 Mentoring.
A total of 50-hours for $9000.
New Principal Institute
Includes a 2.5 day Summer Intensive + 9 monthly Roundtables with a cohort of peers and small group coaching.
28 total hours for $3500
Be Part of a Cohort - Experience the power of being part of a cohort of your peers whose ties last well beyond the institute.
Be Ready on Day 1 - Prepare fully during the summer institute to enter the school year completely confident that you are ready on DAY 1.
Be Guided All Year by Expert Mentors - Develop the kind of steady growth that can only come through regular practice and reflection with the guidance of expert mentors.
50 hours of Individualized 1-1 Mentoring
Includes 50 hours of 1-1 Mentoring over 12 months - both on-site and remote in-the-moment problem solving. This meets MA DESE requirements for induction of new administrators with highly qualified mentors. Mentors are selected in partnership with district leadership and the new principal. $13,500
Affinity Group for
Women in Leadership
Enrolling now for Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, and Principals
In districts across Massachusetts, women leaders face a variety of challenges as they move their systems forward. Navigating these challenges while embracing a positive and strategic outlook requires time, attention and a strong network of colleagues.
These monthly sessions will provide you the opportunity to share your dilemmas, engage in protocols and discussions that guide your thinking and problem solving, discover the strength that stems from having access to a trusted cohort of your peers, and develop skills and tools to manage authentic and timely concerns.
You will benefit from the expertise of seasoned facilitators who have been there and who can curate the dialogue in ways that address the real challenges that women in preK-12 leadership face. Your topics will drive the sessions, and you will grow and improve in your work as you have the chance to challenge yourself and your own assumptions in a safe and supportive environment. Finally, you will gain a strong and effective network of women who are there for you as you negotiate this challenging and rewarding work.
Customizable Workshops
Work with us on these powerful leadership practices and design a customized training program for your team.
Meet Our Leadership Specialists
Take your leadership to the next level
