We believe that investing in high quality, ongoing professional learning school leadership is the most impactful investment an education system can make. DASL does not deliver one-size-fits-all training for educators. We partner with schools and districts to provide customized professional learning and support. When you partner with DASL, you can expect that we will:
- Meet with you to discuss your goals
- Help you to assess your organization’s capacity for growth and change
- Develop a comprehensive plan for professional learning that meets your organization’s needs
- Facilitate professional learning for large groups, small groups, and individual educators based on your goals
- Regularly communicate with you about our progress
Please read below for more information on professional learning services that we provide to educators, and contact us to discuss a partnership!
Our Services
- Strategic Planning- DASL provides District’s/LEA’s with strategic/comprehensive planning guidance and leadership to facilitate the strategic planning process. DASL will customize the process specifically for the District/LEA
- Needs Assessment- DASL provides District/LEA’s services to perform a needs assessment for systemic improvement. The process will include assistance with a self-evaluation to assess school strengths and needs. This in turn will inform school improvement plans.
- School Culture/Climate- DASL can provide support to district/school level administration in designing a vision for school culture/climate in their district/school. DASL will work in collaboration with the school/district team to assess, review and plan school/district-wide implementation of specially designed programs to help develop a positive school culture/climate.
- ASPIRE- A state-wide program developed for educators who aspire to be school leaders in any leadership role. The program utilizes a cohort model and a variety of engaging methods to develop the personal leadership skills, knowledge and courage needed to lead schools.
- Principal Preparation Program (PPP)- An 18-month program in the State of Delaware that provides the necessary coursework and internship requirements for assistant principal/principal certification.
- Trauma Informed
- Conferences and other events/one-day professional learning and networking opportunities- One for women in education leadership and one for policy and practice.
Current research identifies the building administrator as the second most important variable in impacting student achievement, with the number one variable being the classroom teacher. DASL’s educator evaluation training and support provides administrators with the necessary tools to impact outcomes for students on a large scale.
Using educator evaluation as one lever for instructional interactions with teachers, administrators can support and strengthen teacher practice and therefore outcomes for students. The evaluation system can support educator growth and student learning. We specialize in providing expert professional development in implementing and using teacher evaluation tools to maximize impact.
- Administrator Training
- Framework
- High Quality Instructional Practices
- Writing Feedback Statements
- Process Overview
- Implementation Planning and Support
- Scheduling
- Navigating DSC
- Observations and Debriefs
- Setting a Vision for Feedback
- Leading Through a Growth Model
- Teacher Training
- Goal Setting
- Reflections
- Using Data to Inform Instruction
- Framework
- New Teacher Induction
Teacher and Specialist Evaluation Process
The Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL) features a team of credentialed, experienced evaluators to assist schools and districts in effectively launching and implementing the educator evaluation process looking through a lens of growth and development.
DASL credentialed evaluators can support school and district leaders in training teachers in the evaluation system and supporting administrators in providing focused feedback and action steps. Support can be provided in both process and product.
Coaching
DASL specialists coach individual administrators and administrative teams with a focus on implementing educator evaluation systems. Specialists observe instruction side by side with school administrators to calibrate evidence and feedback and support the planning and facilitation of the debrief session. Coaching is focused on strengthening the school leader’s capacity in evaluation practices and instructional interactions to improve outcomes for students.
District Professional Development
DASL leadership specialists support school districts in planning for and implementing teacher evaluation systems to promote consistent implementation of systems across schools in the district. Supports include training administrators in the following:
- High-Quality Instructional Practices
- Writing evidence
- Providing feedback
- Process Overview
- Scheduling
- Navigating DSC
Leadership Team Professional Development
DASL leadership specialists support building administrators and leadership teams through customized professional development sessions. Leaders learn how to connect school priorities to educator evaluation systems and act as learning partners with teachers in order to develop meaningful goals and work towards continuous growth in their craft.
Whole Staff Professional Development/Teacher Training
DASL leadership specialists provide professional development for teachers on the evaluation system philosophy, process, and framework. Common language is established and communicated to create a sound understanding and a foundation for successful growth. Teachers learn the purpose and process of professional goal setting based on classroom data, along with the value of monitoring progress throughout the year. Participants become familiar with the structure of the evaluation framework and corresponding instructional practices. DASL specialists can support Professional Learning Communities as they set goals, use data to inform instruction and share expertise.
Administrator Evaluation and Support
DASL leadership specialists provide coaching for Principal Supervisors in the administrator evaluation system and best practices in supporting and developing school principals. Individual coaching is provided along with professional learning sessions for teams of Principal Supervisors.
DASL Leadership Specialists provide administrative coaching at all levels. Coaching can be at the individual or group level, servicing aspiring through experienced leaders tailored to meet the needs of the individual or the organization.
Through a research-based blended coaching model and facilitation based on best practices of adult learning, we offer services including the following:
- Districtwide Strategic Planning
- School Improvement
- Systems Thinking
- Instructional Leadership
- Administrator Supervision/Principal Supervision
- Design Thinking
- Teacher Evaluation Preparation and Implementation
- School Culture and Climate
- Teacher Leadership/Distributed Leadership
- Equity-Centered Leadership Pipelines
- Culturally Responsive Schools
Using current research and evidence-based practices, our team of experienced educators offer our partners the most accurate and up-to-date strategies for educational leadership and school improvement.
The following programs are currently offered through a partnership between the Delaware Department of Education (DOE) and the University of Delaware College of Education and Human Development (CEHD):
- Governor’s Institute for School Leadership (GISL)
- Assistant Principal (AP) Academy- 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 PSEL standards. AP’s will be provided with a coach from DASL, as well as a building level principal within their district.
- Executive Leadership Academy (ELA)- Offering professional learning informed by research, practice and the national standards for educational leadership. The program targets leaders who supervise principals and other building leaders.
- Superintendent Study Council- A leadership network consisting of State of Delaware superintendents and other statewide educational leaders 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.