Exploring Avenues of Educational Leadership & the Skill Needed to Be Successful September 2026– May 2027

Instructor: Libby Bonesteel, Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools Superintendent

Who Should Attend? Teacher Leaders, Coaches, New and Experienced Administrators, Aspiring leaders, Anyone looking to improve and sharpen their approach to leadership

AT A GLANCE

School systems are complex by nature and leaders in education walk a rather unique path to their position. Unlike other fields where leaders build their skills in what some might consider a linear, progressive fashion, educational leaders often start in the classroom as teachers. Teaching children in a classroom requires different skills than leading the dynamic complex system of a school or school district, leading within the teacher’s union, or serving on the school’s leadership team. While the overall context may be the same, leadership requires completely different, much more nuanced, skills. Cultural skills, like emotional intelligence, political savviness, and negotiation, require a leader to pull from knowledge of the complex web of human interaction and knowledge of self. Leadership skills of a more technical nature (eg. meeting facilitation, organization, and boundaries) are developed naturally through experience and mentorship, higher-level leadership skills can and should be taught in a much more direct way so that our school and district leaders have what they need to lead through the complexities of the situations in which they find themselves. What has been shown through the past few decades is that leaders matter; therefore, leadership development also matters. This course will explore the cultural and technical skills that beginning leaders need to be successful in their leadership role.

This course is designed to meet the learning needs of people exploring the idea of leadership, teacher leaders who are working in some aspect of leadership within their school or district (eg. union leadership, leadership team, curriculum teams, coaching, etc…), and new building and district leaders. Each session emphasizes learning within a community so that participants can begin to build a network of support that all leaders need. Each in person session will have two main areas of focus within what might be considered a technical skill and cultural skill. We will explore, reflect on, and practice our own leadership preferences, understand other ways of being as a leader, facilitation and negotiation skills, as well as other needs brought by participants.

OBJECTIVES

Investigate the continuum of leadership preferences and formulate an understanding of how the leader impacts others through their preference of being.
Identify effective technical leadership skills for a variety of situations.
1. Decide upon action and practice within safe environment.
Identify, reflect upon, and work towards a personal goal for leadership development.
Design a plan for continuous self improvement based on strengths and growth edges.

New start date: September 8, 2026, November 10, 2026, January 12, 2027, March 9, 2027 and May 11, 2027

Times: 9:00-3:00

Location: CVEDC Classroom

Cost: $1,450 includes book $1,900 includes grad credit and book Brown, B. (2018). Dare to lead: Brave work. Tough conversations. Whole hearts. Penguin

Random House.

*Each participant will receive one hour of one on one coaching with the instructor in between sessions. These will be scheduled on an individual basis.

Libby Bonesteel is the Superintendent of Schools for Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools, a position she has held for the past 3 years. Her professional passions are in systems thinking, leadership development, and literacy instruction. After work hours, you will find Libby hanging out with her two kids, hiking in the woods, tending to her garden, or deep in a book.

Training For Leadership