The Neag School of Education’s Executive Leadership Program (ELP) is hosting an information session on Tuesday, March 10, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), located at 26 Caya Ave. in West Hartford.

The 13-month ELP prepares prospective superintendents and other district leaders to meet the challenges of 21st-century district leadership. More than 50 current Connecticut superintendents have participated in the program.

“We encourage principals and district leaders with an established record of effective school or program leadership to consider this program. We continue to make a special effort to increase the diversity in each year’s ELP cohort,” says Robert Villanova, associate research professor and ELP director.

The program’s goals include providing prospective superintendents with the background and knowledge necessary to meet the challenges of 21st-century superintendency; providing course work and structured clinical experiences that prepare participants to demonstrate mastery of the Connecticut School Leaders Standards; and preparing participants for a UConn Institutional endorsement for the Connecticut 093 superintendent certification.

“The Neag School of Education’s Executive Leadership Program is highly regarded by school system leaders in Connecticut,” says Joseph Cirasuolo, executive director of CAPSS. “A very high percentage of graduates of the program go on in their own right to be highly effective school system leaders. … Anyone who aspires to school system leadership should give serious consideration to enrolling in the program.”

“The Executive Leadership Program – through both the academic work and the internship experience – provided me with a broader lens and enhanced skill set to cultivate teaching and leadership throughout the school system,” says Karen Baldwin, a superintendent in Ridgefield, Conn. “It provided me with a synthesized and coherent view of the role of the superintendent, which informs my leadership practice today.”

Wolcott Superintendent of Schools Joseph Macary calls ELP “the best professional learning experience” in his educational career.

“Not only does it prepare you to be a superintendent, the program and the full-year internship in particular provides you with the district leadership insights from multiple perspectives to be a successful district leader,” Macary says. “I continue to refer to course resources and build on the collegial relationships from the Executive Leadership Program in my work today.”

For questions and to RSVP, please contact Kimberly Shirshac at kimberly.shirshac@uconn.edu. For additional information on the Executive Leadership Program, visit the website at http://executive.education.uconn.edu/.