ATLAS Leadership Pathways™
Developing Thoughtful,
Reflective School Leaders

ATLAS Learning Communities has long recognized the critical role that effective and reflective leadership plays in school improvement and student achievement. In serving 150 schools in 14 states over the past 15 years, ATLAS has provided exemplary leadership development to principals and district leaders.

From this experience, ATLAS has developed Leadership Pathways for Principals™, a series of research-based programs designed to advance leadership development. The programs are delivered by ATLAS facilitators and coaches who have served in key leadership positions in schools and districts across the country. The programs are housed at the Delores Walker Johnson ATLAS Center for Thoughtful Leadership.

ATLAS Leadership Pathways™ Programs

ATLAS National Principals’ Institute.  As part of its commitment to develop highly qualified school leaders, ATLAS brings together principals from across the country each year for learning, sharing and networking. In fact, this program has become a national model for developing school leaders. ATLAS works with principals and administrators to:
• Learn and reflect on the factors that influence their leadership practices.
• Analyze and apply new research on leadership.
• Identify and reflect on mutual leadership challenges.

Regional and Local Principals’ Institutes.  Modeled after the annual ATLAS Principals’ Institute, this program provides participating principals in a particular region or district with the opportunities to learn and reflect on what it means to lead in today’s complex world. Attendees also engage in learning about the factors that influence their leadership practices and become familiar with new techniques and tools.

Leadership for Learning Support Network.  Here, carefully chosen cohorts of principals meet on a regular basis to review and reflect on mutual leadership challenges. A skilled facilitator creates an environment where the principals themselves drive the discussions within a structure that enables them to gain deeper insight into their experiences as leaders and the factors that influence these experiences. The group’s collective learning is documented.

ATLAS Study Groups for Principals. Consisting of small groups of principals working collaboratively on leadership and instructional issues, this model can be used as part of a District Pathways initiative designed to better link elementary schools with “feeder” secondary schools. The approach can also be used in an entire school district, or a statewide or regional network. In the study groups, principals:

• Develop a deeper understanding of academic content.
• Use data to identify student needs.
• Identify best practices tied to state and local standards.
• Support the improvement of curricular and instructional programs.
• Integrate and give coherence to instructional programs/practices.
• Monitor the impact of instructional initiatives on students.
• Examine student work together.

Leading Edge.  Here, principals are matched with coaches to communicate in-person, online, and by phone about leadership and leadership development issues. Participating principals and coaches will also be linked into an online network which facilitates regular communication around personal and collective leadership challenges.