Welcome to

the fall/winter

edition of the

EDLE newslet-

ter. I can hard-

ly believe

Thanksgiving

has come and

gone and that

winter break is

already here!

While the se-

mester has

flown by, this is a wonderful time to reflect on and

appreciate such an incredible year in the Educa-

tion Leadership program.

First and foremost, we had one of our most suc-

cessful Leadership conferences to date! On Octo-

ber 25, ELDE faculty, staff, candidates, and alum-

ni gathered in Merten Hall with area assistant

superintendents and school administrators for the

EDLE Leader Launch conference. This year’s con-

ference focused on preparing our current candi-

dates and recent graduates for the spring hiring

season. During the plenary panel, the assistant

superintendents shared what their districts look

for when hiring potential administrators. After-

wards, EDLE faculty and site-based administrators

moderated sessions on resume writing, interview-

ing, presenting your professional self, and hot

topics for first year assistant principals. Page 2 of

the newsletter showcases pictures from the con-

ference, as well as quotes from participants. For

those unable to attend, the plenary panel session

was recorded by Mason videographer Jake

McLernon and has been posted on-line at: https://

www.youtube.com/watch?

v=iRLOWGn8Z8E&feature=youtu.be

Based on the positive survey feedback (46 out of

66 participants – thank you!) we are already in the

planning stages for Fall 2015. So mark your calen-

dars: Next year’s Leader Launch will be on Octo-

ber 24, 2015!

Another exciting development has been the launch

of our first EDLE on-line cohort! We were both

surprised and delighted by the strong interest our

on-line program generated since our marketing

campaign launched in Spring 2014. We now have

21 candidates in the distance education cohort

and have begun recruitment for Fall 2015. For more

information on the EDLE on-line program, please visit:

http://masononline.gmu.edu/programs/

educationleadershipmed

We have also begun marketing for our first internation-

al EDLE cohort in Greece for Summer 2015. Candi-

dates will attend two-week intensive summer seminars

at the Athens Community School during 2015 and

2016. All other coursework will be completed on-line,

with a focus on the leadership challenges faced in

international schools. Candidates will earn a Masters

of Education Leadership without VA administrative

licensure. For more information, please visit: http://

gse.gmu.edu/education-leadership/academics/greece

In other news, several EDLE faculty members and

graduate students attended this year’s University

Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) confer-

ence held at the Sheraton in downtown Washington,

DC. Dr. Scott Bauer, our EDLE Division Director, re-

ceived the JRLE Best Article Award for his paper

Change in University-Based Programs of Educational

Leadership: How Responsive Have Programs Been?

Dr. Sonya Horsford presented in several sessions,

including a symposium entitled A Wrong Without a

Remedy?: 40 years Post-Miliken in the Struggle to

Right Educational Inequities and a mini-workshop on

the Inter-sectionality of Inclusive Leadership: How

School Leaders Negotiate Multiple Dimensions of Di-

versity. Dr. David Brazer, now at Stanford University,

presented findings from his research with Dr. Robert

Smith, Dr. Scott Bauer, and Dr. Michelle Van Lare on

Professional Learning Communities. The conference

also inspired us to explore formal UCEA membership

for the EDLE program. While the membership process

is extensive, we believe this will further enhance our

position as one of the leading principal preparation

programs in the country.

This issue of the EDLE newsletter also features the

section “Graduates on the Move;” short interviews with

recent graduates who are in their first year of admin-

istration. We always love to hear how our graduates

are progressing in their careers, so please keep in

touch. We would love to feature you!

On behalf of the EDLE faculty and staff, we wish you a

wonderful holiday season and a restful winter break.

Have a Happy New Year and we will look forward to

seeing you in 2015!

Greetings from the EDLE Academic Program Coordinator

SPECIAL POINTS

OF INTEREST:

Registration dead-

line for Spring

cohort students is

January 6, 2015.

Classes begin the

week of January

12, 2015

Campus classes

begin on January

20, 2015.

Check out my-

Mason for more

information and

announcements.

INSIDE THIS

ISSUE

Greetings from

the EDLE

Coordinator

1

EDLE Fall 2014

Conference

2

Farewell to Peter

Noonan

3

Cohort News 3

Faculty Focus 3

Graduates on

the move

4

Office Reminders 5

Core Values 6

Volume 5, Issue 2

Fall/Winter 2014

Education Leadership

“The highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them”. JFK

Ge

org

e M

aso

n

Un

ive

rsit

y

Anne-Marie Balzano

EDLE Program Coordinator

EDLE Fall 2014 Conference Page 2

On the morning of October 25th, EDLE fac-

ulty, staff, candidates and recent gradu-

ates gathered at Merten Hall for the EDLE

Leader Launch conference. Participants

were greeted by our wonderful EDLE office

staff, given their name-tag and notepad,

and then headed into the main lecture hall

for breakfast and networking. Dr. Robert

Smith moderated the plenary session,

which included Mr. Marty Smith, Chief of

Staff for Fairfax County Public Schools, Dr.

Kimberly Hough, Assistant Superintendent

of Loudoun County Public Schools, Dr. Bet-

ty Hobbs, Assistant Superintendent of Ar-

lington Public Schools, and Mr. Keith John-

son, Assistant Superintendent of Prince

William County Schools. The session fo-

cused on what districts look for when hiring

potential administrators. Themes included

building relationships with stakeholders,

flexibility, and innovation. From there, par-

ticipants attended workshops hosted by

EDLE faculty and site-based administra-

tors. Sessions included:

Featured Presenters:

Alex Case, Principal,

West Potomac High School

Roberto Pamas, Principal,

Holmes Middle School

Mary Jane Boynton, Principal,

Parkside Middle School

Featured Presenters:

Kathy Bruce, Principal,

Bonnie Brae Elementary School

Anthony Terrell, Principal,

Rocky Run Middle School

Meg MacGregor, Assistant Principal,

Antietam Elementary

Featured Presenters:

Michele Webb, Department of Human

Resources, Fairfax County Schools

Ray Lonnett, Principal,

Great Falls Elementary

Ed Stephenson, Principal,

Ronald Reagan Middle School

Featured Presenters:

Joe Thompson, Assistant Principal,

Annandale High School

Shanna Tackas, Special Education Eligibil-

ity Coordinator, Loudoun County Schools

Desiree Tickle, Assistant Principal,

Cougar Elementary School

Cherith Pierson, Assistant Principal,

Cooper Middle School

Ashleigh Burnette, Assistant Principal,

Parkside Middle School

Feedback from both participants and pre-

senters has been overwhelmingly positive!

Thank you to everyone who participated in

the conference feedback survey or took

the time to email us your comments.

The conference was well planned and very

well conducted. It really was an outstand-

ing opportunity for candidates to gain an

understanding of the hiring process and the

degree of competition for jobs. The GMU

GSE faculty provided an excellent, enjoya-

ble, outstanding and important event. The

faculty should feel great about what profes-

sionally was accomplished. Thank you, one

and all.

I found the resume session very informa-

tive. Crossing from teacher to administra-

tor, the resume takes on a different look.

The presenters were very helpful with de-

scribing this transition. Then in the inter-

view session, we received copies of a few

administrators resumes. Combing these

two lessons together was powerful for me.

Above: Plenary session

Resume Writing: Admin Feedback and

Peer Review:

moderated by Dr. Richard Monuiszko

Tips for a Successful Interview:

moderated by Dr. Peter Noonan

Presenting Your Professional Self:

moderated by Dr. Bev Woody and Dr.

Regina Biggs

First Year Admin Tool Box:

moderated by Dr. Scott Bauer

Above: EDLE conference participants

I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU

for organizing the EDLE Conference

this past weekend! The information

and insight presented was extremely

helpful, informative and valuable and

I plan on putting all that I have gained

into hopefully obtaining an adminis-

trative position for the next school

year. I hope you can continue to have

this conference again in the future,

because I believe that all EDLE stu-

dents can benefit from the knowledge

that was shared.

I found the leadership presenters and

GMU faculty in attendance provided a

wealth of knowledge for me to adver-

tise myself as an administrative candi-

date. Having the opportunity to have

direct knowledge of the process and

hear exactly what districts are looking

for in their administrators has helped

me to reshape my current professional

development goals to prepare to serve

in a leadership capacity.

FEEDBACK

Above: EDLE Faculty

Farewell to Dr. Peter Noonan

As the fall semester comes to a close, we would like to

thank Dr. Peter Noonan for his contributions to the

EDLE program over the past year. As many of you know,

Dr. Noonan wears many hats, including Superintendent

of Fairfax City schools. Given the competing demands

for his time, Dr. Noonan is no longer able to teach in the

EDLE program. We wish him the best of luck in all his

future professional endeavors and hope to see him

again at the EDLE Leader Launch

next year!

On Wednesday, Octo-

ber 22, 2014, GMU’s

Center for Education

Policy and Evaluation

and CEHD co-

sponsored a fireside

chat with Professor

James D. Anderson

(University of Illinois-

Urbana Champaign)

followed by a distin-

guished panel of edu-

cation policy and law

experts to consider the

“Historical Relevance

of Contemporary Educational Equity Poli-

cies in an Obama Era.”

Professor Anderson is a preeminent schol-

ar and expert in the history of African

American education in the South, K-12

and higher education desegregation, and

African American school achievement in

the 20th century. Featured panelists in-

Page 3

cluded David J. Armor, GMU Professor

Emeritus of Public Policy in the School of

Policy, Government, and International

Affairs and Brenda Shum, Director of the

Educational Opportunities Project at the

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under

Law.

CEHD’s own Dr. Diana D’Amico, also an

historian of education and Education Poli-

cy faculty member, served as the

evening’s moderator, and engaged gradu-

ate students and faculty members in a rich

discussion about the important role histor-

ical research can and does play in the

study and practice of educational leader-

ship today. EDLE was well represented by

more than 25 students in attendance,

along with Drs. Anne-Marie Balzano, Rob

Smith, Regina Biggs, and Sonya Horsford,

who also co-convened the event with Drs.

D’Amico, Jenice View, and Rodney Hopson.

The following evening, Professor Anderson

delivered the 2014 Annual Brown Lecture

in Education Research in Washington, D.C.,

which is available for viewing at aera.net.

Above: Panelists

Faculty Focus: Dr. Sonya Horsford

Above: Dr. Sonya

Horsford EDLE

Faculty

Above: EDLE Faculty and Staff

Cohort News

Dr. Peter Noonan

EDLE Faculty

The EDLE program will begin a new regional

Special Education Leadership Cohort in January

2015. There will be two new cohorts in summer

of 2015. One cohort will be in partnership with

FCPS exclusively. The other cohort will be in

partnership with Arlington Public Schools and

Alexandria City Schools. In fall 2015 we will be

recruiting for two new cohorts, one with Prince

William County and the other will be the second

cohort with Alexandria City Public Schools and

Arlington Public Schools. Upcoming information

sessions will be on our website. For more infor-

mation on up-coming cohorts contact Dr. Farnoosh Shahrokhi at

fshahrok@gmu.edu.

Dr. Farnoosh Shahrokhi,

EDLE Cohort Program

Coordinator

Above: Fairfax Campus

Elizabeth finished the

EDLE program in

Spring 2014. She

currently holds the

position of Assistant

Principal at Wakefield

High School in Arling-

ton Public Schools.

I enjoy getting into classrooms and seeing

what the students and teachers are doing.

Seeing best practices put into action, and

observing the students at work - and enjoy-

ing it, has been one of the best parts of my

new administrative role.

I felt that there was a lot of emphasis

placed on real-life scenarios and things you

EDLE Graduates on the Move Page 4

ence that I am able to use in my position

today.

I have this mentality that I want to make

everyone happy. While this may not always

be possible, it's important to remember

that making changes can take time, and

that simply listening can be the first step in

this process.

could implement immediately. We really

discussed ways to bring about positive

change as a leader, and what we could

put into practice as a future leader. I have

taken a lot of those discussions to heart

as I have worked to establish relationships

with students and teachers, and make

myself visible in the classrooms and

around the school.

All of the courses had a huge benefit, and

I was able to take something away from all

of them. That in a leadership program is

huge, because I truly feel that I can apply

something from all of the courses I have

taken. However, the one major assign-

ment I felt was most helpful was the in-

ternship. I think the required length of the

internship really allowed you to plan out

your leadership experiences, as well as

allowing you to choose leadership activi-

ties that are practical and allow for hands

on learning. The planning process, com-

pleting the hours, and finalizing the intern-

ship write ups were a lot of work, but it

was worth every minute because nothing

can substitute for that first hand experi-

Above: Elizabeth Rowden

What aspects of your new position do

you enjoy the most?

What is the one thing you wished you

knew before entering administration?

“I think the required length of the

internship really allowed you to plan

out your leadership experiences, as

well as allowing you to choose leader-

ship activities that are practical and

allow for hands on learning. The plan-

ning process, completing the hours,

and finalizing the internship write ups

were a lot of work, but it was worth

every minute because nothing can

substitute for that first hand experi-

ence that I am able to use in my posi-

tion today. ”

- Elizabeth

In what ways do you feel the EDLE pro-

gram helped shape your leadership

practice?

Which courses/assignments in particu-

lar did you find most helpful and why?

Morgan finished

the EDLE pro-

gram in Spring

2014. He cur-

rently holds the

position of As-

sistant Principal

at Garfield Ele-

mentary School

in Fairfax County

Public Schools.

Getting to know the entire school communi-

ty (students, parents, staff), and building

positive relationships along the way.

Much of what I learned and practiced in the

EDLE program comes into play on a daily

basis with my current position. We

learned a great deal about relationship

building; about the importance of being

visible and available to the school commu-

nity; and the need to involve all stakehold-

ers in decision making, which helps to

create buy in and followers.

Leading Schools & Communities (EDLE

610) and Managing Financial and Human

Resources (EDLE 614) were helpful to me

in that they provided insight into the im-

portance of both the financial/HR side of

administration, as well as the need to in-

volve all stakeholders when making deci-

sions.

The time commitment to get things done

that can't be completed during normal

working hours. There are never enough

hours in the day to get all of your work

done, meaning at times it seems like you

are always working. However, prioritizing

and finding that balance between work

and home is vitally important.

Above: Morgan Birge

What aspects of your new position do

you enjoy the most?

In what ways do you feel the EDLE pro-

gram helped shape your leadership

practice?

Which courses/assignments in particu-

lar did you find most helpful and why?

What is the one thing you wished you

knew before entering administration?

“Much of what I learned and

practiced in the EDLE program

comes into play on a daily basis

with my current position. We

learned a great deal about rela-

tionship building; about the

importance of being visible and

available to the school commu-

nity; and the need to involve all

stakeholders in decision mak-

ing, which helps to create buy

in and followers.”

- Morgan

We anticipate the next SLLA review session to be held early in the spring 2015 semester. Look for

details in myMason soon. SLLA Review Session

Josh finished the

EDLE program in

May 2014. He cur-

rently holds the

position of Assis-

tant Principal at

Franklin Sherman

Elementary School

in Fairfax County

Public Schools.

I really enjoy getting into each classroom to

observe instruction. I believe in quality in-

EDLE Graduates on the Move Page 5

The course that I found the most helpful

was Adult Motivation and Conflict Man-

agement in Education Settings. I thought

that the Group Case Study assignment

was useful, be-

cause it dealt with a

controversial issue

that could happen

in an education

setting. We had to

explore multiple

strategies to re-

solve the issue.

I wish I had more

background

knowledge with

Special Education. I

am blessed to be

struction, and I want to ensure that every

student is engaged in each lesson. Most

importantly, I want to make certain that we

meet the needs of all our students.

The EDLE program shaped my leadership

practice by educating me about the possi-

ble situations that can occur as a school

leader. The EDLE instructors are former

school administrators who gave examples

of situations and scenarios that one faces

as future leader. I have already used sev-

eral strategies that have guided me to

success.

Above: Josh Desmyter

What aspects of your new position do

you enjoy the most?

What is the one thing you wished you

knew before entering administration?

“The EDLE pro-

gram shaped my leadership prac-tice by educating me about the possible situa-tions that can occur as a school leader. ”

- Josh

In what ways do you feel the EDLE pro-

gram helped shape your leadership

practice?

Which courses/assignments in particu-

lar did you find most helpful and why?

Ashley finished the

EDLE program in

May 2014. She cur-

rently holds the

position of Assistant

Principal at

Westlawn Elemen-

tary School in Fair-

fax County Public

Schools.

I love putting all my learning and internship

opportunities into action. I oversee two

grade levels, all testing, our Responsive

Instruction Committee, the school Advanced

Academics Programs, PE, Art, Guidance, the

SCA, the Master Schedule, math, and sci-

ence. I enjoy supporting teachers in a way

that directly impacts student achievement.

George Mason's EDLE program genuinely

matches the role of a new Assistant Princi-

pal. The knowledge and understandings I

learned through our cohort are applied on

a daily basis. We are consistently develop-

ing our School Improvement Plan centered

around student data and research. Our

leadership team aligns all changes with a

positive focus of our school's mission and

vision. I work with each of the budgets -

especially staffing. A great deal of time is

spent observing, meeting with, and evalu-

ating teachers.

While each of them have proven valuable

in my current role, the experiences I had

during the internship and school improve-

ment plan assignments stick out the

most. In addition, the budget assignments

were very appli-

cable, supervi-

sion and evalua-

tion practice

gave me tangi-

ble knowledge,

assignments

that challenged

me to be a

strong leader

prepared me for

necessary chal-

lenging conver-

sations, as well

as the assign-

ment to develop

a focus group helped prepare me for this

position as a school leader.

A deeper understanding of AMO's and

federal accountability.

Above: Ashley Castillo

What aspects of your new position do you

enjoy the most?

In what ways do you feel the EDLE pro-

gram helped shape your leadership

practice?

Which courses/assignments in particu-

lar did you find most helpful and why?

What is the one thing you wished you

knew before entering administration?

“The knowledge and

understandings I

learned through our

cohort are applied

on a daily basis. We

are consistently

developing our

School Improve-

ment Plan centered

around student data

and research. ”

- Ashley

As a friendly reminder, the EDLE office will be closed from Monday, December 22, 2014—January 4, 2015. The office will reopen on

Monday, January 5th, 2015 at 7:30am. Also, George Mason is offering a 15% tuition discount for Virginia educators not already re-

ceiving a cohort discount. The discount must be applied for each semester and will not be given until you have registered for classes. If

your application is approved by December 20, then any discount will be automatically reflected in the printed tuition bill that George

Mason sends you via postal mail. If your application is approved by January 4, then any discount will be automatically reflected on your

online tuition bill. For more information, please visit: http://cehd.gmu.edu/tuition-discount-for-virginia-educators

EDLE Office Reminders

CEHD Core Values

In the context of an enduring college-

level and university-level commit-

ment to teaching, research and ser-

vice, the College of Education and

Human Development also holds the

following core values:

Collaboration

Collaboration is an important human

activity that involves shared respon-

sibility in promoting healthy, pro-

ductive lives and educational success.

We commit ourselves to work toward

these goals in genuine partnerships

with individuals, families, communi-

ty agencies, schools, businesses,

foundations, and other groups at the

local, regional, national and interna-

tional levels.

Ethical Leadership

In all professions represented by the

college, leadership is an essential

component denoting ability and will-

ingness to help lead professional

practice to higher levels. We commit

ourselves to practice ethical leader-

ship through deliberate and system-

atic attention to the ethical principles

that guide all leaders in a moral soci-

ety.

Innovation

We have a history of creating dynamic,

innovative programs and we are dedi-

cated to continue creating innovative

approaches in all areas of our work.

We commit ourselves to seeking new

ways to advance knowledge, solve

problems, improve our professional

practice and expand on our successes.

Research-Based Practice

The best practice in any discipline is

based upon sound research and profes-

sional judgment. We commit ourselves

to basing our instruction, scholarship

and policy recommendations on well-

established principles that, wherever

possible, emerge from research and

reflection on its implications for pro-

fessional practice.

Social Justice

Social justice embodies essential prin-

ciples of equity and access to all oppor-

tunities in society, in accordance with

democratic principles and respect for

all persons and points of view. We

commit ourselves to promoting equity,

opportunity, and social justice through

the college's operations and its mis-

sions related to teaching, research, and

service.

George Mason University

EDLE Program Office

Thompson Hall Suite 1300

4400 University Drive, MSN 4C2

Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: 703-993-3633

Fax: 703-993-3643

Dr. Anne-Marie Balzano

EDLE Academic Coordinator

Phone: 703-993-5699

alohse@gmu.edu

Dr. Farnoosh Shahrokhi

EDLE Outreach Coordinator

Phone: 703-993-2009

fshahrok@gmu.edu

EDLE Vision

The Education Leadership Program is

dedicated to improving the quality of

pre-K-12 education through teaching,

research and service. Candidates and

practicing administrators engage in

course work devoted to experiential

learning, professional growth

opportunities, and doctoral research

that informs practice. We educate

exceptional leaders who act with

integrity as they work to improve

schools.

E D U C A T I O N L E A D E R S HI P

P R O G R A M C ON T A C T

I N F O R M A TI O N