Newton County Schools showcases Thrive leadership program in participant testimonials
Summary
Newton County Schools staff and participants described the Thrive program as a district investment that uses shadowing, on-site visits, workshops and peer reflection to prepare leaders for instructional roles and the principalship.
Newton County Schools presented testimonials about its Thrive leadership program, with participants saying the initiative gives staff practical, hands-on experience intended to develop future principals and instructional leaders.
Speaker 1, an unidentified participant, said the district has “always” prioritized leadership development and described Thrive as providing “authentic experiences where they are able to engage with people who are already principals or already directors or already chiefs.” The speaker said participants shadow current leaders, “learn from them, and really grow in the practical everyday experiences that you need.”
Speaker 2 described cohort members gaining clarity about “leadership and the system behind it,” calling Thrive an investment that recognizes potential and develops leaders from within the district. “Thrive is more than a program. It’s an investment in people and the future of Newton County Schools,” Speaker 2 said.
Speaker 3 highlighted specific program elements—“on-site visits, the shadow experiences, the workshops, the visits to, with various departments”—and said those components increased their appreciation, understanding and empathy for different parts of the system.
Speaker 4 said the program strengthened both instructional leadership and emotional intelligence and provided “practical tools to be able to go immediately back into the building and support my principal and support my team.” Speaker 2 and Speaker 4 said reflection and peer feedback were important mechanisms for applying what participants learned.
Speaker 5 said the program “really prepared me for the principalship,” filling gaps from assistant principal experience and citing field trips and time spent with Newton County departments such as operations and student services as key parts of their preparation.
The testimonials presented Thrive as a district-led effort to cultivate leadership pipelines by giving prospective leaders exposure to administrative roles and practical problem-solving in district offices and school buildings. No formal votes or policy changes were recorded in the transcript; the session consisted of program descriptions and participant statements.
