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Presenters unveil LEAD Union, a new leadership program for teachers of the year
Summary
District presenters Rebecca Peterson and Jessica Hogeboom described LEAD Union, a six-session leadership and advocacy program for site and district teachers of the year that pairs Leadership Tulsa and district-led sessions and aims to strengthen teacher retention, advocacy and community partnerships.
Rebecca Peterson and Jessica Hogeboom presented LEAD Union, a new leadership development program for site and district teachers of the year, at the Union Board of Education meeting.
"The goal of advocacy is to be asked back. The goal of advocacy is to build a relationship," Peterson said, describing a session that will prepare teachers to meet with state legislators and build long-term relationships. Jessica Hogeboom said the program begins by "leading from within," helping teachers identify leadership identity, learn storytelling and practice difficult conversations.
The six-session program splits responsibility between Leadership Tulsa and Union: three sessions led by Leadership Tulsa and three by Union staff. Session topics include leadership identity, storytelling for impact, innovation and technology use, connecting beyond the classroom with community and media, advocacy visits to the state capital in Oklahoma City, and a capstone in which participants present proposals to district leaders.
Colson, who spoke about funding and partnerships, said program organizers have approached several potential sponsors and will present the plan to the Union Foundation next month.
Program rollout will begin with site teachers of the year this month and offer the first phase of sessions starting in October; a district teacher of the year will receive targeted support in the fall. Organizers also plan to add a district "rookie teacher of the year" to the selection process and invite that teacher into LEAD.
Board members responded positively to the presentation, saying the program could help with teacher retention and leadership development. One board member cited a statistic used by presenters that retaining an effective teacher returns community value; presenters said the program is intended to develop leaders who remain in classrooms while affecting school and district decisions.
No board action was required at the meeting; presenters will continue fundraising and program planning ahead of the October sessions.
