Program Description
As stated in the Guidelines for Approval of PreK- 12 Educator Preparation Programs promulgated by the Massachusetts Department of Education (August, 2002), the fundamental purpose of the educator preparation program is:
To assure the public that teachers and other educators who complete these programs in Massachusetts are prepared to educate our PreK-12 students according to the learning standards in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
The Merrimack Leadership Academy (MLA) Superintendents' Licensure Preparation Program is based on this fundamental purpose as explicitly stated in the Department of Education regulations; specifically 603 CMR 7.00, that became effective on October 1, 2001. The design, implementation, and evaluation of the preparation program are driven by these regulatory requirements and, just as importantly, the societal and educational needs of our students to achieve this purpose.
To achieve the primary purpose of the Superintendents' Licensure Preparation Program and to ensure overall quality assurance, the Merrimack Leadership Academy (MLA), a major program of the Merrimack Education Center, has designed and implemented an intensive superintendents' preparation program in accordance with DOE requirements that provides multiple and varied opportunities for the candidates to learn how to provide administrative support and educational leadership for school districts and to hold principals, and other administrators, teachers, all other staff, and themselves accountable for effectively meeting their educational obligations to students, parents, and the community.
Purpose:
The Merrimack Leadership Academy is designed to:
- Recruit highly qualified candidates who demonstrate leadership qualities.
- Provide these individuals with a licensure program that will result in an initial license as a superintendent.
The program consists of fifteen 12-hour seminars (3 seminars, 4 hours each), three 4 hour interactive panel discussions, and a Practicum of 300 hours. Each candidate will also be responsible to keep a portfolio documenting his/her progress.
Seminars:
- MLA S01 - Leadership and Building District Culture
- MLA S02 - Education Reform and Current Issues in American Education
- MLA S03 - Vision, Mission, and Strategic Planning
- MLA S04 - Data Driven Decision Making
- MLA S05 - Professional Development/Licensure/Re-Certification
- MLA S06 - Standards Based Curriculum and Instructional Leadership
- MLA S07 - School Finance
- MLA S08 - The Change Process - District Level
- MLA S09 - Facilities and Equipment Management
- MLA S10 - Communication Skills
- MLA S11 - Special Education for Administrators
- MLA S12 - School Laws and Regulations - I
- MLA S13 - School Laws and Regulations - II
- MLA S14 - Staff Supervision and Performance Evaluation
- MLA S15 - The Superintendency - Organization, Time, and Priorties
The total cost of the program will be $4,000. Graduate credit may be available for an additional fee.
Application Process:
Applicants must possess a Masters degree and an Initial license in another educational role and have completed at least three full years of employment in a public/charter school, private school, higher education or other educational setting accepted by the Department of Education. The application form to the left, a letter of nomination from the candidate’s supervisor, a copy of the candidate’s resume, copy of D.O.E. license and official transcripts should be forwarded to Isabelle Kunselman at the address below. No more than twenty-five participants will be chosen from the field of applicants.
Contact: