Project Lead: John Spence
ISBE welcomed a new state superintendent in February 2023, with a new vision and need to collaborate and act proactively across organizational structures to implement high-quality state and federal programs for students most at risk from the effects of the pandemic. During the summer of 2023, R9CC facilitated a series of three leadership retreats with ISBE to initiate work on the new state superintendent’s vision to develop a system of support for all schools in the state. Two of these summer retreats brought together directors and executive directors from across the agency while one session was focused on supporting the executive cabinet members and their leadership strengths.
This year, R9CC will build upon the summer work with ISBE to facilitate training and coaching sessions on strength-based development and strategies to assist in the effort to create cross-organizational collaboration and effective leadership and management. R9CC will conduct assessments of the leadership team’s strengths, facilitate in-person and virtual team meetings and workshops, administer CliftonStrengths assessments for executive directors and directors, and provide individual coaching sessions for executive cabinet members to help them apply strengths to produce intended outcomes for themselves and their teams. The goal of the project is to assist the leadership team with building their awareness of individual team strengths and improve these leaders’ ability to increase staff engagement and effectiveness.