School Administration

Principals, curriculum directors, superintendents, deans, you have a hard job! School administrators are expected to advocate for faculty, staff, and students, finding both the ways and means to facilitate measurable academic growth while supporting community objectives.

“Idealism and realism meet in the actual.”
– Mary Parker Follett

Engaging Learners professional development works with school and districts all over the country to support administrators. We provide the tools, research-based strategies, and boots-on-the-ground experience. You provide the passion and commitment. Let’s work together to meet the needs of diverse learners in your corner of the world.  

 

Keynote

Initiative Mastery: Prioritizing and Launching School Initiatives

Administrators (grades K-12)
Professional Development with Dr. Jennifer French

This session is designed exclusively for school administrators seeking to streamline their initiatives and ensure their success. Participants will learn how to conduct a district-wide initiative audit, to assess the effectiveness of past and current initiatives, prioritize upcoming and current initiatives based on impact and feasibility, and develop a strategic plan for implementation.

Format: Keynote, Keynote with follow up breakout sessions, Half Day session, or Full Day session

Keynote

Artificial Intelligence in Schools: From Fear to Empowerment

Administrators (grades K-12)
Professional Development with Dr. Dianna Beirne

Dr. Dianna Beirne offers the latest practical information on the responsible integration of AI in K–12 education. Rather than treating AI as a threat, her sessions re-frame it as a powerful tool to enhance teaching and learning. Educators walk away with:

  • Clarity on Policies and Ethics – how to craft and implement AI use policies that protect privacy, equity, and academic integrity.

  • Future Trends – what’s on the horizon (multimodal AI, adaptive tutors, privacy-by-design) and how schools can stay prepared without being overwhelmed.

  • Hands-On Practice – opportunities to design AI-informed lessons, practice prompt engineering, and develop routines for coaching critical thinking with AI.

Dr. Beirne equips educators, administrators, and districts with the knowledge and tools to move from “catching cheaters” to “coaching thinkers,” ensuring AI integration strengthens—not undermines—student learning.

Format: 60-90-120 minute presentation, Keynote with follow-up breakout sessions

Workshops

Summer Success: Building a Middle School Reading Program

Administrators (grades 4-8)
Professional Development with Dr. Jennifer French

Dr. French’s Summer Success workshop is specifically tailored for school administrators who are responsible for creating or managing a summer reading program. Participants will focus on the planning, implementation, and evaluation stages of middle school reading programs, while also gaining valuable recommendations for resources and support systems. Whether your aim is to combat summer learning loss, foster a sense of community, or boost literacy skills, this workshop will equip you with practical tools and insights to create a successful and enriching summer reading experience for every student. Shareable resources are included.

Format: 60-90-120 minute presentation, Half Day session, or Full Day session

Science of Reading: District-level Strategies for Middle & Secondary Schools

Administrators (grades 4-12)
Professional Development with Dr. Jennifer French & Dr. Katie McKnight

Administrators start this session by more fully exploring the term Science of Reading and learning how to adapt the model’s principals on a district-wide basis. Discover how to go beyond K-4 foundational literacy by expanding fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in middle and secondary schools. Join Dr. McKnight and Dr. French to explore tangible strategies for bridging the gap between your state and district policy language, and your teachers’ in-the-classroom work with students.

Format: 60-90-120 minute presentation, Half Day session, or Full Day session

What Created the Knowledge Gap (and what we can do about it)

Administrators (grades 4-12)
Professional Development with Dr. Katie McKnight

You know the reality. Over 65% of our students are not reading on level. This is a staggering statistic, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. What practices can educators leverage to close the gap? What does the research really indicate about grade-level text and differentiated reading? In this session, we will burrow into these questions, and you’ll emerge with some concrete answers and vision to create engaged and proficient readers in all disciplines.

Format: Keynote, 60-90 minute session

 

Building a Middle School Reading Intervention Program that Works

Administrators (grades 4-8)
Professional Development with Dr. Jennifer French

In this engaging and informative session, administrators will gain invaluable insights into the key components of building a successful reading intervention program tailored to the unique needs of middle school students. Dr. French will guide you through practical tools for identifying struggling readers, designing targeted interventions, and monitoring progress over time. Whether you're a seasoned administrator looking to enhance your existing program or a newcomer seeking guidance on where to begin, this workshop offers a wealth of resources and strategies to help you make a lasting impact on student literacy outcomes.

Format: Half Day session, Full Day session, or two Full Day sessions with coaching and practical application

A Plan for Success: Merging Literacy and Self-Regulation to Increase Achievement

Teachers and Administrators (grades K-12)
Professional Development with Dr. Katie McKnight & Dr. Richard Cash

Our students’ personal abilities to appropriately manage their affect, behaviors, and cognition (ABCs) are critical for college and career readiness. Self-regulation for learning is the ability to effectively balance the ABCs to pursue worthy academic goals. Join this session to learn a holistic approach to assisting all students (from special education to gifted education) in gaining greater social/emotional well-being, developing scholarly behaviors, and acquiring valuable thinking tools to be successful in school and beyond.

Format: 60-90-120 minute presentation, Half Day session, or Full Day session

Suggested Companion Book: Cash, R. M. (2016). Self-regulation in the classroom: Helping students learn how to learn. Free Spirit Publishing.