Inspiring Professional Growth for Leaders of
Early Childhood Programs
An Eight-Month Learning Community
Are you ready to re-ignite your passion, thrive as a leader,
and discover new and empowering ways to sustain and recruit an engaged workforce?
It’s time to reduce the feelings of isolation and stress so that you can reconnect with your hopes and dreams and establish a more professional and positive work culture.
Join an Engaging Learning Community!
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Becoming a member of this eight-month learning community will inspire you to rethink and refocus your work to re-energize and strengthen your early childhood program.
LEARN MORE
This Dynamic Course Includes
Eight Live Interactive Professional Development Sessions
To help you embrace a growth mindset, develop a vision-focused action plan, and utilize strength-based communication skills and strategies for making transformational changes (see a full listing of the sessions on the course schedule).
Eight In-Depth Reflection and Resource Guides
To enhance your learning and build your leadership portfolio. To enhance your learning and build your leadership portfolio. To enhance your learning and build your leadership portfolio.
Access to a Private Discussion Board
Where you will build strong connections, collaborate, learn and support one another in an interactive forum.
A 24 Hour Professional Development Certificate
Where you will build strong connections, collaborate, learn and support one anotherÂ
Martha Rockaway
Owner
Sounds and Colors School
North Carolina
"Thank you Susan ! For having given us a space to learn and grow as we continue our search to become better in our field, and specifically to become better human beings!"
Rulywndra Walker
Site Supervisor
Hoover Intergenerational Childcare (HIC)
Los Angeles, CA
"This course is life-changing!"
Angela Wheeler
Bright & Early ND Coordinator
CAPLP
Moorhead, MN
"I loved that it lit a fire in me again. I love being inspired and working towards goals; not just focused on the day to day items."
Course Schedule
This course begins on, September 25, 2024 and ends on April 30, 2025
Each monthly session will be presented live on Zoom, recordings of each session will be posted to the course site.  The live course presentations will be held on Wednesdays from 1:00 – 2:30 pm EST on:
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Date: Sept 25, 2024
Creating a Vision for a Thriving Growth Culture
Date:Â Oct 23, 2024
Creating Professional Development Plans
Date: Nov 13, 2024
Leadership Skills to Empower Professional Growth
Date: Dec 4, 2024
Conversations that Matter - Strengths-Based Communication Skills
Date: Jan 8, 2025
Supporting Positive
Teams
Date: Feb 5, 2025
Managing Your Time to Enhance Your
Leadership
Date: Mar 12, 2025
Running Effective Staff Meetings and Designing a Professional Development Project
Date: Apr 9, 2025
Leading Transformational Change
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Additional Information
TIME COMMITMENT
This program has been designed to have flexibility for busy professionals. Each month there will be live professional development The sessions will be recorded for anyone who cannot participate live.
The monthly reflection guides and discussion board can be accessed 24 hours a day to share your thoughts and reflections.
Participants should expect to spend four to five hours a month participating in the live call, sharing on the discussion boards, completing the reflection guides, and developing their portfolio.
DISCUSSION POSTS
There will be a new discussion post for each module of the course.
Please respond to the discussion post prompts with insightful details.
Then respond to at least two participants with thoughtful comments related to their posts
Actively engaging on the discussion boards will help to build an interactive learning community.
COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
Participants must attend the course presentations or view the recording.
Complete the discussion posts for this series, post their response, and comment on the posts of two other participants.
Complete a Leadership Portfolio that includes – your vision, goals, the design for a professional development workshop, a communication action plan, and a resource list to guide your ongoing professional growth.
About Susan
Susan MacDonald, M.Ed., will be your inspirational and informative guide on this journey. She will share her expertise from her books, Inspiring Early Childhood Leadership and Inspiring Professional Growth and her first-hand knowledge of leading early childhood programs from her years as a director of a Reggio-inspired preschool.
Linda Kosinski
Executive Director
Groton Community School Groton
MA
"...and sooo much valuable and applicable information. I keep going back to reread my notes because each session was so powerful and full of info!!"
Amy Coolbeth
Early Childhood Care Coordinator Early Head Start
"It will help and encourage you to challenge yourself to a better you and your program."
Heida Sigurdardottir
Pedagogical Coordinator Co-op Family Center
"You will be inspired by people from all over the country who are in the same learning lane as you. Susan is an extremely thoughtful presenter who has been doing this work many years and has a way to make you think about your own growth in a way that is immediately applicable to your work."
Develop a Comprehensive Portfolio to Enhance Your Leadership
- Vision: A clear and concise vision statement focused on supporting the professional growth of the educators in your program
- Plan: A year-long goal focused professional development plan for your staff meetings and professional days
- Design: The design, development, and delivery of a professional development workshop
- Communicate: A positive communication action plan to guide you in facilitating effective dialogues
- Resources: A cultivated list of current and relevant resources to inspire your ongoing professional growth
Access to this course starts September 24th
Rachel Jefferson
Executive Director
Co-op Family Center
Eugene, OR
"And her positive approach to life and learning. She is a wonderful mentor, an active listener, and extremely knowledgeable while being easy to connect to."
Debora Schofield
ECE Professional Development Facilitator
Maine
"It is a workshop all about "you". It offers a place, time, and reflection to focus on who you are as a professional and where you can go!"
Angela Wheeler
Regional Director
Nurtury Early Education
Boston, MA
"I think all early childhood leaders should take this course. It helps leaders understand importance of team building."
I have a really full schedule, what is the time commitment for this program?
Who should enroll in this program?
I have some specific questions, who can I speak with?
Do you offer a group discount?
Contact Information
Susan is happy to answer any questions that you have regarding this course.
You can reach her:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 617 909 8367.
