In this discussion, we will discuss how simulations have benefited educational leadership preparation programs at major higher education institutions around the country and how the same tools can be used for principal preparation programs in districts. You will hear firsthand how simulations have changed Dr. Dexter’s perspectives on traditional teaching methods. Dr. Sara Dexter will speak about her personal experience and what she considers to be the ‘missing middle.’

In this webinar, Dr. Patrese Mason will facilitate our Navigating the Politics of Equity-Based Budgeting simulation. In this simulation, you play the role of superintendent in a traditionally well-regarded district that is experiencing significant population shifts with a host of changing needs. Your challenge is to work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and pass a budget that will provide funding in an equitable manner. This will call for a different process than that which has been used in the past – it is a significant change that must be managed.

In this webinar, Dr. Patrese Mason will facilitate our Navigating the Politics of Equity-Based Budgeting simulation. In this simulation, you play the role of superintendent in a traditionally well-regarded district that is experiencing significant population shifts with a host of changing needs. Your challenge is to work with a variety of stakeholders to develop and pass a budget that will provide funding in an equitable manner. This will call for a different process than that which has been used in the past – it is a significant change that must be managed.

In this panel discussion, you will hear how the SchoolSims library of simulations plays an integral role in the effectiveness of many of the top Ed Leadership Graduate Programs in the country. Representatives of these programs will share how they incorporate sims into their curriculum and talk about how districts and schools should also incorporate simulations into their principal pipeline and professional development programs.

On April 15th Dr. Trent Grundmeyer of Drake University and Susan Gentz of K20Connect discussed the True Cost of Leadership. Michael Jordan recently stated in the Last Dance that, “Winning has a price, and leadership has a price.”

COVID-19 has forced some pretty big changes in education quickly, and administrators and educators are having to make hard decisions. Learn how to balance the risk and reward of making the hard decisions.

How do current and aspiring school leaders approach difficult conversations happening in schools? On January 21st we facilitated a simulation where the principal of an elementary school receives concerns from staff regarding the clothing being worn by one of your novice teachers. Before you are able to address this issue, additional concerns surface about this teacher’s instruction. In this simulation, you will need to facilitate difficult conversations with this teacher to address these concerns. Simulation events like these help to improve critical thinking, decision-making, and judgment.

Hosted by Dr. David De Jong: Chair Educational Leadership, University of South Dakota Thursday, January 21st at 4:00 PM EST

How do current and aspiring school leaders approach difficult conversations happening in schools? On January 21st we facilitated a simulation where the principal of an elementary school receives concerns from staff regarding the clothing being worn by one of your novice teachers. Before you are able to address this issue, additional concerns surface about this teacher’s instruction. In this simulation, you will need to facilitate difficult conversations with this teacher to address these concerns. Simulation events like these help to improve critical thinking, decision-making, and judgment.

Hosted by Dr. David De Jong: Chair Educational Leadership, University of South Dakota Thursday, January 21st at 4:00 PM EST

In this simulation webinar, you are the administrator for a growing school district that is considering adding another elementary school. You will need to anticipate and address the impact this may have on financial and geographical segregation. How will you manage the dialogue with stakeholders across the district to elicit perspectives and optimize a solution? Managing Diversity in a Growing Community was facilitated virtually by Dr. Trent Grundmeyer from the Educational Leadership Department at Drake University.

In this simulation, you are a middle school principal responding to challenges associated with advancing technology. You must identify and successfully deal with challenges associated with cyberbullying and its impact on school learning environment, students, faculty/staff, parents, and the community in general. You will become acquainted with and comfortable applying the growing body of law and court cases addressing cyberbullying and first amendment rights.

Now that most school buildings have been shuttered for the remainder of the school year, there are lessons to be learned with respect to leadership, maintaining a positive school climate and student achievement from accredited cyber schools as well as rural school districts who have always worked, led and taught in a distributed format and through online access.

SchoolSims provides a powerful and affordable way to deliver highly effective leadership training. Current and aspiring school leaders are offered a chance to experience real-life scenarios that depict true events but in a simulated setting. Since there aren’t always right or wrong answers when it comes to human behavior, experimentation is encouraged within the simulation as there is no way to fail. Participants practice critical thinking and are encouraged to discuss the reasons behind their choices which allows for peer-to-peer learning. Watch this simulation to learn more about the efficacy of simulated learning for K-12 leaders, click here.