A Virtual Event for 2021!

Ready to Lead

APPLICATION DEADLINE: TBD

A professional learning community for newly-hired early childhood administrators (1 day to 5 years experience in the director role) of center-based programs.

Develop your Leadership Essentials. Delve into topics including: the power of self-awareness and reflection, understanding your leadership style, transitioning from peer to supervisor, and productivity and project management. Participate in interactive learning as well as guided reflections. Participants have the option of taking several Aim4Excellence online modules as part of Ready to Lead (module content aligned with the Illinois Director Credential and Illinois Gateways to Opportunity.

Explore the following topics:

• From the Inside Out: The Power of Reflection and Self-Awareness
• Leadership in Action: How Effective Directors Get Things Done
• New Role, New Relationships: Learning to Lead
• Shifting from Struggling to Juggling: Prioritizing Pointers and Time Management Tips

Price

$125* and full participation gets you:

• Three, one-day institutes (see dates and locations below)
• A Community of Practice (CoP)
• Two Aim4Excellence online modules (optional and available for college credit for an additional cost)
• Illinois Director Credential (IDC) credit
• Books, handouts, and materials

*Valued at over $1,000

Note:

• A working computer with video capability and Internet access is required.
• The registration fee is only for Illinois residents. Out-of-state residents, please contact Barbara Volpe at barbara.volpe@nl.edu or 847-947-5132.

Dates

RTL #5

• TBD | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• TBD | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• TBD | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

RTL #6

• TBD | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• TBD | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
• TBD | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Questions?

Please contact Barbara Volpe.

Deadline to apply

TBD

A Blended Event of Virtual and In-Person
Sessions for 2021–2022

Taking Charge of Change

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 25, 2021

Apply

Funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services

Taking Charge of Change™ (TCC) is designed to support early childhood administrators of center-based programs in leading an organization to continuous quality improvement. These essential features contribute to the TCC learning experience:

Learn more about the proven outcomes from TCC.

Empower yourself and embrace the change process. Delve into topics that strengthen your leadership style, promote peak performance, implement a quality improvement plan, and build a strong organizational climate.

As a participant, you will:

• Explore a variety of leadership topics including: appreciating individual differences,  systems thinking, navigating change, organizational climate, meetings, and shared decision making, to name a few.
• Learn strategies for recruitment, inclusive leadership, meeting facilitation, organizational climate, peer learning communities, supervising staff, and more.
• Engage with a network of peers in a professional learning community about early childhood leadership.
• Participate in interactive learning and guided reflections.
• Use the Program Administration Scale (PAS) and the Early Childhood Work Environment Survey (ECWES) to diagnose organizational challenges and assess the need for change.
• Experience the impact of blending shared decision-making with data-based decision-making skills.
• Receive support and guidance from a coach.
• Receive a $500 mini-grant to support improvements toward circles of quality in ExceleRate™ Illinois
• Participate in the Leadership Connections™ National Conference with hundreds of colleagues as you learn new concepts about Whole Leadership.

Price:

Valued at over $4,000, but priced at $800, there is no other leadership program as impactful and cost-effective as TCC.

Registration fee and full participation gets you:

• Thirteen skill-building sessions (a blend of in-person and virtual) led by experts in the field
• Six points applied toward the Illinois Director Credential
• 98 clock hours | Illinois Gateways for Opportunity approved
• Books, handouts, materials, and program assessment tools
• $500 quality improvement mini-grant
• Full registration for the 2022 Leadership Connections^TM National Conference

Note:

• A working computer with video capability and Internet access is required.
• The registration fee is only for Illinois residents. Out-of-state residents, please contact Barbara Volpe at barbara.volpe@nl.edu or 847-947-5132.

Deadline to apply:

May 25, 2021

Apply

If you would like to learn more, please download the Taking Charge of Change flyer:

Download

Links to research on TCC’s impact

Zoom Report

20-Year Review

Taking the Lead

APPLICATION DEADLINE: TBD

Taking the Lead (TTL) is designed to support early childhood administrators of home-based programs to grow and sustain their business. These essential features contribute to the TTL learning experience:

As a participant, you will:

• Delve into leadership topics specific to family child care, including fiscal management, learning environments, recordkeeping, marketing, family partnerships, and advocacy.
• Gain an understanding of your role as a change agent—at the individual, business, and community levels.
• Become part of a professional learning community for family child care providers.
• Receive support and guidance from a TTL coach.
• Gain increased access to professional resources that support the ExceleRate™ Illinois Quality and Rating Improvement System (QRIS).
• Participate in interactive learning, online modules, and guided reflections.
• Receive one day registration to  Leadership Connections™ National Conference.
• Receive a $300 mini-grant to develop and implement a quality improvement plan that demonstrates improvement toward circles of quality in ExceleRate™ Illinois.
• Have the option to register for six semester hours of optional NLU college credit available (college credit awarded is transferable and may be applied to the Early Childhood Practice degree program, a baccalaureate degree in early childhood with a specialization in FCC).

Price:

TBD

Registration Fee and full participation gets you:

• Ten full-day, skill-building sessions led by experts in the field taking place over ten months.
• Content aligned with ExceleRate Illinois, Illinois Gateways to Opportunity, and the Business Administration Scale for Family Child Care (BAS).
• Six points of Family Child Care Credential approved training.
• Over 100 Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Professional Development Registry training contact hours.
• Books, handouts, materials, and program assessment tools.
• $300 quality improvement mini-grant.
• One day registration fee for the 2022 Leadership Connections^TM National Conference.

TTL is valued at over $4,000, but costs you only $TBD.

Note:

• A working computer with video capability and Internet access is required.
• The registration fee is only for Illinois residents. Out-of-state residents, please contact Barbara Volpe at barbara.volpe@nl.edu or 847-947-5132.

Deadline to apply:

TBD

Registration:

TBD