APEX Program for School Leadership

Spring 2028

It is a daunting task to offer a course on one of the most important people in history. It is not possible, in such a short time, to capture the breadth and depth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We are not quite done capturing his magnificence, and continued reflection—from poets, historians, philosophers, teachers, and the public at large—can only produce a better understanding of the man. Rather than attempt to give a comprehensive view, then, this course aims to engage with some of Dr. King’s most pivotal writings and most crucial events. As you work your way through the modules, feel free to supplement them with your own research. The hope is that this course will inspire you to live up to the kind of community that Dr. King was trying to shape.

Spring 2028

Building a Strong Faculty Culture uses the classical virtues as a paradigm for developing a healthy faculty. The objective of this course is to develop your understanding of the components of a healthy faculty culture so that you can bring that understanding to bear on the practical, day-to-day decision-making processes of a school teacher.

Spring 2028

In the classical school, all elements of school life reflect the leader’s vision, including scheduling, recruitment, enrollment, budgeting, and facility management. This course takes current and prospective school leaders through some aspects that you need to consider when operationalizing a vision for a school, including delegating strategically. This is by no means a comprehensive treatment of all the operations of a school—some elements are emphasized more heavily than others. However, this course is meant to give you a glimpse into some of the most important daily, monthly, and/or yearly needs of a school, as well as a chance to reflect on your operational sensibilities as a leader.

You will engage with ancient and modern voices, such as Shakespeare, Donald Cowan, and Peter Drucker. You will also meet several successful headmasters in the Great Hearts network and read about their unique approaches to the operations of their respective schools at the time of the interviews. The course will culminate in a 30-60-90 day plan as it might relate to your task as a headmaster. You will present your plan to your peers at the end of the course.

Summer 2028

Intended for any teacher or rising leader, this course seeks to build awareness of the larger context of leading school change and managing transitions. While not exhaustive, it aims to develop an awareness of the process of change and the ways a leader can manage and facilitate change and transitions. This overview includes an introduction to how adults learn and make change and to understanding and managing the progression of transitions, and offers some tools for all leaders to use when implementing or facilitating a change.

This course is intended for rising leaders but also includes content likely to be useful to teachers. It will build an awareness of the larger context of parent communities and the elements that create healthy dynamics in three specific dyads: Leader-Parent, Teacher-Parent, and Parent-Parent. This course is not a complete survey of everything pertaining to parent-academy relations, nor is it intended to train participants in implementing specific strategies for managing difficult relationships. Rather, it seeks to develop a deeper understanding of the role of the parent community as it relates to the work we do and provide frameworks and strategies for developing and nurturing healthy parent communities. This is about the long game. At the same time, participants will find practical – and short term – tools for success as well.

Welcome to the Proseminar I series. This series aims to deepen any person’s understanding of the classical liberal arts tradition. This increased understanding benefits a school leader of any level not only in their ability to articulate the vision and communicate foundational principles to stakeholders, but also to make informed decisions about curriculum, hiring, and a multitude of other areas.

This course serves as an introduction to the life and leadership of Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), Chancellor of England and a pillar of the Western intellectual tradition. Drawing from a selection of works written by More and about him, we will examine the variety of ways in which More responded to the contingencies of his day, as well as the virtues he cultivated which made such responses possible. Particular emphasis will be given to More’s characteristic combination of sobriety and good humor, his concern for the danger of pride, his diligent regard for his fellow citizens, and his dynamic approach to the moral life.