Recently 133 principals completed the Distinguished Leadership Program (DLP), a year-long leadership development program for practicing school principals designed and provided by the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal’s Association in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and UNC-LearnNC.

The Distinguished Leadership in Practice Program (DLP) uses a non-traditional professional development model that is aligned to the performance evaluation standards adopted by the State Board of Education for North Carolina’s school leaders.  This unique cohort-based program is designed to limit principals’ time away from their schools by allowing them to attend face-to-face sessions once every other month while accessing on-line assignments, materials and coaching in between face-to-face sessions.  Principals engage in a series of authentic activities throughout the year-long experience that are designed to build the capacity of their schools and their own capacity as “Distinguished” school leaders.

“The leadership of the school principal is by far one of the most important factors in school quality.  By completing this very rigorous program, our DLP graduates have demonstrated their commitment to continuous improvement by working to improve their leadership skills as they simultaneously improve their schools.  We are proud to include them in the ranks of successful DLP completers,” said Dr. Shirley Prince, NCPAPA Executive Director.

This program is offered in three locations-Wilmington, Raleigh and Charlotte- in order to serve principals in all eight regions of the state.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has partnered with the N.C. Principals & Assistant Principals’ Association to provide a leadership development program for practicing school principals.  This professional development model, entitled Distinguished Leadership in Practice (DLP), is aligned to the performance evaluation standards adopted by the State Board of Education for North Carolina’s school leaders.  

DLP, a non-traditional professional development model, allows participants to critically examine the meaning and application of “Distinguished” school leadership through a problem-based, real-world approach.  In DLP, practicing North Carolina principals are provided as models of exemplary school leadership allowing participants to study the behaviors, attitudes and competencies that define a “Distinguished” school leader.  Throughout the year-long experience, participants are led and coached through a proven continuous improvement approach.  Participants engage in a series of authentic activities designed to build the capacity of their schools and their own capacity as “Distinguished” school leaders.

DLP uses a blended, cohort-based approach that combines face-to-face, on-line, and small-group sharing sessions.  To limit time away from their schools, participants attend face-to-face sessions once every other month.  In between face-to-face sessions, they access on-line material and on-line coaching to assist them with their school improvement activities.  They also participate in guided small-group sessions with cohort members where they share and receive feedback on their efforts to apply proven leadership practices in their schools.

NCPAPA is now accepting applications for 2013-2014 DLP cohorts.  The application period runs through March 1 with applicants being selected and notified by March 11. 

The program will be offered in three locations across the state, serving all eight regions.  Expenses for this opportunity are being subsidized through the State’s Race to the Top initiative and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.  Therefore, applicants must be able to commit to participating fully in all face-to-face and online sessions.

The program is organized as follows:
Component One: Strategic Leadership for High Performing Schools
Component Two: Maximizing Human Resources for Goal Accomplishment
Component Three: Building a Collaborative Culture through Distributive Leadership
Component Four: Improving Teaching and Learning for High Performing Schools
Component Five: Creating a Strong Internal and External Stakeholder FocusComponent Six: Leading Change to Drive Continuous Improvement