M.A.S.S. Assistant Superintendent Leadership Seminars (ASLS)
A Leadership Program for Assistant Superintendents and Other Central Office Administrators
Assistant Superintendents hold an essential leadership position in a district. The primary goal of the Assistant Superintendent Leadership Seminars (ASLS) is to support Assistant Superintendents as they navigate their first few years in the role. ASLS II and III also serve Assistant Superintendents and other central office administrators with significant experience in their role but have not been in ASLS previously. The program welcomes all central office leaders. Each year, directors of curriculum, business managers, pupil services directors, and personnel directors bring a diverse array of roles and perspectives to enrich the conversations.
ASLS I is designed for new Assistant Superintendents and other Central Office Administrators, such as Directors of Curriculum, Finance, Human Resources, and Student Services Directors. This first-year seminar series highlights a strong focus on Equity to align with the M.A.S.S. REDI (Racial Equity Diversity and Inclusion) Strategy and onthe Four Frames of Leadership by Bolman and Deal. An emphasis will be placed on the importance of a strong professional culture, offering highly interactive sessions that apply theory to practice, inviting participants to share successes and challenges as we lead forward into the 2023-2024 school year.
ASLS I is co-led by Dr. Christine Francis, who initiated ASLS in 2014 and is now in her 10th year leading the program, and Dr. Lorraine Tacconi-Moore, who is entering year 3 as a co-leader of ASLS I. Christine is a former Assistant Superintendent, current Co-Leader of the M.A.S.S. Mentor Program for New Assistant Superintendents, and member of the M.A.S.S. Equity Standing Committee. Lorraine is currently an educational consultant, focusing in the areas of leadership, strategic planning, and policy. As a former Assistant Superintendent in MA and Superintendent in NH, she brings significant leadership experience to the program. Other potential presenters include Jon Saphier (Research for Better Teaching), Patrick Larkin (member of the M.A.S.S. Equity Standing Committee and an IDEAS instructor), Dr. Marilynne Quarcoo (Equity Consultant) and panels of experienced assistant superintendents who deeply understand the role as it exists in 2023-2024.
Convenient hybrid model. Participants can choose locations and dates that are convenient to them, including the option to “mix & match” between the cohorts.
For more information, please contact Christine (cmfrancis82@gmail.com) or Lorraine (ltacconimoore@gmail.com).
Dates/Locations for 2024-2025:
ASLS II:
ASLS II: Assistant Superintendent Leadership Seminars II is designed for those who have completed ASLS I and others who have significant experience as administrators in central office positions (e.g., curriculum, business, personnel, special education). The curriculum will focus on real-time solutions to leadership dilemmas. Work will also be grounded in an anchor text (The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle), articles, podcasts, videos, and discussion protocols as well as current issues district leaders face daily. Another important feature of ASLS II will be the continued peer network that serves participants outside the sessions.
In 2023-2024, Dr. Anthony Bent (currently a leadership consultant for superintendents, administrative teams, and school committees) will again be joined by Sarah Kent (Assistant Superintendent, Waltham) and Dr. Danielle Klingaman (Superintendent, Duxbury) as facilitators of the program – representing both urban and non-urban perspectives. The format this year will be streamlined to facilitate deeper conversations and ease the travel burdens of the program! Don’t hesitate to contact Tony Bent with questions (a.bent@comcast.net).
Dates for 2024 – 2025 will be available in August.
ASLS III: Assistant Superintendent Leadership Seminars III is designed for those who have completed ASLS II and others who are very experienced administrators in central office positions (e.g., curriculum, business, personnel, special education) but have not participated in ASLS previously. The curriculum is entirely organic in nature and is determined by the participants through preliminary surveys and a first-session discussion. This seminar series features participant-led presentations, problem-of-practice protocols, articles, TED talks, and guest speakers. You are encouraged to contact Dr. Anthony Bent (a.bent@comcast.net) or Dr. Maryellen Brunelle (memsie114@gmail.com) with questions. Dr. Bent, former superintendent in 4 districts and a founder of ASLS, and Dr. Brunelle, former superintendent in Auburn and adjunct professor at Boston College, will co-facilitate ASLS III.
ASLS III 2024 – 2025 Dates: Thursday, September 19, 2024, 9 am-3 pm – in-person, Thursday, November 14, 2024, 9 am-3 pm in-person, Thursday, January 9, 2025, 9 am-12 pm – remote, Thursday, February 6, 2025, 9 am-12 pm – remote, and Thursday, March 13, 2025, 9 am-3 pm – in-person
Registration for ASLS 2024 – 2025 will be available in August
The Assistant Superintendent Leadership Seminar is a leadership program for Assistant Superintendents and Other Central Office Administrators