Home » Programs » School Leadership Program: Coursework
Both the internal and external programs begin with an intensive three-week session in August, followed by two semesters of courses and practicum experiences. Courses and practicum experiences are designed to prepare students to complete and present a school/program design plan, leadership philosophy statement, leadership project, and reflective journal. Internal candidates will complete and present their leadership project in the second year.
Summer I
School Openings and New Staff Development
Mentoring and Coaching Teachers
Fall Semester, Year One*
Equity, Diversity, and Design Principles
Principles of Project Based Learning: Fall Residency
Internship and College Advising Institute
Leadership Seminar I
Design Practicum I
Leadership Practicum I
Culminating Fall Event: Presentation of Learning I
Spring Semester, Year One*
Using Student Data to Improve Instruction
Assessing and Evaluating Student Work: Spring Residency
Leadership Seminar II
Design Practicum II
Leadership Practicum II**
Culminating Spring Event: Presentation of Learning II at HTH Summer Institute
* Internal candidates may take the Action Research courses offered in the Teacher Leadership
Program in lieu of the Fall Residency, Internship and College Advising Institute, and Spring Residency.
** Internal candidates will complete the Leadership Practicum II and present their leadership
project in their second year.
School Leadership Concentration: Courses
HTH 300: School Openings and New Staff Development 4
During these intensive three weeks, students will work alongside their Mentor Leaders carrying out all the responsibilities associated with launching a school year. Students will experience first-hand the leadership and organization required at a school’s new teacher trainings and opening faculty meetings, the importance of tone on the first day of school, and the level of detail that is required for a successful school opening. Students will learn to create a digital portfolio, which will house the student's work over the course of the program. Students will also develop their Personalized Learning Plan with the assistance of their advisor and mentor.
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HTH 310: Mentoring and Coaching Teachers 3
One of the most important roles of a school leader is that of instructional coach and mentor. In this course, students will explore the best practices in mentoring across content areas. In addition, students will become adept at conducting classroom observations and providing feedback to novice and experienced teachers with an emphasis on supporting teachers as reflective practitioners.
HTH 200: Equity, Diversity, and Design Principles 2
This course explores the implications of culture—particularly the relation between “home culture” and “school culture”—for teaching and learning. Participants consider the background experiences, skills, languages and abilities of diverse student groups, and discuss pedagogical approaches that provide both access and challenge for diverse learners. They examine the High Tech High design principles against the backdrop of inequitable academic outcomes in American schools. In particular, the course will focus on how teacher and student expectations affect student achievement, for better or worse.
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HTH 205: Principles of Project Based Learning 2
Led by Rob Riordan, a nationally-recognized expert on Project Based Learning, this course will focus on project design: brainstorming ideas for projects, mapping content to standards, strategies for grouping students, integrating content, developing timelines and due dates, incorporating rubrics and other assessment tools into project work. Session leaders will also discuss how project time is used to differentiate instruction for individual students based on their needs.
HTH 211: Internship and College Advising Institute 1
Two core functions of High Tech High schools are college advising and the provision of academic internships for all students. During this institute, students will learn: principles of college advising at High Tech High, how technology is used in college advising, timelines for college advising across the high school career, and how to build a college-going culture at your school. Students will also learn how to design and implement a robust academic internship program.
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HTH 350: Leadership Seminar I 3
In this course, students will participate in lectures and conversations with GSE faculty, visiting experts, and colleagues on essential aspects of leadership. Potential topics include understanding group dynamics, leadership styles, and organizational culture; approaches to instructional leadership; developing and managing a school budget; working with a board of directors; school approaches to technology; educational law; facilities; fundraising; public relations; and hiring and human resources. Students will also actively participate in HTH school director operations meetings and professional development meetings.
HTH 360: Design Practicum I 2
This course will take students through the process of developing and opening a school, or initiating a new program within an existing school. Students will sharpen their school/program vision and mission. They will also develop strategies and implementation plans for their school/program opening, focusing on objectives such as student and faculty recruitment, community relationship building, and budgeting. At the end of this course, students will have produced a preliminary school or program design plan.
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HTH 370: Leadership Practicum I 4
During Leadership Practicum I, students will gain experience serving as a coach and instructional leader to a faculty member. Through participant observation and by conducting a review of relevant research, students will also explore strategies for building an inquiry-based and reflective school culture, and the many ways in which school leaders can model strong instructional practices in their work with teachers. At the end of the course, students will have produced their leadership philosophy statement.
HTH 320: Using Student Assessment Data to Improve Instruction 2
This course will focus on the power that effective data collection and analysis should have on a School Leader’s decision-making process. Students will examine the kinds of data that teachers can collect in their classrooms, as well as methods and purposes for school-wide data collection. Students will collect and analyze data from their schools and provide curriculum and program recommendations based on their analysis.
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HTH 325: Assessing and Evaluating Student Work: Spring Residency 2
This course will focus on how assessment is used at HTH, across content areas and within projects, to assess group work and to support our design principle of Common Intellectual Mission. Students will look at and evaluate rubrics that have been used in the recent past and explore how assessments can provide a framework for project development. Students will compare assessments that are philosophically different (formative versus summative, descriptive rubrics versus point-based rubrics) and reflect on ways to improve assessment overall in their schools.
HTH 355: Leadership Seminar II 3
In this course, students will continue to participate in lectures and conversations with GSE faculty, visiting experts, and colleagues on essential aspects of leadership. Potential topics include understanding group dynamics, leadership styles, and organizational culture; approaches to instructional leadership; developing and managing a school budget; working with a board of directors; school approaches to technology; educational law; facilities; fundraising; public relations; and hiring and human resources. Students will also actively participate in HTH school director operations meetings and professional development meetings.
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HTH 365: Design Practicum II 2
During Design Practicum II, students will work closely with their Mentor Leader to complete the school or program design plan begun during Design Practicum I. Students will present their complete design plan as part of their digital portfolio at the HTH Summer Institute.
HTH 375: Leadership Practicum II 2
In this course, students will design, implement, and reflect on a leadership project that addresses a need at their host school. Students will present this project as part of their digital portfolio at the HTH Summer Institute.
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