Lehigh is partnering with the Allentown School District to implement a principal residency program that is designed to bolster clinical experiences for aspiring school leaders and better prepare them for managing daily workloads and long-range initiatives.
Led by Craig Hochbein, associate professor of educational leadership at Lehigh, the Residential Experience for Aspiring Leaders (REAL) program pairs participants with Lehigh educators, trained mentors and a clinical supervisor to help ASD in developing a pipeline of academically and clinically prepared school leaders.
The two-year REAL program is funded by a $298,665 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
“Principalship is a difficult job that entails a lot of moving parts,” said Hochbein. In addition to running an educational organization that develops students’ literacy and numeracy, he said, principals have to deal with other complex issues, such as absenteeism and bullying.
Participants will take school leadership courses at Lehigh. A Lehigh clinical supervisor will help coordinate residency and coursework assignments. Participants also will visit other schools in the region to observe how they meet their educational challenges.