This two-part presentation will focus on how leaders push past mediocrity to achieve district and school results by improving how they work with the adults they lead to become better at what they do with children. Inherent within the leader's practice is managing conflict while sustaining productive working relationships. Specific strategies in dissecting the underlying reasons for conflict, when and how to decide to take conflict on, and ways to reach resolutions and use repair strategies will be shared and discussed.

Pia Durkin has served as a key urban leader in three states, most recently as the turnaround superintendent of New Bedford Public Schools in Massachusetts. Throughout her career, she has made an impact on the lives of the children and families she served. Yet, Pia is the first to point to and credit the adults she worked with who changed their practice, pushed past mediocrity, and made her a superintendent that learned to lead more effectively toward results.

Pia has now written a book that RBT is excited to publish and offer as part of its Skilled Leader Series. The Superintendents Work with Principals: Improving Instruction and Achieving Results captures her work using key leadership frameworks and strategies backed by real case studies, scenarios, and examples that will resonate with superintendents, central office leaders, and principals. Participants in this course will receive a copy of the book for review.