After a long and

arduous winter,

it’s wonderful to

see the tell-tale

signs that spring

has finally sprung.

In just a few short

weeks, the semes-

ter will end and we

will be congratulat-

ing another excep-

tional group of

Education Leader-

ship graduates as they embark upon new profes-

sional pathways.

Leo Tolstoy’s quote, “spring is the time of plans

and projects,” is fitting as we reflect upon our ac-

complishments and consider new ideas for the

coming year. This time last year, our first online

cohort had progressed to the halfway mark and the

program had reached enrollment capacity for our

Fall 2015 cohort. Now, as our first online cohort is

preparing to graduate, high interest and demand

has pushed program growth. We started two new

online cohorts, one in the fall and the other this

spring. As we continue to refine our online course

offerings, we have begun to explore additional de-

livery options, such as hybrid models and 1.5 credit

modules.

Admissions season began on April 1 with a robust

application pool. The Fall 2016 online cohort filled

within weeks, and we are on track to fill the cam-

pus and cohort slots quickly as well. I would like to

thank our EDLE faculty and staff for all the extra

hours they have spent following up on applications,

navigating the new admissions system, and con-

ducting candidate interviews. Because of their hard

work and dedication, we expect the EDLE program

to be at capacity once again this fall.

In other news, I am pleased to announce that our

associate membership application to the University

Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) was

accepted on February 8, 2016. Membership to this

prestigious organization will benefit our candidates

and faculty and help to fulfill our commitment to

advancing knowledge, practice, and service to our

community. The UCEA convention will be held in

Detroit this fall, where the EDLE faculty will attend

a new member reception and celebrate our induc-

tion into the organization.

This issue of the newsletter includes special highlights

from this year’s AERA conference. We represented the

EDLE program in full force, with many of our faculty

members and doctoral students presenting their re-

search during the conference. This issue also features

short interviews with some of our award- winning grad-

uates. Buddy Lint, Prince William County Schools prin-

cipal of the year, offers his perspective regarding lead-

ership in practice. We also shine a spotlight on EDLE

Program Award Winner 2016, Kirby Sypek. She offers

her perspective looking back on what she’s learned

about leadership and looking forward to the future. We

also feature other outstanding new administrators in

our “Graduates on the Move” section. We are always

interested to hear from our graduates, so please con-

tact us as you move forward in your career! Your sto-

ries are important to program faculty and candidates.

We welcome the opportunity to feature you!

Spring is also a time of transitions, and the same can

be said for the Education Leadership Program. After

four years, our work study student, Nafi Hasan, is grad-

uating in May with an undergraduate degree in Fi-

nance and Economics. Nafi has been an integral part

of the EDLE staff, working closely with Donna Martinez-

Vallejos and Cherie Antonellis to help support our fac-

ulty and students. In addition to the many daily tasks

he completes in the office, Nafi has updated our data-

bases, helped facilitate our conferences, and designed

the layout for all of the EDLE newsletters. We will miss

him very much, but wish him the best in his profession-

al career as a financial analyst!

We must also say goodbye to Dr. Richard Moniuszko,

who will retire from Mason at the end of May. In his

short two years with the program, Dr. Moniuszko be-

came a critical member of the EDLE team, taking the

lead on EDLE 618: Supervision and Evaluation, as well

as teaching doctoral level courses and advising both

masters and doctoral candidates. We will miss him

greatly, but we know how much he’s looking forward to

spending time with his children and grandchildren both

in South Carolina and Hawaii!

As the EDLE online program has officially launched, we

must now say goodbye to our Instructional Designer,

Dr. Ying-Ying Kuo. Dr. Kuo has been instrumental in

our learning of online andragogy and course design.

Under her guidance, we have grown into confident and

capable online instructors, and we are very grateful for

the patience and compassion she demonstrated

throughout this process.

Greetings from the EDLE Academic Program Coordinator

INSIDE THIS

ISSUE

Greetings from

the EDLE

Coordinator

1

Highlights from

the 2016 AERA

Meeting

2

Principal of the

Year

3

EDLE Program

Winner 2016

3

EDLE Graduates

on the Move

4

EDLE 2016

Graduation

Information

5

EDLE Office

Reminders

5

CEHD Core

Values

6

Volume 8, Issue 1

Spring 2016

Education Leadership

Ge

org

e M

aso

n

Un

ive

rsit

y

Anne-Marie Balzano

EDLE Program Coordinator

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:

Effective mid-May

new registration

instructions will be

available on

MyMason for

Cohort students.

Check MyMason for

important program

updates.

Campus/online

registration is now

open for fall 2016.

The Education Leadership Program was

well represented at AERA's Centennial Cel-

ebration from April 8-12 at the Walter

Washington Convention Center in Washing-

ton DC. Below are highlights of student

presentations from this year’s annual

meeting:

Scott Bauer and

Lori Wilt Silver

There is little

extant theory

framing the role

of isolation in

predicting vari-

ous outcomes

relating to the quality of work life of school

principals. Building on previous work, this

paper examines the relationships between

isolation, self-efficacy, job satisfaction,

burnout, and intention to leave the job

using structural equation modeling on a

sample of first-year principals from a

Southeastern US state. Results affirm the

import of isolation as an antecedent of

each outcome, in particular principals’

sense of efficacy.

Theresa Carson and Sonya

Douglass Horsford

This mixed methods re-

search study examines the

relationship between

school leadership, parent-

school involvement and its

Continued.. Page 2

In addition, Jessica Schwartzer has been

appointed to serve as Division A’s Gradu-

ate Student Council Connect Series Co-

Chair. Mason’s EDLE faculty also contin-

ue to play important leadership roles

within AERA and Division A. Dr. Sonya

Horsford served on Division A’s Early

Career Award and Nominating Commit-

tees and AERA’s Government Relations

Committee and Dr. Scott Bauer will con-

tinue his service on Division A’s Program

Committee as Program Chair for the

2017 Annual Meeting. Congratulations to

all!

We would also like to congratulate Dr.

Robert Smith and former EDLE Academic

Coordinator Dr. David Brazer on the pub-

lication of their new book Striving for

Equity: District Leadership for Narrowing

Opportunity and Achievement Gaps.

Striving for

Equity: District

Leadership for

Narrowing

Opportunity

and Achieve-

ment Gaps

Based on in-

depth inter-

views, Striving

for Equity brings

to light the com-

plex and illumi-

nating stories of

thirteen longtime superintendents—all

leaders of the Minority Student

Achievement Network (MSAN)—who

were able to make progress toward

narrowing opportunity and achieve-

ment gaps in traditional school districts

with diverse populations and multiple,

influence on academic outcomes for Eng-

lish Learners (ELs) from the perspective of

administrators, parents, and students of

two elementary schools that are experienc-

ing rapidly increasing EL student enroll-

ment. Research focusing on ELs claims that

school leaders who are successful in build-

ing strong relationships with EL families

have a significant impact on parent-school

involvement and support for student learn-

ing. These relationships, in turn, positively

impact EL student motivation, self-efficacy,

and academic outcomes. The results of this

study indicate that school leaders who suc-

cessfully build strong relationships with EL

families have a significant impact on au-

thentic parent-school involvement, which

improves EL student motivation, self-

efficacy, and academic outcomes.

Anthony S. Terrell

A collective case

study methodology

is used to explore

how high school

turnaround princi-

pals leveraged the

professional devel-

opment of teachers to raise student

achievement. The study also sought to cap-

ture the characteristics of the professional

development programs principals imple-

mented. Interview data were collected from

five turnaround principals and from teach-

ers who served under their leadership. Da-

ta were analyzed to determine the frequen-

cy with which principals and teachers re-

ferred to specific leadership approaches.

Student pass rates on standardized math

and reading tests were used to measure

student achievement. A cross-case analysis

of cases revealed key leadership considera-

tions and professional development plan

characteristics.

Mason’s EDLE Program Well Presented

at AERA's Centennial Meeting

Above: Striving for

Equity Book Cover

We embrace growth and change as a healthy part of life, and I am no exception to that rule. While serving as the EDLE Academic Pro-

gram Coordinator over the last three years has been a highlight of my professional career, I am pursuing new opportunities to cultivate

professional and program growth by conducting research in the area of distance education. I will couple my research interests with

continued service to our program by teaching classes each semester and working on service-related projects. With this my last newslet-

ter, I take this opportunity to thank the EDLE faculty and staff for their unwavering support during my tenure as coordinator. Through

our teamwork, the EDLE program has continued to grow and I know the plans and projects we have initiated will strengthen the pro-

gram for years to come.

On behalf of the EDLE faculty and staff, we wish you a restful and relaxing summer and look forward to seeing you again in Fall 2016!

Highlights from the 2016 AERA (American Educational Research Association) Meeting

The Impact of Job Isolation on New Prin-

cipals' Sense of Efficacy, Job Satisfac-

tion, Burnout, and Persistence

School Leadership for English Learner

Success: More Than an Instructional

Issue

The Role of Teacher Professional Devel-

opment in Turnaround Principals' Ap-

proach to Raising Student Achievement New Publications from EDLE Faculty

Continued.. Page 3

Jack, principal of Ashland Elementary

School, who are also former EDLE gradu-

ates. Lint’s tenure at New Dominion be-

gan in 2010 and since that time, he has

led the faculty in learning how to collect

and analyze data to inform instruction,

focused on closing the achievement gap

in reading and writing, implemented a

school-wide behavior plan, and supported

the effective use of technology in class-

rooms. New Dominion Alternative Center

serves students who are considered at-

risk and have behavior challenges, and

Lint’s passion and respect for his stu-

dents and teachers is palpable. When

asked what advice he had for new admin-

competing agendas. Drawing on cur-

rent research in organizational learn-

ing, the authors introduce a frame-

work consistent with the systemic

perspective of these superintendents

to help school leaders who want to

prioritize the narrowing of gaps.

Core chapters are devoted to discuss-

ing in detail the central strategies of

these superintendents, and illustrat-

ing how each of these leaders em-

ployed them in their particular circum-

stances. This book reveals the multi-

faceted, personal nature of this work and factors that proved

to be most critical to progress.

Above: Rob Smith

EDLE Faculty

“The book is an excellent, easy read

that provides a practical set of consid-

erations and a framework for action

for those who strive for excellence and

equity for ALL children.”

-Jerry Weast (Founder and CEO, Part-

nership for deliberate excellence,

and former superintendent, Mont-

gomery County Public Schools, Mary-

land.) Above: David Brazer for-

mer EDLE Faculty

Former EDLE Graduate Named Prince William County Principal of the Year

istrators he said, “Always stay true to what

got you involved in education to begin

with. Never lose sight of what is im-

portant: the kids. When in administra-

tion, we tend to get lost in all of the poli-

tics and parental involvement, but when

you stay true to why you got involved in

education in the first place, you will never

lose sight of what is important; the chil-

dren.” On behalf of the faculty and staff of

the EDLE program, we would like to con-

gratulate Buddy on his tremendous ac-

complishments!

Prince William

County Schools

named Michael

“Buddy” Lint,

former EDLE

graduate (2006)

and current

principal of New

Dominion Alter-

native Center,

Principal of the

Year. Lint was

selected from

among three principals nominated for this

award, including Neil Beech, principal of

Osbourn Park High School and Andrew

Above: Michael Lint

EDLE Program Award Winner 2016

My name is Kirby

Sypek and I am a

third grade teacher

for the Fairfax Coun-

ty Public School

System. I have

taught in the third

and fifth grade, and

currently am the

Local Level IV 3rd

Grade Advanced

Academics teacher.

I completed my Education Leadership

degree with a concentration in Special

Education so I could be prepared to be a

leader for all students. My goal is to gain

more leadership experiences so I can

become an Assistant Principal and then

Principal in the near future! My teaching

and leadership motto is “Teamwork

Makes the Dream Work!”

My experiences throughout my time at

George Mason were memorable and

meaningful to me. Completing internship

hours at a local middle school and with

the FCPS Instructional Services Math

Department helped me learn about the

collective energy and dedication that is

needed to support a diverse population.

Attending classes with professors and

classmates with varied backgrounds and

unique perspectives enhanced my under-

standing of ethical, moral, and school

leadership. Using the UBD model to create

my ideal program for educators during my

Curriculum class was one of my favorite

projects. I am excited to continue to build

my own capacity to support students and

teachers at my school. Above: Kirby Sypek

EDLE Graduates on the Move Page 4

is not just a prerequisite for high school, it is

a prerequisite for life.

The EDLE program at Mason was truly a life

changing experience. I was part of a cam-

pus cohort and it was extremely valuable to

work with other professionals at different

stages in their educational career. I felt

supported by my professors and appreciat-

ed the way each of them challenged me and

my classmates to look at situations through

various lenses. Having taught for 9 years, I

think I fell into the trap that many teachers

do, thinking that there is no room for growth

or change. The EDLE program helped me

discover new strategies to not only lead, but

also teach.

All of the courses in the EDLE program

are impactful. The internship was extremely

valuable as one can imagine. You really

don't know what you don't know, and so

being able to experience a situation first-

hand will help down the road.

EDLE 690: Using Research to Lead has

been helpful because education is so data

driven and a leader must be able to gather,

analyze, and utilize data to improve instruc-

tion and performance. And, contrary to

what many people might believe, numbers

can lie. They tell whatever story you want

to tell, so knowing your data well can really

help you as a leader.

EDLE 618:Supervision and Evaluation was

just a fun and informational class for

me. I've always embraced the role of men-

tor and I feared that becoming an adminis-

trator would force me to have to put that

aside. The course helped me see that you

don't always have to lead from the

front. Walking side by side with someone

and helping to steer them is just as im-

portant and sometimes the more desired

approach.

I wish I'd known that it is okay to not worry

so much about things I have no control

over. I spent my first year as an Assistant

Principal trying to establish myself in a new

school community and only finding suc-

cess when I stopped trying to make every-

one happy. This year as Principal, I recog-

nize what my personal goals are and have

worked with my staff to create a vision for

our school that reflects the demands of

our students, staff, and community. At the

end of the day though, I can only control

me. If I'm happy with the guy in the mirror,

everything else will take care of itself.

Which courses/assignments in particular

did you find most helpful and why?

Ty Harris finished the

EDLE program in Summer

2013. He currently holds

the position of Principal

at Mary Ellen Henderson

Middle School in Falls

Church, VA.

I love interacting with middle school stu-

dents. It can be such a difficult, yet re-

warding group to work with. We are con-

stantly trying to find new ways to offer

authentic learning experiences and I am

surrounded by amazing teachers that

make my job easy. I enjoy collaborating

with them and building their capacity to

lead. We also have a very involved group

of parents that have supported me as I've

tried to implement new programs at the

school. I like having the latitude to take

risks as we search for ways to break down

the silos that often exist with stakeholders

when it comes to education. Our parents

and the Falls Church community are true

partners in our efforts to ensure that every

kid that walks into MEH receives the best

education imaginable. Everyone has

bought into my mantra that middle school

In what ways do you feel the EDLE pro-

gram helped you shape your leadership?

What aspects of your new position do

you enjoy the most?

Above: Ty Harris

What is the one thing you wished you

knew before entering administration?

Stephanie Baran

finished the EDLE

program in Spring

2013. She currently

holds the position of

Assistant Principal

at Horizon Elemen-

tary School in Ster-

ling, VA..

My absolute favorite part of my new posi-

tion is working with the teachers to help

troubleshoot and find creative ways to

help support student growth. For instance

I am finding that I am pulling out some of

my favorite go to strategies of teaching to

share and then get feedback from the

classroom teacher. It is nice to see my

vision of being an instructional leader in-

stead of a manager come to fruition.

It helped me be realistic on my strengths

and weaknesses. It helped support my love

for being a lifelong learner and being more

open minded in my thoughts and practices

in the education field.

The course materials that I have relied on

most so far are my law and teacher evalua-

tion/walk through documents. Being an

assistant principal requires that I deal with

many delicate and varied special education

cases. Learning all about the laws, policies,

and regulations pertaining to special educa-

tion has allowed me to be better prepared

in my dealings with students, parents, and

professionals. My teacher evaluation course

with Dr. Upperman has helped me pinpoint

the many approaches I have available to me

when evaluating teachers at different expe-

In what ways do you feel the EDLE pro-

gram helped you shape your leadership?

What aspects of your new position do

you enjoy the most?

Above: Stephanie

Baran

rience levels, in addition to helping me

provide constructive feedback.

I wish I would have known more about how

to work with a principal or under a princi-

pal. The EDLE program did a fabulous job

preparing me to run a school solo, but it

would have been beneficial to have more

guidance on how to handle being under an

established principal whose methods and

ideas do not always align with what I have

learned. I rely on Michael Fullan’s book

“Leading in a Culture of Change” which

was suggested by Dr. Woody in my very

first class in my cohort, for advice and

guidance. I try to approach my principal as

I would a veteran teacher, realizing that we

both have the same goals, but more back-

ground and preparation for this would

have been beneficial.

Which courses/assignments in particular

did you find most helpful and why?

What is the one thing you wished you

knew before entering administration?

Continued.. Page 5

EDLE 2016 Graduation Information

For candidates who plan to graduate in Spring 2016 with a Masters degree, the

late graduation application is available on Patriot Web. Commencement is sched-

uled for May 14, 2016. The deadline for Summer 2016 graduation applications is

June 28. Before applying to graduate, please make sure to complete a degree audit

through Degree Works to ensure all requirements have been met. If there is a prob-

lem with your graduation application, the Registrar’s Office will send a message to

your Mason email account. Be sure to check your Mason email regularly and if you

are notified of a problem, please address it promptly.

Congratulations to all our Spring and Summer graduates!

In mid-May, new cohort registration instructions will be available on MyMason. We encour-

age all our cohort students to review these instructions as soon as possible. As a reminder,

George Mason is offering a 15% tuition discount for Virginia educators not already receiv-

ing a cohort discount. The discount must be applied for each semester and will not be

given until you have registered for classes. For more information, please visit: http://

cehd.gmu.edu/tuition-discount-for-virginia-educators

EDLE Office Reminders

Kelly Durso finished

the EDLE program in

Fall 2015. She cur-

rently holds the posi-

tion of Assistant

Principal at Olde

Creek Elementary

School in Fairfax, VA..

As a comprehensive services site (CSS),

Olde Creek Elementary School gets to

work with students who have not been

successful in other educational environ-

ments. I love that we can provide the aca-

demic, behavioral, and emotional supports

that these students require to be success-

ful. I also love that since my school has

students from other schools from various

area of Fairfax County Public Schools, I get

to work with other leadership teams,

teachers, and families to help determine

the services that can best meet the needs

of students accessing special education

services.

The EDLE program taught me that there is

not one specific approach to leadership.

No two members of our cohort were the

same - we all brought different back-

grounds and perspectives to the program,

and our differences is what made us all

grow and develop. Through my interac-

tions with my professors and my class-

mates, I was able to observe and reflect

on different leadership styles. I know that

different leaders approach situations dif-

ferently, but I can be confident in the deci-

sions I make if I am able to act according

to what is best for the students.

Using Research to Lead School Improve-

ment taught me how to truly study the needs

of a school in order to determine what a

school can do to improve. I was able to de-

sign my school improvement plan to meet

the specific needs that I had identified in my

school. I also loved that many of the courses

in the EDLE program utilized case studies as

learning tools. It was incredibly helpful being

able to determine appropriate courses of

action in real-world scenarios.

When I accepted this position in the middle

of a school year, I knew it was going to be

great, but also challenging. I feel that the

EDLE program successfully prepared me to

take on this challenge. I am taking the time

to get to know the culture and climate of the

school, while still addressing the daily tasks

assigned to me. I wish I could have had

more hands-on experience using the com-

puter software that is necessary for school

administrators to utilize on a daily basis.

Above: Kelly Durso

What aspects of your new position do

you enjoy the most?

In what ways do you feel the EDLE pro-

gram helped you shape your leadership?

Which courses/assignments in particular

did you find most helpful and why?

What is the one thing you wished you

knew before entering administration?

The EDLE program is proud of the

valuable partnerships we have built

with our surrounding school districts

and the role we play in advancing the

leadership capacity of our partners.

For fall 2016, we have successfully

recruited two new cohorts. The Re-

gional North 15 and Prince William 22

will begin in September 2016. Infor-

mation regarding spring 2017 cohorts

will be posted in the fall newsletter

and on the EDLE website.

For more information on up-coming

cohorts contact Dr. Farnoosh

Shahrokhi at fshahrok@gmu.edu.

Cohort News

Above: Cherie Antonellis, Donna Martinez-

Vallejos, Farnoosh Shahrokhi, and Nafi

Hasan

CEHD Core Values

In the context of an enduring college-

level and university-level commit-

ment to teaching, research and ser-

vice, the College of Education and

Human Development also holds the

following core values:

Collaboration

Collaboration is an important human

activity that involves shared respon-

sibility in promoting healthy, pro-

ductive lives and educational success.

We commit ourselves to work toward

these goals in genuine partnerships

with individuals, families, communi-

ty agencies, schools, businesses,

foundations, and other groups at the

local, regional, national and interna-

tional levels.

Ethical Leadership

In all professions represented by the

college, leadership is an essential

component denoting ability and will-

ingness to help lead professional

practice to higher levels. We commit

ourselves to practice ethical leader-

ship through deliberate and system-

atic attention to the ethical principles

that guide all leaders in a moral soci-

ety.

Innovation

We have a history of creating dynamic,

innovative programs and we are dedi-

cated to continue creating innovative

approaches in all areas of our work.

We commit ourselves to seeking new

ways to advance knowledge, solve

problems, improve our professional

practice and expand on our successes.

Research-Based Practice

The best practice in any discipline is

based upon sound research and profes-

sional judgment. We commit ourselves

to basing our instruction, scholarship

and policy recommendations on well-

established principles that, wherever

possible, emerge from research and

reflection on its implications for pro-

fessional practice.

Social Justice

Social justice embodies essential prin-

ciples of equity and access to all oppor-

tunities in society, in accordance with

democratic principles and respect for

all persons and points of view. We

commit ourselves to promoting equity,

opportunity, and social justice through

the college's operations and its mis-

sions related to teaching, research, and

service.

George Mason University

EDLE Program Office

Thompson Hall Suite 1300

4400 University Drive, MSN 4C2

Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: 703-993-3633

Fax: 703-993-3643

Dr. Anne-Marie Balzano

EDLE Academic Coordinator

Phone: 703-993-5699

alohse@gmu.edu

Dr. Farnoosh Shahrokhi

EDLE Outreach Coordinator

Phone: 703-993-2009

fshahrok@gmu.edu

EDLE Vision

The Education Leadership Program is

dedicated to improving the quality of

pre-K-12 education through teaching,

research and service. Candidates and

practicing administrators engage in

course work devoted to experiential

learning, professional growth

opportunities, and doctoral research

that informs practice. We educate

exceptional leaders who act with

integrity as they work to improve

schools.

E D U C A T I O N L E A D E R S HI P

P R O G R A M C ON T A C T

I N F O R M A TI O N