In 2022, women may not need other women to help them get a job in educational leadership, but they certainly can use the coaching and mentorship of their colleagues to prepare for and to perform in those jobs. Several years ago, the TOSS ALI agenda added a Women in Educational Leadership event to our schedule each year. This year, I am happy to introduce part one of our three-part series: Women and Leadership Cohort 2022-2023: Coaching, Creating, and Coping.  All TOSS ALI members and SLI members are invited to join us as we learn more about coaching and the coaching work done by women in our state.

Our opening presenters will be Dr. Amanda Pickens and Mrs. Renee Pryor from Lincoln County Schools in Fayetteville, Tennessee. Mrs. Pryor, Supervisor of Instruction and Teacher Evaluation, has worked in coaching and mentoring both new and seasoned teachers for several years, serving on multiple committees and presenting nationally on the work of mentoring teachers and on lead teachers. Amanda Pickens, the principal at Highland Rim School, has been a lead teacher herself, and she will share the lead teacher program they use now and help us all see how that program develops school leadership as it directly impacts student learning. The day will end with a presentation from Dr. Robbie Faulkner from Dickson County Schools. Currently serving as their Secondary Supervisor of Instruction, Robbie will help us see how coaching and mentoring supported both teacher evaluation and student learning. Each presenter will share their experiences with coaching  both in schools, in their careers, and in the community.

This is part one of our three-part series. We will focus on Coaching this fall, to be followed by a coping event in the winter of 2023 and finally, a Women’s Retreat in May where we will dive more deeply into the concept of creating in leadership. I hope you can attend all three events, but they are stand alone, so feel free to sign up now for November 15, 2022!

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