The “Teacher and School Director Professional Development Project” under "Millennium Challenge Account – Georgia“ implemented by the National Center for Teacher Professional Development continues the trainings for school directors and facilitators on the issues related to school management improvement. The trainings are held in Tbilisi, Telavi, Bazaleti, Batumi and Tskaltubo.

The Leadership Academy training program is designed to help public school directors effectively manage the school and to create a student-centered learning environment.

Currently, 434 directors and the same number of facilitators selected on the basis of school within the project are taking the first and second training modules of the second Leadership Academy project. The training topics include: "Shared leadership and adult learning" and "Teaching mentorship".

The Leadership Academy consists of three stages and is the combination of long-term training modules, which started on August 15, 2016 and will continue until the end of 2018. All public school directors are involved in the program.

Successful completion of the program will help school directors improve their practices in the directions such as time, financial and human resources effective management; Improvement of student oriented learning environment; training community development; introduction of innovative and interactive methods and implementation of long-term development-oriented monitoring and evaluation system.

During the trainings, school directors will learn about the modern leadership characteristics in order to adapt them to their own school management style and principles of collaboration and relations.

At the trainings, the Academy participants will develop their own management style reflection and identify their own strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities and risks. In addition, participants will be introduced to the teacher mentorship strategies application methods into practice.

The First Leadership Academy was attended by 1702 public school directors from August to October 2016. The survey showed that 81% of directors participating in the first Leadership Academy said that the learning objectives of the trainings corresponded to their professional needs. Also, 76% of the school directors mentioned that the trainings increased their professional level and the knowledge gained will help become a better director.

In addition to the trainings, quarterly meetings and annual conferences will be held for directors under the project, where school directors will have the opportunity to share the knowledge and professional experience gained through the Academy with their colleagues, select the best ways and opportunities based on their own context.

After successful completion of every stage of the Leadership Academy, participants will receive a certificate.

Millennium Challenge Account - Georgia funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and implemented by the National Center for Teacher Professional Development with the expert support of IREX, the International Consulting Company and cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.