Kent Peterson

School improvement efforts thrive in schools where strong, ethical cultures exist. These unwritten rules can reinforce or destroy quality professional learning communities.

During this intimate conversation, aspiring principals will develop practical strategies to:

• Identify the core features of positive cultures, school improvement efforts and PLCs
• Address the challenges of negative behaviors and relationships
• Use storytelling, celebrations and rituals to build a sense of purpose
• Discuss tools to transform toxic cultures into PLCs
• Enhance ethical, student-focused values among faculty and staff

DR. KENT PETERSON is a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis and founder of the Principals Leadership Institute. He is the founding director of the Vanderbilt Principals Institute and the Co-director of the Wisconsin LEAD Academy. He was the Director of the National Center for Effective Schools Research and Development and the federally funded Principals Leadership Institute at Wisconsin. He currently works with urban and suburban leadership academies for new, aspiring, and experienced school principals in the U.S. and around the world.

Dr. Peterson has co-authored four books with Terrence Deal that probe into the complexities and challenges of school leadership. These include The Principal’s Role in Shaping School Culture, published by the U.S. Department of Education, and The Leadership Paradox: Balancing Leadership and Artistry in Schools, published by Jossey-Bass. This book has been translated into both Chinese and Japanese. Their popular book Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership is a bestseller and has recently been translated into Japanese. Their newest book, the Shaping School Culture Fieldbook, provides concrete strategies for assessing and shaping positive school cultures. He is especially known for developing the concept of “toxic cultures.”