Monthly eNewsletter – September 2025
Our collective power expands when we support each other to foster the unlimited potential of each and every student.
Dr. Mullen on Building Widespread Leadership Through Adult Learning
CLEE’s Fall Meeting will bring together educators and leaders from across the country November 13-14 in Rhode Island for two days of hands-on practice, deep reflection, and shared learning. We will explore how nurturing adult learning is essential to advancing widespread leadership and sustaining student success. When adults grow together, they build collective capacity and improve student outcomes. Keynote speaker Dr. Barbara Mullen, known for her deliberate and confident advocacy for students, will share the ways she leads with a focus on healing to foster adult and student learning.
What excites you most about giving the keynote this year, and why should educators prioritize attending?
I am excited to return to CLEE because this is where I learned the most about adult learning. That foundation continues to guide me today. In the five years since leaving CLEE, my research and practice have consistently reinforced one idea: if we want widespread leadership in our schools and communities, we must invest in how adults learn. Expanding educators’ skills is not only about professional development, it is about creating the conditions where every adult can grow, lead, and in turn help students succeed. Educators should prioritize attending because leadership begins with nourishing yourself and your colleagues. When we nurture adult learning, we create the collective capacity to nurture students.
What do you see as the most important elements of effective educational leadership?
Effective leadership is rooted in love and empathy, because trust and collaboration cannot grow without them. Leadership must also be shared. When every adult in a school believes in the power to influence outcomes, leadership no longer rests in a role or a title, it becomes widespread.
For educators who may be new to CLEE’s core leadership practices or collaborative protocols, what encouragement or advice would you offer to inspire them to join the Fall Meeting?
Trust the process and trust the people. Collaboration can feel uncomfortable at first because it asks us to step back from old habits and step into shared responsibility. Widespread leadership depends on that trust. The more you lean into the process, the more you realize how much you can learn from the adults around you. That is what will sustain you and your students.
What key takeaways or insights do you hope attendees walk away with after your keynote?
I hope people leave with a clear understanding that healing is both a choice and a responsibility. If we want to improve children’s learning, we must first work on healing ourselves as adults. Widespread leadership requires adults who are willing to learn, reflect, and take responsibility for one another’s growth. When we choose to invest in our own learning, we create a culture where everyone, both adults and students, can thrive.
CLEE invites you to our second annual national gathering — Fall Meeting 2025!
Continue the work of collaboration and student-focused leadership in person this fall. CLEE Fall Meeting will bring together educators and leaders from across the country for two days of hands-on practice, deep reflection, and shared learning.
We will focus on facilitative leadership, adult learning, and building strong communities of practice.
Early Bird Deadline extended to September 15!
Don’t miss out on early bird registration for Fall Meeting! Early bird registration for Fall Meeting is extended through Monday, September 15 at $740. Groups of three or more can take advantage of the group rate of $690/person. Standard registration after Monday, September 15 will be $890/person.
Limited Workshop Presenter Opportunity – 1 spot remaining
Are you using collaborative tools and practices in exciting ways that you’d like to share? Do you want to host a learning session on a topic of interest? We invite you to offer a 60-minute Workshop at Fall Meeting! It will be an opportunity to share new skills and explore ideas in a collaborative setting with colleagues across the nation. You will get a $250 discount code to use when you register.
Start the School Year with Strong Support and Connection
The start of a new school year presents both opportunities and challenges for educators and leaders. Access to guidance, tools, and a collaborative community strengthens confidence, helps tackle dilemmas, and drives meaningful learning for students.
CLEE has provided this support to educators for years. Here is what participants have shared about their experiences:
CLEE supports educators in taking risks, reflecting deeply, and building practical skills that make a difference in classrooms, schools, and communities. If you are looking for a structured way to extend this support and deepen your practice this school year, CLEE’s Collaborative Leadership Package provides actionable tools, protocols, and opportunities to connect with colleagues.
Take your leadership to the next level with CLEE’s Collaborative Leadership Package.
Bundle three of our most powerful learning experiences, Fall Meeting, Facilitator Training, and Community of Practice, for only $1800 (a savings of almost $500).
Grow your leadership with:
- National connection and inspiration at the Fall Meeting (in person, November 13–14 in Rhode Island).
- Practical skills and tools to strengthen your facilitation and collaborative leadership through our virtual Facilitator Training.
- Ongoing growth and support in CLEE’s virtual Community of Practice, where you exchange feedback and learn with colleagues from across the country.
Invest in your growth as a collaborative, student-focused leader while saving nearly $500.
From Learning to Leadership: Voices of RIRAPP
The Principal Residency Network’s new pathway, the Rhode Island Registered Apprenticeship Principal Program (RIRAPP), is now fully underway as part of the 2025/2026 PRN cohort. RIRAPP is the first registered apprentice principal program in the Northeast.
CLEE is excited to support the following individuals stepping into the role of assistant principal as an apprentice in their district while engaging in PRN:
RIRAPP candidates serve in full assistant principal roles while completing the PRN under a Registered Apprenticeship Preliminary Certificate. They apply their learning directly to their daily leadership. Kristin Joyal reflected: “Working alongside other members of the cohort has been extremely powerful- I’m learning so much from every member – the real life experience training is powerful and immediately applicable to my work.”
Mentorship, a cornerstone of PRN’s design, is integral to the apprenticeship. Mentor principals provide critical guidance and support. Michelle Laboissonniere shared, “Leading a team while getting the support and guidance of my mentor has been one of the most valuable parts of this apprenticeship. It’s given me the chance to see things from a different lens and really understand the bigger picture. I’ve been able to make decisions and see the direct impact they have on students, families, and staff. This experience has let me learn by doing, apply what I’m learning right away, and grow my confidence and skills as a leader.”
CLEE, Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), and Building Futures RI are committed to sustaining and expanding this pathway. Laboissonniere affirmed, “I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of this apprenticeship pathway. It has been a wonderful experience for my growth as a leader, and I appreciate the support, and guidance I’ve received so far. I hope this pathway continues to be available in the future so that other aspiring principals can benefit from the same hands-on learning.”
School Improvement in Action
We are proud to announce the districts and schools partnering with CLEE through the grant-supported Plan, Lead, Act, Network, and Sustain (PLANS) initiative. Together, we are strengthening student outcomes and building sustainable leadership practices across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Partnership Highlights
Districts and schools in our network are:
- Strengthening ELA and mathematics learning outcomes
- Retaining and developing effective school leaders
- Achieving ambitious school-wide goals
- Activating stakeholder engagement and leadership agency
- Improving school improvement processes and increasing district coherence
We celebrate the commitment and leadership of these partners as they work to create vibrant and student-centered schools:
- Alfred Lima Elementary School, Providence, RI
- Anthony Carnevale Elementary School, Providence, RI
- Atkinson School, North Andover, MA
- Central High School, Providence, RI
- Charlton Middle School, Charlton, MA
- Dudley Elementary, Dudley, MA
- Dudley Middle School, Dudley, MA
- East Providence High School, East Providence, RI
- Edward R. Martin Middle School, East Providence, RI
- Franklin School, North Andover, MA
- Harry Kizirian Elementary School, Providence, RI
- Heritage School, Charlton, MA
- Kickemuit Middle School, Warren, RI
- Mary Fogarty Elementary School, Providence, RI
- Quaboag Regional Middle High School, Warren, MA
- Riverside Middle School, East Providence, RI
- Roger Williams Middle School, Providence, RI
- Sargent School, North Andover, MA
- Shepherd Hill High School, Dudley, MA
- Thomson School, North Andover, MA
- Warren Elementary School, Brookfield, MA
- Webster Avenue Elementary School, Providence, RI
- West Broadway Middle School, Providence, RI
- West Brookfield Elementary School, Brookfield, MA
CLEE Open Sessions
CLEE offers learning opportunities that fit your time and budget while supporting your goals. Our open programs are designed to support all educators at any stage of their journey. Engage in one or more programs to build your capacity to collaborate to improve student outcomes.
CLEE Fall Meeting: Our Annual National Gathering – Early Bird Deadline Extended
Join a national community of educators for two days of in-person learning. Participate in small-group learning and peer-led sessions that model collaborative leadership in action.
Creating Collaborative Leadership: Virtual Workshop Series
Engage in free, interactive virtual sessions that strengthen your skills in leading student-focused collaboration. Each session offers practical tools and shared learning.
New! – Facilitator Training (Virtual): In-Depth Skill-Building
Grow your capacity to lead with purpose and strengthen collaboration among colleagues. In this training you will practice facilitation skills, use collaborative tools to expand perspectives and guide teams to improvements that center student impact.
New! – CLEE Community of Practice: Virtual Learning Community
Join CLEE’s virtual Community of Practice to collaborate with peers across the country. Build relationships, exchange feedback on real challenges, and practice giving and receiving feedback in a supportive environment that fosters growth and impact.
CLEE Fall Meeting taps the vast expertise of the field to provide an in-person immersive experience over two days. Creating Collaborative Leadership Virtual Workshop Series is a no-cost sample with real experience and tools you can use in your setting. Facilitator Training builds your capacity to lead with purpose through practice with facilitation skills and collaborative tools that drive student-focused improvements. CLEE Community of Practice connects you with peers nationwide to exchange feedback, deepen practice, and grow in a supportive professional learning community.
Each month, CLEE offers a question or two to help you reflect on what you are experiencing. Thinking about the importance of questioning and what your answers mean is one more step in your growth as a leader.
Join CLEE on social media to follow the monthly questions and share your answers.