International School Leadership Certificate Program
A Globally-Recognized Leadership Certificate. Online delivery starts April 2024! Register by March 9, 2024.
Program Description
The International School Leadership Certificate is issued after completion of Modules 1-6.
Module 1: Leadership for School Improvement
What is your WHY and how does it connect to student achievement and well-being?
How might international research about effective school leadership practices promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in your school?
Are you managing, leading or always doing both?
How can a school-level leadership framework improve your leadership practices?
Module 2: Characteristics of Effective Schools and Systems
- What are the dimensions associated with effective and inclusive schools and systems?
- How will an understanding of effective and inclusive schools guide your next steps as a leader?
- What does the research say about the high yield areas for improvement?
- How is your school performing? What are the strengths and areas for improvement?
- How do you know whether or not your school is a learning organization?
Module 3: Building Relationships and Developing People
· What are the qualities of an inspirational leader? Are you an inspirational leader?
· How do you best assess emotional and cultural intelligences in your school setting?
· What are some valuable ways understanding EQ and CQ is helping high performing schools increase professional capital, collective efficacy, and school capacity?
· What are the top personal leadership resources available to leaders?
· Why is authentic leadership so vital to trust building? How can your learning community foster authentic leadership to improve professional collaboration, classroom instruction, student motivation, and achievement?
· Is collaboration where it needs to be in order to optimize instructional and intercultural capacity in your learning community? How can you tell?
Module 4: Setting Goals and Expectations Using Data-Informed Decision Making
· Are you and your team working hard and not yet seeing the improvements desired?
· Are you gathering the right data? What additional data do you need to collect?
· How will a structured process improve your data conversations with others? How do you move from raw data to targeted goals?
· What is the role of PISA and other large-scale assessments?
· What are the best strategies for engaging teachers in a review of school data to inform improvement planning and decision making?
Module 5: Leading Improvement in Classroom Instruction
· How can learning walks and professional conversations boost teaching and learning?
· How might a differentiation framework help school professionals meet individual needs and maintain high expectations for all?
· What is instructional strategy research suggesting for highly effective schools and how does your school stack up today?
· How do inquiry-based strategies work to engage student higher order thinking and build intercultural competence and global citizenship?
· Why will the application of the professional learning cycle support collaborative inquiry? What is the next step?
Module 6: Instructional Leadership Project Plan - The application of theory to practice
How can you incorporate all of your new learning into an actionable plan?
“It is not that the research literature is unhelpful but rather it needs to be put into perspective so that individual change leaders can learn to become more effective in practical, meaningful ways. Our intent is to place the leader in the driver’s seat, in charge of their own learning while collaborating with others.” Fullan 2012
Master's Dimension
The Master’s Dimension (MD) program is available to those who have completed Certificate 1 (Modules 1 – 6). By completing the MD, our partnering universities will recognize your work and provide prior-learning credits that will reduce tuition costs and completion times for a master’s degree.
For further information about the requirements and registration, please contact international@principals.ca
Program Design, Delivery & Pricing
Online (100%)
- Module 1,2,3,4,5 and 6
- Cohort delivery method
- 4 weeks over 5-week period, per module, weekly themes, two 2-hour webinars, case studies, videos, articles, discussion, reflection, personal module reflection, 15 hours
- Webinar time determined by Instructor to accommodate time zone differences; webinars recorded with alternate assignment
- Highly interactive with fellow participants and instructor
- 80 hours, 6 modules over 12 months
- Three-part payment option
- ISL Certificate
Week 1: Theme
Week 2: Theme
Webinar – Saturday Morning Eastern Time
Stop/Start/Continue
Week 3: Reading week
Week 4: Theme
Webinar – Saturday Morning Eastern Time
Week 5: Theme
Module Reflection
Module Evaluation
Online Certificate
Open Registration: 25% savings as an
introductory offering
$3000 NOW $2250 CAD with
Online Module Weekly Themes
Week 1: Your Why
Week 2: Leadership for Instructional Improvement
Webinar – Saturday Morning –
Stop/Start/Continue
Week 3: Reading week
Week 4: Leadership for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Webinar – Saturday Morning – Case Studies
Week 5: Leadership Frameworks that Matter
Module Reflection
Module Evaluation
Week 1: Effective and Inclusive School Systems
Week 2: High Performing and Inclusive Schools
Webinar – Saturday Morning [MOU1]
Stop/Start/Continue
Week 3: Reading week
Week 4: Connecting Inclusive Leadership and Schools
Webinar – Saturday Morning – Case studies
Week 5: Schools as Learning Organizations
Module Reflection
Module Evaluation
Week 1: Inspirational Leaders
Week 2: Leadership with Emotional Intelligence
Webinar – Saturday Morning [MOU2]
Stop/Start/Continue
Week 3: Reading week
Week 4: Leadership with Cultural Intelligence
Webinar – Saturday Morning – Case studies
Week 5: Relational Trust
Module Reflection
Module Evaluation
Week 1: Data Literacy
Week 2: Multiple Measures of Data
Webinar – Saturday Morning – Big and Little Data
Stop/Start/Continue
Week 3: Reading week
Week 4: International Data
Webinar – Saturday Morning – Case Studies
Week 5: Data-informed Leadership Practices
Module Reflection
Module Evaluation
Week 1: Pedagogical Leadership Frameworks
Week 2: Four PL Competencies
Webinar – Saturday Morning – Student Engagement and Agency
Stop/Start/Continue
Week 3: Reading week
Week 4: Assessment Practices
Webinar – Saturday Morning – Case studies
Week 5: Professional Learning Cycle
Module Reflection
Module Evaluation
Week 1: Webinar – discussion of project
Weeks 2-4: Independent Preparation
Week 5: Submission of Plan
Completion of Overall Program Evaluation
Onsite (100%)
With onsite delivery, you will get a chance to experience our greatest strength, the quality of our instructors. Beyond having demonstrated the highest levels of leadership, these individuals stand out as exemplary teachers. Onsite delivery is supported by an online learning forum. All module resources are made available online.
Delivery Dates, Activities, and Modules – to be finalized with client
Completion of ISL Self-Assessment Tool for School Leaders
Meeting with client steering committee to finalize contextualizing of the program
Instructor School Visits
Day 1- Module 1
Day 2- Module 1/2
Day 3- Module 2
Submission of Personal Reflections for both modules, with Instructor feedback
Submission of Individual Session Evaluations
Inter-session Web Conference –
‘Reflecting on the application of the new knowledge.”
Note: no new content will be presented
Pre-session – collection of school specific data to support Module 4
Day 1 – Module 3
Day 2 – Module 3/4
Day 3 – Module 4
Submission of Personal Reflections for both modules, with Instructor feedback
Submission of Individual Session Evaluations
Inter-session Web Conference
‘Reflecting on the application of the new knowledge.”
Note: Learning Walks will be introduced with discussion of organizing Day 1 of 3rd session
Day 1 – AM Learning Walks
PM Learning Walks – debriefing
Day 2- Module 5
Day 3- Module 5 AM
Module 6 PM – Introduction
Submission of Leadership Plans developed by individuals, schools or teams, with feedback from the instructor.
Submission of a program evaluation by all participants
Graduation – ISL Certificates
Contract Elements
Total Contract Price: (quotes upon request)
Payment Schedule: (to be determined)
Payment 1: 33.3% of contract price – Upon signing of contract
Payment 2: 33.3% of contract price – due after session 2
Payment 3: 33.3% of contract price – due after session 3
Included in Contract Price:
Program, instructor compensation and travel expenses; all resources online
Not Included:
Costs associated with venue and participants.
Onsite Delivery
3-day (two modules) for $17.500 plus venue costs
maximum of 30 participants
(Quotes for delivery are available upon request.)
Online Contracted Delivery
- Modules 1,2,3,4,5 and 6
- 4 weeks over 5-week period, per module, weekly themes, two 2-hour webinars, case studies, videos, articles, discussion, reflection, personal module reflection, 15 hours
- Webinar time determined by client; webinars recorded with alternate assignment
- Highly interactive with client and instructor;
- 80 hours, 6 modules over a period of time determined by the client
- Payment schedule to be agreed to with client
- ISL Certificate with co-branding
Online Certificate
Contract Delivery: all 6 modules for a group of 18
$28,000 CAD plus HST where applicable
One Online Module
$5300 CAD plus HST where applicable
Why Select Our International School Leadership Certificate Program?
Our certificate program is designed to provide you with a comprehensive set of modules leading to the acquisition of an International School Leadership Certificate. Participants will be able to reflect on their own practice using our online tools focused on self-assessment for teachers and for school leaders.
An internationally highly regarded program for national and international school leaders.
Highly Effective Instructors
Instructors who demonstrate deep commitment to their students, resulting in many life-long relationships.
Internationally Regarded
Participants from over 50 countries who have completed nearly 6000 modules.
Flexible Learning Strategies
Online and onsite delivery formats.
Positive Testimonials
From participants, advocates and collaborators from around the world.
Instructional Strategies
Helps leaders develop high yield strategies, explore current research and work through a student-centered curriculum.
Program Alignment
Leverages partnerships with higher education institutions for advanced standing in Master’s courses and is used as part of a Master’s Degree.
Testimonials of Quality
Outstanding Impact!
The ISL program has made a huge impact on our school system and has created coherence and alignment for all our school and system leaders. We have become better using data and identifying key factors for school improvement and it has helped us laying the foundation for our framework. The learning and commitment has increased for everyone involved and by the power of collective learning we have built capacity within our teams. The program is a good mixture of theory and practise and the instructors were very professional and structured. Everyone agrees that the education was outstanding and that we couldn’t have invested our money in a better way
In-depth and Effective Learning
“It has become increasingly clear to me that I need to educate myself more and become more of a lead learner and collaborate with the teachers to implement change. This program helped my focus shift to what the students are learning and the impact the teacher has on the students. I highly recommend this program to any school leader looking to influence change in their school.”
Engaging and Inspirational
“It is so inspiring to learn about leadership and teaching from someone who really practices what they teach. Three wonderful, inspiring days of professional input, cooperation and reflection. It was fantastic! I was surprised by the extent of opportunity to participate and engage. We really had the option to go as deep as we wanted with our learning. The excellent online format was also new to me, but it was easy to pick up.”
Exceptional!
“After the knowledge and newly found direction obtained in the course, myself, together with my leadership team will redirect focus of teaching to students’ needs. Teachers and leadership should be aware of the needs of students within classrooms and also the gaps that are present. The effects of the learning were so great that I’m using this learning in everything I do.”
Thank you!
“Thank you for such practical, useful and bite-sized information, that, in our busy day and workload, we can manage and learn from.”
A wonderful program!
“The program is impacting what I do and how I do it. Your Module professors are excellent….Please thank your hard-working instructors, they have great advice and specific feedback. Your institution has led to a huge academic growth to my staff within this one academic year.”
Who Recognizes Our Certificate Program
A number of universities have certified our program by assessing and verifying the quality of the program in accordance with institutional standards and, thereafter, extending Master degree credits for our program. These universities include:
- Charles Sturt University (Australia),
- Education University of Hong Kong,
- Edith Cowan University (Australia)
- University of Waikato (New Zealand)
Our program has been recognized by a number of organizations and institutions around the globe:
