Setting the Pace for a Great Year: A month to month guide for Special Education Directors
(Room 551A)
12 Nov 26
4:00 PM
-
5:00 PM
Tracks:
Educational Leadership: Leading with Purpose
The role of a Special Education Director is fast-paced, cyclical, and deeply relational. Setting the Pace for a Great Year provides a practical, month-by-month leadership roadmap designed to help new and aspiring directors move from reactive survival to proactive systems leadership. Using a race-themed framework, this session walks participants through the predictable rhythms, pressure points, and priorities of each month—from July’s engineering and planning phase to June’s reflective “victory lap.” Participants will explore key leadership moves tied to compliance cycles (Child Count, progress reporting, ESY, staffing), instructional focus (data teaming, SDI branding, referral practices), personnel management (recruitment, interviews, coaching conversations), and culture-building (visibility, messaging, trust practices). The session emphasizes creating structure through review, planning, implementation, and reflection, while maintaining high-trust relationships and clear systems. Attendees will leave with practical tools, planning strategies, and leadership resources to organize their calendars, anticipate challenges, and build strong networks. Whether in year one or year ten, this presentation equips Special Education Directors to set the pace—rather than chase it—for a focused, energized, and successful year.