Improving the quality of education in school districts across
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Where Superintendents and Educational Leaders Collaborate to Shape the Future of Public Education
Since its inception in 1943, the Center for School Study Councils (CSSC) has worked to improve the quality of public education across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware by empowering superintendents to lead with vision, collaborate across districts, and address critical challenges through continuous professional learning, strategic action, and access to the resources of the University of Pennsylvania.
The Center for School Study Councils is part of Catalyst @ Penn GSE, a center connecting people and ideas across diverse constituencies to develop innovative ways to address persistent and emerging problems in education.
Become a MemberJoin a vibrant network of superintendents and educational leaders from districts of all sizes across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. As a member of the Center for School Study Councils (CSSC), you’ll gain access to a powerful community committed to learning, collaboration, and leadership. Our monthly professional development workshops are the heart of the CSSC experience—designed to challenge your thinking, expand your leadership toolkit, and connect you with peers facing similar challenges and opportunities. These sessions are eligible for continuing education credit through the Delaware and Pennsylvania Departments of Education. Interested in becoming a member? Reach out to our program coordinator to learn more about the membership. |
– Joe Meloche, Superintendent, Rose Tree Media School District, Pennsylvania
– Joe Meloche, Superintendent, Rose Tree Media School District, Pennsylvania
Participants in the Center for School Study Councils identify key issues affecting public education and engage in the following leadership activities:
Council members participate in workshops and seminars featuring nationally recognized experts. These workshops and seminars enable members to develop and share their knowledge and expertise. See a list of topics from last year's workshops.
As educational leaders, superintendents create the context for public conversation about education. The Center supports members in articulating issues and solutions in their districts and across the region.
The Center for School Study Councils provides a platform through which members develop a support network for collaborative action. This platform includes sharing ideas and successful practices as well as developing new ways to share resources and expertise.
The Center accomplishes this mission through four series of monthly professional development workshops for school superintendents as well as through special projects developed in response to requests from affiliated school districts and Intermediate Units.
| Topic | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|
| The Nexus of Cyber Security, School Systems, and Students | Colonel Corey Hemingway, U.S. Army retired, Senior Director for Strategy & Campaign Management, Millennium Corporation |
| AI & Immersive Technology in K-12 |
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| Practitioners' Playbook |
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| Unpacking Difficult Conversations | Dr. Howard Stevenson, Professor of Practice, Penn GSE |
| Physiological Recalibration During Dehumanizing Encounters | Dr. Sharon Ravitch, Professor of Practice, Penn GSE |
| Navigating Political Shifts | Dr. Nancy MacLean, Professor of History and Public Policy, Duke University |
| How Language Shapes Behavior | Dr. Jonah Berger, Associate Professor of Marketing, Wharton School at Penn |
| Leadership Across Sectors | Dr. Regina Cunningham, CEO, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania |
| Burnout Immunity | Dr. Kandi Wiens, Senior Fellow in Learning, Teaching, and Literacies, Penn GSE |
| Unreasonable Cultures | Dr. Renita Miller, Executive Director, Wharton Community Engagement, Wharton School at Penn |
| Prioritizing Focus on Students and their Needs |
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| Fostering Mental Health and Supporting Optimal Student Development |
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| Understanding Each Other and Helping School Work Better | Dr. Jonathan Haidt, Social Psychologist, Stern School of Business, New York University |
| Leading in Uncertainty and Unpredictability |
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| Leading with AI In Mind |
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| AI Simulation | Jason Green, Co-founder and President, Yourway Learning, Co-author of Blended Learning in Action |
| Ecosystem Approaches to Mitigating Youth Mental Health Challenges Through Public Partnerships | Jacqueline Coleman, Kentucky Lieutenant Governor |
| Understanding and Responding to the Anxious Generation | Tim Foxx, Director, Center for School Studys Councils, Penn GSE |
| Student Absenteeism | Dr. Michael Gottfried, Professor of Policy, Organizations, Leadership, Systems Division, Penn GSE |
| Adaptive Leadership |
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| Politics, Policy, and Purpose |
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The Center for School Study Councils provides three areas of service and technical assistance to superintendents and their affiliated school districts.
The Study Council staff works with affiliated school districts and other educational organizations to develop professional development workshops and retreats to meet identified organizational needs. Sample programs include:
The Study Council staff has adapted a variety of strategic planning models for use with educational organizations. Those adaptations incorporate aspects of idealized redesign, appreciative planning, future search, and deliberative planning into more traditional models of strategic planning to create a process that best fits the needs of our clients.
Public leadership is an essential component of the superintendency. This leadership goes beyond traditional public relations and beyond making district policies and practices available to parents of children in schools. Given the essential role of parents and communities in the education of the children, both must be engaged as partners, as co-producers of the educational program.We work with districts to design ways to engage stakeholders in productive deliberative dialogue that can inform superintendent and board decision-making, building stronger school-parent-community collaboration.
Membership with the Center for School Study Councils opens the door to a dynamic network of support, growth, and collaboration for educational leaders. From enriching professional development opportunities to exclusive access to expert consulting and valuable resources, members gain a comprehensive suite of benefits designed to elevate their district and impact.
Are you a superintendent or educational leader interested in joining a dynamic network of peers committed to improving public education? We’d love to hear from you.
Whether you have questions about membership, want to learn more about our monthly workshops, or are curious about how CSSC can support your district’s leadership goals—reach out today. Let’s start a conversation about how you can get involved.
Tim Foxx
Director
Blythe McCormack
Program Coordinator