By The BCSL Team
As the 2024-2025 school year kicks off, we’re eager to continue the good work at Baylor’s Center for School Leadership (BCSL). There’s something special about the start of a new academic year—fresh faces, new challenges, and the opportunity to grow alongside our incredible community of educators.
This summer, Dr. Jon Eckert, Co-Executive Director of the BCSL and Professor of Educational Leadership, has spoken at a number of convocations centered around the theme of gritty optimism. It’s a concept that speaks to the heart of what we do—approaching every challenge with a mindset that is both hopeful and resilient. We believe this focus will provide the fuel our community needs to keep moving forward.
The professional learning events and conferences we have coming up will be highlights of our year! One of those upcoming events is Culture of JOY, which will be held at Baylor’s Hurd Welcome Center on September 9, 2024. This half-day professional learning experience is crafted to inspire and equip Christian school leaders to bring joy into their schools and classrooms. The focus will be on enhancing feedback, engagement, and well-being—key elements in fostering a joyful learning environment.
Looking ahead, we’re gearing up for the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA) Symposium in October, Converge in February, and many other exciting travels. Dr. Linda Livingstone, President of Baylor University, and Dr. Eckert will be speaking at the CESA Symposium to educators from across the country. The BCSL will also have an opportunity to speak to educators across the globe at Converge.
These events are more than just gatherings—they’re opportunities to connect, learn, and grow together as a community of leaders committed to making a difference.
One such event guiding leaders who are committed to making a difference is the BCSL’s Just Leadership event on February 3, 2025. The BCSL saw a need to design a one-day professional learning event for school administrators – from instructional coaches to superintendents – that focuses on catalyzing change as a leadership team. This event will equip school leaders to improve and progress toward your goals with greater engagement and effectiveness.
This year, we’re continuing our focus on adaptive challenges – issues that go beyond quick fixes and require creativity, resilience, and ongoing learning. We aim to equip school teams to navigate today’s campus challenges. The key event to support this is Just Schools Academy, which will be held in Waco from June 11-13, 2025. Hosting this event on Baylor’s campus is a unique opportunity, and we’re looking forward to welcoming you.
You’ll also hear from our BCSL Fellows, members of our adaptive challenge communities, and our MA in School Leadership Fellows throughout the year, on Insights. Each of them brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, and we’re thrilled to share their insights with you.
As we dive into this new academic year, we’re guided by the wisdom of Micah 6:8 to, “…Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” This scripture encapsulates our mission at the BCSL. We strive to be the most effective Christian leadership catalyst for educators worldwide because we believe that strong, ethical leadership is the key to unlocking the potential of every student.
So, here’s to the year ahead! Whether you’re joining us in person at our events or engaging with us online, we’re grateful to have you as part of our community. Together, let’s address the challenges, celebrate growth, and continue to serve our students with excellence.
Welcome back to another incredible year with Baylor’s Center for School Leadership!
With confident humility and gritty optimism, the Baylor School of Education’s Center for School Leadership (BCSL) strives to be the most effective Christian leadership catalyst for educators worldwide. Our mission is to help teachers and administrators find joy as they unleash the potential in each student in the profession that makes all others possible. The BCSL conducts research and provides tools, resources, and professional learning for administrators and teachers. Since 2020, the BCSL has interacted with 6,000 educators, 20,000+ schools in all 50 states and 45+ countries to impact an estimated 4 million students. Cultivating effective leadership is vital for helping students become all they are created to be. To learn more, visit our website or watch this video.