CULLOWHEE (December 14, 2015)—The BB&T Charitable Foundation of Winston-Salem awarded $15,000 for a second year to support the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching’s Teacher Leadership Institutes (TLIs).
The grant award was used to deliver two four-day programs at NCCAT, a recognized national leader in professional development programming, that empower and recognize the strength of teacher leaders as change agents in their individual schools and districts. Studies show that leadership is second only to teaching among school influences on student learning, and its impact is greatest in schools with the greatest need.
Conducted as a collaborative effort with experts from BB&T, the U.S. Coast Guard and school district leadership, the 2015 TLIs were held on NCCAT’s Ocracoke campus for teachers from Watauga and Wilson County Schools. The TLIs provided participants with the knowledge and skills to identify problems at the school and district level; develop action plans for solving those challenges; and, how to measure and evaluate short and long-term outcomes.
The Watauga County Schools Teacher Leadership Institute, held September 7–10, was attended by 23 teacher participants with their superintendent, Dr. Scott Elliott. The Wilson County Schools Teacher Leadership Institute was conducted October 16–19 for 22 teachers who were also accompanied by their superintendent, Dr. Sean Bulson. Serving as both presenters and active participants, Elliott and Bulson knew that developing effective leaders would require a multifaceted methodology that met the unique needs of each district and community. Accordingly, Elliott and Bulson were instrumental in articulating the vision for the 2015 Institutes, recognizing that successful educational leaders develop their districts and schools by supporting professional development that is aligned with school and district priorities that engages teachers as leaders and problem solvers.
“These partnerships illustrate the benefits to our society of strengthening teacher leaders in the classroom,” said Alton Ballance, NCCAT faculty member and program facilitator. “Business, military and education leadership issues often intersect and our teachers are able to see the crosswalks. Together they provide common ground as our teachers—and ultimately their students—learn to adapt to the changing nature of education and the challenges and opportunities those changes can bring to student success.”
“BB&T is pleased to partner with NCCAT in providing leadership strategies to enhance the ability of educational leaders to work and learn in collaboration to improve the quality of education in North Carolina,” said Ros Guerrie, educational leadership program manager. “With our future leaders sitting in the classrooms of today, we believe that a strong educational system creates a better future for all of us.”
Based in High Point, the BB&T Leadership Institute provides organizations with a leadership development partner that helps create dynamic and effective leaders, increase employee retention and improve the bottom line. The Institute also offers a unique leadership development program to several hundred school principals in North Carolina. Recognizing the positive impact of effective school leadership on student achievement, the Institute also offers development programs to public school leaders.
About BB&T
BB&T is one of the largest financial services holding companies in the U.S. with approximately $208.8 billion in assets and market capitalization of approximately $27.8 billion, as of Sept. 30, 2015. Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., the company operates 2,150 financial centers in 15 states and Washington, D.C., and offers a full range of consumer and commercial banking, securities brokerage, asset management, mortgage and insurance products and services. A Fortune 500 company, BB&T is consistently recognized for outstanding client satisfaction by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Greenwich Associates and others. BB&T has also been named one of the World’s Strongest Banks by Bloomberg Markets Magazine, one of the top three in the U.S. and in the top 15 globally. More information about BB&T and its full line of products and services is available at BBT.com.