LTHS Superintendent Completes Leadership Academy, Is ISAL Fellow

LOCKPORT, IL — Dr. Robert McBride, superintendent of Lockport Township High School District 205, has earned the unique distinction of being named an ISAL Fellow after completing the Illinois Association of School Administrators' School for Advanced Leadership academy, an 18-month program designed to elevate a superintendent’s leadership skills and impact student achievement, according to a release from the organization.

McBride received his diploma during a graduation ceremony held June 17 at the Illinois Association of School Administrator’s headquarters in Springfield. McBride joins the list of 150 Illinois superintendents to be named an ISAL Fellow since the academy’s inception in 2010, the organization said. He was among 26 superintendents to graduate from the cohort.

According to McBride, his experience in ISAL has assisted him in making a large high school district feel smaller for every student.

“The ISAL experience has been a period of deep growth for me, personally and professionally,” McBride said in a news release. “It threads my life as a person, husband and father together with my role as an educational leader — helping me see how the many roles I play relate to each other. This has made me clearer and more confident. ISAL has also created a network of valued colleagues who I hope to support in the years to come and who I know will support me.”

ISAL was developed and is sponsored by the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the statewide organization that represents public school superintendents and administrators.
The mission of ISAL is to provide experiences that build exemplary leadership, knowledge and skill sets essential for ensuring successful student achievement at the local level, the organization said.

As part of the academy, each superintendent develops a personal and professional growth plan, as well as a district plan for student achievement that includes conducting a comprehensive needs assessment. Each of the ISAL participants are assigned a veteran superintendent as a coach.

“In the midst of an immensely challenging stretch, I commend each of these superintendents for not being content and wanting to push themselves to become an even stronger leader,” said Dr. Brent Clark, IASA Executive Director. “The IASA School for Advanced Leadership academy is providing a return on investment that is making a difference in public education.”

McBride has been an educator for 33 years and superintendent of Lockport Township High School District 205 for three years.