Gray Fellowship for Principal Excellence

 

The Gray Fellowship for Principal Excellence brings together 20 principals annually from across New York City public schools for a full year of transformative professional learning. The Fellowship is a cohort-based experience that develops self-knowledge, systems awareness, and provides continued support beyond the Fellowship. Through peer guidance and reflection, candidates impact each other, school communities, and larger systems with the goals of attaining higher student achievement, innovative cultures, and strong connections with the community.

Sponsored by Hunter College, The Fellowship program aims for the principal fellows to:

  • develop self-knowledge of strengths and areas for development as school leaders through the creation of a personal professional development action plan.
  • implement a transformative change initiative in their school communities that leads to improved outcomes such as student attendance and achievement, improved school culture, and stronger connections with the community.
  • graduate from the program prepared to improve education within their schools and across the city by understanding how school and community systems function interdependently.
  • form a network that provides continued support beyond the Fellowship.

The program is supported by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) in requiring Fellows to attend a two-week summer institute and seven convening days during the school year and are approved professional development days and do not count against annual leave. Please be advised, the Program Leadership team will communicate with your superintendents about your schedule and program fit.

Requirements

Eligible candidates must currently be:

  • in good standing and currently leading a school as a New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) principal
  • a principal with a minimum of three years of experience. Please note that candidates in their third year as principal at the time of submission may still apply.

Application

Please respond to the following three questions and email responses as a .pdf file to grayfellows@hunter.cuny.edu.

In your responses provide specific examples that speak to your leadership and school performance. Since the focus of the Gray Fellowship is transformative leadership with attention on three key areas: the transformation of self, the transformation of the school, the transformation of the larger ecosystem, please consider these three domains within your responses.

In addition, please include the following initialed statements:

  • I understand that I must be present at the two-week summer institute and attest that I will have 100% attendance.
  • I understand that I must be present to all 7 convening days and attest that I will have 100% attendance.

Question 1

  • How many years have you served as principal?

Question 2

  • How did you learn about the Gray Fellowship? Provide specific details. If you have heard from a former Gray fellow, please let us know as well.

Question 3

  • The fellowship is designed to have you engage in deep self-reflective work including mindful leadership and peer to peer coaching. How might developing these practices shape your growth as a school leader?
  • Word limit: 300 to 500 words.

Question 4

  • One of the core components of the program has fellows work on a transformative school-based project that targets their leadership development while improving systems and outcomes at their schools. If you had to identify an area within your school to address right now, what might that be, and why? What specific changes do you hope to implement by the end of the fellowship that will impact student achievement?
  • Word limit: 300 to 500 words.

Question 5

  • Throughout the program, we will ask that fellows return to their personal growth and development as leaders. What specific aspects of your leadership do you hope to develop as a direct result of your full participation in this fellowship? What does transformational leadership look like to you?
  • Word limit: 300 to 500 words.

In addition, please include the following initialed statements:

  • I understand that I must be present at the two-week summer institute and attest that I will have 100% attendance.
  • I understand that I must be present to all seven convening days and attest that I will have 100% attendance.

Application Deadline

Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until Wednesday, April 1, 2024.

2024 Program Dates

Summer Institute

Week 1

  • Principals Leadership Retreat in the Catskills
  • Honor’s Haven: Ellenville, NY
  • July 22, 2024 to July 26, 2024

Week 2

  • Transformative/Systems change
  • The Roosevelt House-Hunter College
  • July 29, 2024 to August 2, 2024

Convening Days

  • Convening 1: Friday, September 27, 2024
  • Convening 2: Friday, October 25, 2024
  • School Intervisitations: November 2024
  • Convening 3: Friday, December 6, 2024 via Zoom
  • Convening 4: Friday, January 10, 2025
  • School Intervisitations: January to February
  • Convening 5: Friday, March 7, 2025 via Zoom
  • Convening 6: Sunday and Monday April 6 and April 7, 2025
  • Final Convening: May To Be Determined (TBD)

Inquiries

Gray Fellows Profiles

Gray Fellows Events