AI Tools designed for K-12 Administrators

Elevate Leadership 1

The six sessions in this course will focus on building your leadership capacity by focusing on four key areas. Those four areas include developing:
  • Strong instructional leadership skills;
  • A laser sharp focus on best practices;
  • Knowledge of how to effectively lead change; and
  • Knowledge of how to build a purposeful school community.
Sessions will be collaborative and include time to work on a customized action plan for your school based on your new learning.
Format

In person training with online component

Starting date

September 2025

Learners

95+

Level

Novice or Veteran Leaders

Duration

6 session over the 2025-2026 school year. 

Price

$125

Testimonial

"I wish I would have participated in Elevate Leadership in my first year as a principal. The topics discussed have helped me to reflect and refine my thoughts on many aspects of being a building leader. 

Elevate Leadership provided an opportunity to meet with leaders from a variety of backgrounds. This allowed for conversations about educational philosophy, building expectations, educational goals and the leadership of staff and students. The sessions are well planned with activities that are engaging and easily applicable to the everyday life of an administrator. Jessica and the USA Kansas staff make you feel like a respected professional. I would strongly encourage any building leader to attend, no matter how many years of experience he or she has." 

Jon Webster, Principal, La Crosse Middle/High School, USD 395

Expectations

Locations and Dates for Elevate Leadership I


Chanute 9/9/25, 10/7/25, 12/9/25,  1/13/26,  2/13/26,  4/14/26


Garden City  9/3/25, 10/7/25, 11/18/25, 1/21/26, 2/17/26, 4/7/26

Goddard 9/11/25, 10/9/25, 12/11/25, 1/13/26, 2/10/26, 4/14/26

Hays 9/18/25, 10/16/25, 12/18/25, 1/15/26, 2/12/26, 4/16/26

Topeka  9/9/25, 10/7/25, 12/9/25, 1/13/26, 2/10/26, 4/14/26

Kansas City  9/11/25, 10/9/25, 12/11/25,  1/15/26, 2/5/26, 4/16/26

Visit our website to register for 2025/2026.
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Learner Expectation:
Participants will learn how to create a purposeful community in their school-one in which all teachers and staff are invested in student outcomes and believe they can make a difference.

USA-Kansas Leadership Team

Each member of the leadership team has had the opportunity to lead both Elevate I & II sessions. During the 2025-2026 calendar year Jara Wilson will lead Garden City, Jessica Griffin will lead Topeka and Hays, Cara Ledy will lead Goddard and Chanute, while Executive Director G.A. Buie will lead the Kansas City cohort.
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Meet the Instructors:
Jara Wilson, Cara Ledy, Jessica Griffin, and  G.A. Buie

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Meet the Instructor: Jara Wilson

I serve as the Assistant Director of Leadership and Learning where I facilitate the professional development of principals in Kansas in collaboration with our leadership team. My responsibilities include leading training programs such as Elevate Leadership, KELI, and other professional development initiatives. Additionally, I provide individual leadership coaching for administrators as well as guide administrators as they integrate AI into their daily practices to drive efficiency and innovation.
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Meet the Instructor: Cara Ledy

I am part of a team that designs and implements programs to enhance the professional development of principals statewide. We offer support and guidance on School Leadership, we work collaboratively with key stakeholders, we advocate for effective policies, and we champion the importance of strong leadership in schools.
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Meet the Instructor: Jessica Griffin

My role at USA-Kansas is all things professional learning related! I get to design the content for the majority of our workshop series, facilitate these series across the state, and connect leaders over powerful content.Individual leadership coaching, customized professional development for districts’ leadership teams are some of the extras I do as well!

Meet the Instructor: G.A. Buie

My role is to ensure that USA-Kansas is able to actualize our vision of World Class Leadership, World Class Student Success.Having visited dozens if not hundreds of schools in Kansas, the United States, and places like Finland, China, and the Dominican Republic, I know what it takes to be a World Class Leader. My job, and the job of USA-Kansas, is to make sure every Kansas leader has the supports they need to ensure World Class Student Success here in Kansas.