About Galileo
Leadership matters at every level of an organization. Whether in the classroom, the principal’s office or the superintendent’s suite, every educator plays a critical role in achieving the high standards of teaching and learning set for our students.
Founded in 2005 at Oakland University, the Galileo Institute was established to build upon a decade of proven leadership strategies. While our roots are firmly planted in the development of teacher leaders, we have grown alongside the profession. Today, the Galileo Institute serves the entire spectrum of educational leadership — supporting teachers, building-level administrators and central office executives. Through advanced graduate programs, strategic partnerships and professional learning opportunities, we empower all school leaders to drive meaningful change.
For more detailed information about the Galileo Institute’s history, vision and values, please contact [email protected].
School and district leaders, as well as teacher leaders throughout the country, continue to respond to complex school and community challenges, those lingering from the pandemic and, at the same time, support the new and ongoing school and district initiatives to meet the learning needs of every student and staff member.
Through the Oakland University Executive School Leadership Academy, we continue to expand professional development, community engagement projects and other activities to support school leaders in schools across the region, as well as former students from OU graduate programs. We offer learning opportunities, podcasts and newsletters, as well as other resources in conjunction with Oakland University faculty and other experts in the field. Additionally, we support Galileo 3.0 to connect teachers and superintendents with Michigan legislators to discuss high-impact district and school educational issues.
Our planning committee has identified several areas that match the current interests of superintendents and central office leaders.
- Teaching and Learning — Too often school districts are preoccupied by “urgent” issues (politics, finance, etc.) that overcome the vital “important” issues involving educating each and every child. Join a workshop, leadership series or facilitated conversation with colleagues to develop plans for leading learning that matters to develop, energize and support district priorities for teaching and learning.
- Leadership Simulations — Oakland University has a license for SchoolSims, an educational platform that is designed specifically for educators and school leaders. Through simulations, unique and engaging learning experiences bridge the gap between theory and practice. Participants encounter a series of scenarios, each providing them with critical decisions and challenges which guide them down different paths depending on their choices and showcasing the consequences of their actions.
- Civility and Community Engagement — By joining a workshop series partner, the OU Center for Civic Engagement, help your district leadership team develop a plan to improve community engagement with an emphasis on civility and positive partnerships. The goal is to create a plan to strengthen the connection to and engagement with the community through discussion and understanding.
- Administrative Virtual Coaching — This option offers customized, confidential and ongoing direct virtual support to new/newer administrators with scheduled virtual coaching sessions, minimally biweekly. Coaching can be for individual or multiple administrators in a school district.
- Special Topics Cohort Discussions — Work with a group of colleagues to develop systems, policies or instructional practices to explore the challenge and promise of emerging issues, such as artificial intelligence in schools.
Contact Galileo Institute Director Dr. Suzanne Klein for more information or to be connected with other members of our Executive School Leadership Academy planning team, all successful and recently retired school leaders or former superintendents:
- Dr. Robert Maxfield
- Mary Kay Gallagher
- Catherine Cost
- George Heitsch
- Richard Repicky
- Barbara VanSweden
Galileo Institute
