THE RON CLARK ACADEMY HOSTS DEVELOPING LEADERS FORUM

The Ron Clark Academy (RCA), in partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership, hosted a Developing Leaders Forum on January 26 at the Academy.  The event revealed innovative techniques RCA uses to develop teachers around the world through its educators training program.  

Additionally, participants engaged in an interactive session, moderated by the Center for Creative Leadership and featuring Ron Clark and Kim Bearden, co-founders of RCA, along with a panel of learning leaders from three of Atlanta’s largest and most successful corporations:  Gary Whitney, Vice President of Global Hotel Learning at InterContinental Hotel Group; Stephen Jones, Global Director of Corporate Training and Development at United Parcel Service; and, Dr. Kym Harris, former senior Director of Employee and Leadership Training at Manheim Auctions, a division of Cox Enterprises. 

Executives from more than a dozen companies were present and participated in the interactive discussion that captured how the RCA models passion, innovation, and collaborative structure that could be replicated in the corporate world. 

“We are constantly trying to lift each other up,” said Clark.  He remarked about the importance of camaraderie, team building, and trust among his students and staff at the Academy. 

The highly acclaimed, nonprofit middle school promotes innovation and engages its students through energetic teaching balanced by a strict code of discipline.  Executives met many of the students of the Academy and were impressed by their confidence, poise and presentation skills, core competencies that Bearden, believes are invaluable to adults in the work place. 

“Our staff knows the name of all our students and parents.  We test them and make sure that our students are also trained on how to present publically,” said Bearden. 

The Academy also serves as a best-practice model and educator learning laboratory.  To date, RCA faculty has trained nearly 9,000 educators from 31 states and 12 countries with their innovative teaching methods.  Each year, teachers, principals and superintendents visit the school to learn the Academy’s philosophy, style and model for success. 

The forum also discussed the importance of training the best employees to serve as ambassadors. School administrators from across the globe inquire about the RCA Educator Training Program, and many often want to send low performing teachers; however, Bearden recommends having the best and brightest participate in staff development training first.

“Send your best teachers or staff and they are going to start the revolution and it will spread,” said Bearden.  She remarked that school administrators have often reported tremendous success with this approach.