Description of the Leadership Institute 

This is a two year experience for those exploring or feeling called to leadership in Friends schools. Candidates are expected to have had full-time work experience in a Quaker school. Applications are invited every second year. The next opportunity to apply will be in 2025, for the cohort that will first gather in the fall of 2026. The process is not complicated. One's head of school writes a letter to nominate the candidate, and the candidate completes an application. Then there's a group interview process in Philadelphia.

During the two years of the program, the cohort gathers four times (three days, two nights) at Pendle Hill, the Quaker retreat center near Philadelphia, for a wonderful program of well-paced exploration, including leadership assessment, strengthening of skills, and other leadership learnings and doings, facilitated by Drew Smith, Darryl Ford, Shu Shu Costs, and guests (including panels of school heads and search professionals). It is a dialogue-rich two years, producing personal growth of all sorts, empowered selves, and wonderfully supportive colleagueship and co-mentoring.

Each participant works with a carefully matched leadership partner (all are current heads) and undertakes an action research project. Short reports on the action research projects done by those in the program's first three cohorts are archived on the Council's website.

About the Program

Program Goals:

• Develop leaders for the unique role of Friends school headship.
• Develop leaders’ capacity and skills for the distinctive practices of Friends school governance.
• Develop leaders who are conversant with and practiced in Quaker pedagogy and decision-making processes and the peculiar art of sustaining the Quaker value-based ethos of a Friends school.

Program Design:

• Central to the program is a focus on the Quaker dimension of Friends schools.
• Participants work one-on-one with leadership partners who are successful heads of Friends schools (in schools other than their own).
• Participants conduct action research projects in Friends schools other than their own.
• Institute leaders include Friends Council’s executive director, Friends school heads, Quaker leaders, and external consultants in systems-centered educational leadership and change.
• The Institute provides an option for doctoral-level graduate credit with Fielding Graduate Institute.

Selection Criteria and Process:

• Applicants must be nominated by their school heads for the Institute.
• Applicants must have a minimum of two years experience in Friends education with demonstrated leadership in their schools. Some teaching experience is desirable.
• Applicants submit essays on Friends educational philosophy and their own leadership capacity and commitment.
• Applicants attend group interviews, conducted by members of the Friends Council selection committee, to dialogue about their vision of leadership in Friends schools.
• The selection committee selects the cohort, seeking a balanced and diverse group with special attention to educators who are Quakers, people of color, and women.

Examples of Participants’ Topics for Action Research:

• Assessing the long-term viability of Quaker leadership for boards of Friends schools.
• Comparing the policies and practices for “counseling out” students in Friends schools.
• Developing and implementing a faculty evaluation instrument in mentor’s school.
• Researching the dynamics of care relationships between Friends meetings and schools.
• Comparing the management of information by development offices in Quaker schools and independent schools.
• Documenting the dynamics of curricular change in an academic diversity project at mentor’s school.

Applications will be required to supply:

1. An essay, of 500 or fewer words, in which you reflect on Friends education, your perspective on Friends schools as organizations, and the qualities that you feel are needed for effective leadership in a Friends school.
2. A resume or curriculum vitae.
3. A letter from your current school head, recommending your participation in this program. The letter should confirm the school’s willingness to grant professional development time and the necessary financial support for travel to all retreats, 2024-2025. The Head's letter of recommendation should be sent directly from the Head of school to info@friendscouncil.org.

The Leadership Institute meets in 4 residential retreats over two years. 
Full attendance and participation is required.

The 3-day retreats are held at Pendle Hill Quaker Retreat Center in Wallingford, PA. Each begins at 1:00 on day one to 12 noon on day three (exception April 2026 retreat day three ends at 3pm.)

Nate McKee, IELFS 2005-2007

Nathaniel Anthony McKee was a member of the IELFS 2005-2007 cohort. He passed away on March 14, 2013 at the age of 51.  Nate was a George School alumnus; as a student he founded the Black Student Union and was captain of Varsity basketball, track, and football teams. Nate returned to George School in 1987 where he worked for 23 years; he served as Director of Student Activities, Associate Dean of Students, and Dean of Students. In addition, he taught global history and African-American history and coached football, basketball and track. He also served on various committees and as an advisor to scores of students. He led a group of students and teachers on an African Work Camp to Gambia, Zambia and Kenya in 1990. Nate founded and coordinated the Dr. Martin Luther King Day at George School, and also founded the UMOJA Group and the George School Gospel Choir.
Read full obituary here.

Byron Davis IELFS 2015-2017

Byron D. Davis was a member of the 2015-2017 IELFS cohort.  A respected educator and mentor to secondary school students, Byron died Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017 at the age of 51. He served both as a faculty member and  Upper School head at Germantown Friends School.

Byron became head of the Upper School in 2015 after teaching history at the school for two decades and serving as 11th grade adviser. He also mentored minority students, authored the school’s mission statement on diversity, and served on the admissions committee for Middle and Upper School students.

Read the obituaries here:

• https://www.inquirer.com/philly/obituaries/Byron-D-Davis-51-of-Germantown-educator-and-mentor.html
• https://www.chestnuthilllocal.com/2017/02/23/byron-d-davis-gfs-teacher-and-upper-school-head/
• Tribute from the 2015-17 cohort in the Action Research Summaries booklet