The summer of 2015 will be remembered for many reasons:
* U.S. Servicemen who thwarted a terrorist attack in Europe
* Donald Trump's interesting presidential campaign
* The Chicago Cubs winning to potentially make the playoffs
* The Iran Nuclear Deal for "Peace"
* The Charleston Church Massacre
But what will also be remembered by hundreds of school administrators and board leaders is their renewed commitment to accelerating school improvement. The School Growth Innovation Lab delivered inspiring and cost-effective professional development across the U.S. this summer that impacted:
100 Schools
3,650 Faculty & Staff
28,500 Students
Live training sessions were hosted in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New York City, Columbia (SC), Baton Rouge, and Nashville. We also hosted online workshops that 
provided convenient access to advanced leadership training. The participants developed plans to improve the performance of their schools boards, financial operations, enrollment strategies, fundraising, and communications.
Our summer school reflections from 2015 also include these highlights.
Board Leadership to Achieve School Growth
Board training is a top priority among both private and public schools because the school board's leadership capacity has direct impact on the ability of its school(s) to achieve sustainable greatness. We had the privilege of leading a board retreat for the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, with 55 administrators and board members learning:
> The Four Stages of Board Development™
> How to cultivate a healthy board culture
> Best practices of governance
> Leadership strategies to optimize board performance
We delivered, "Board Leadership to Achieve School Growth," via online training as well, with board members able to view and participate based on their availability and schedule.
Campus Safety Lab
Feedback from schools leaders has overwhelmingly confirmed that improving campus safety is a top priority in their goals for this year. The School Growth Safety Lab is a new one-day training program we're launching in September to guide school leaders though a process of progressive campus safety planning and implementation. Over the summer, we partnered with The Draco Group to develop this program that will give participants practical and proven ways to improve safety and security. For more information, Click Here.
Convocation
In August we helped the Education Resource Center in San Antonio kickoff their school year with a Convocation program that focused on 3 of the 14 Crucial Elements for Effective Faculty Leadership:
* Eco-System Thinking
* Emotional Intelligence
* Adaptability
Bruce Rockstroh, Jennifer Rower, Brenda Murphy, and the highly talented administrators that lead their many charter schools are changing lives and communities. Through the Wood Charter Schools and the Anne Frank Inspire Academy, they are delivering on their mission to, "Increase the capacity for human greatness." If your school is considering the addition/expansion of facilities, you will definitely want to visit the Anne Frank campus. The educational philosophy, architectural design, and curriculum plan are precisely on target.
Communications Across the Grapevine
Over 50 school leaders also participated in our new workshop on effective communication habits: "The Laws of the Grapevine for Schools." This 5 session workshop has received enthusiastic feedback from the initial participants as they discovered best practices for building trust, minimizing the risks with social media, and increasing engagement with faculty, families, and donors. Since the ability to communicate effectively is a critical priority for school boards when evaluating leadership quality, more and more administrators are seeking ways to improve their skills, and the Laws of the Grapevine is a unique program that produces the desired results. Registration is now open for the October online workshop session.
