About New-Site Leadership Institute

Begun in 2005, the three-day New Site Leadership Institute (NSLI) was offered annually to new NWP sites. By bringing together directors, co-directors, and teacher-leaders of new sites during their first three years to examine the work involved in directing and developing a writing project site, NSLI was designed to affirm the idea of the NWP as a supportive network of colleagues who share common work and a common mission.

Goals

NSLI invited new site leaders to look beyond the initial set-up of a writing project site and the summer institute to the development of year-round programs. The institute focused both on a review of the NWP model and on strategic planning for the growth and development of the local site, including discussions of the following:

• The role of an NWP site director and the roles of site leadership
• The relationship between the summer invitational institute and the development of year-round programs
• The relationship between site development and the development of teacher leaders
• Leveraging funds and creating a business plan for the site
• The NWP's annual cycle of reporting

Background

The New-Site Leadership Institute (NSLI) was developed as an opportunity to convene the leaders of the newest sites in recognition that the foundational work of establishing an NWP site requires access to particular information, attention, and support. Offering an induction into the NWP model of year-round work and providing opportunities for site teams to engage in deliberate planning for program and leadership development, NSLI addressed the unique developmental needs of new sites.