Vision
KWEL will be the catalyst to support exemplary female leadership and increase the percent of women in executive level roles in education.
Mission
To create and maintain a community of professional female educational leaders by promoting knowledge, competence, exemplary quality, equity and self-confidence through personal leadership growth, mentorship, and support in career advancement.
Purpose
To increase access and opportunity so that women are inspired to reach their professional aspirations. To grow a professional network of females in leadership by building awareness, knowledge and competence in other women leaders.
Objectives
• Increase the number of females and minority women leading at the executive level through recruitment and continuous support endeavors.
• Actively engage high-performing female leaders with diverse talents and perspectives into a professional community to assist women applying for, advancing, and succeeding in education executive leadership roles.
• Develop and deepen leadership skills and build self-confidence through women’s leadership forums, conferences, professional literature, networking and communication.
• Provide opportunities for women to share experiences that chart the path to executive leadership roles and build a network for on-going professional growth and development.
• Connect high-performing female education leaders with an established executive female education leader through coaching and mentoring.
• Highlight and recognize exemplary women leaders in executive education roles.
*Executive leadership role for this purpose is defined as superintendent, deputy superintendent, assistant superintendent, building level principal.
Membership
Cohort groups of aspiring female leaders in education will be selected for membership into KWEL on a yearly basis. Women nominated for a cohort will complete an application and submit two letters of recommendation. Participants will be selected based on criteria established by the KWEL Steering Committee. Approximately 25 new cohort members will be selected each year. Each new class will participate in the Women’s Forum during the year of their induction, have ongoing networking opportunities through the KASA online community and be invited to a yearly reception at the KASA Annual Leadership Institute. In addition, cohort members will have the opportunity to attend future Women’s Forums and conference experiences during the years following their initial induction into KWEL.
Mentors will be selected from women currently holding a leadership role in the field of education. Executive mentors will be asked to coach 1 to 2 cohort members, and will agree to participate in the Women’s Forum, networking experiences and ongoing coaching chats with their mentee.
All female superintendents are considered automatic members of KWEL.
To apply for this year's cohort, click on the application link above.