Exchange to Publish Whole Leadership Framework

Exchange to Publish Whole Leadership Framework

A red paper boat is leading a row of blue paper boats.

After 18 months of development we are pleased to announce that the Whole Leadership Framework will be presented in the January/February issue of Exchange. With input from practitioners and key thought leaders in early childhood education, the Framework will clarify some of the most complex ideas in the field. It is built on three domains: administrative leadership, pedagogical leadership, and leadership essentials, with a central principle emphasizing the interdependence among the three domains. A balance of leadership is necessary for program success. Accompanying the framework are three toolboxes that have been designed to identify competencies and characteristics leaders need to be effective the three domains.



Following the publication of the Exchange article, the Whole Leadership Framework will be discussed at the Leadership Connections™ national conference, in May. The Framework will be introduced in a plenary session and reviewed in detail during a featured skill-building session to thoroughly explain the conceptual framework and to help participants explore real-life application and implications for how the framework can be used. Already at the McCormick Center, we have begun to align our training, resources, and strategic plans to the Framework.


The Whole Leadership Committee at the McCormick Center (Mike Abel, Giovanni Arroyo, Marleen Barrett, Melissa Casteel, Sonja Crum-Knight, Lindsey Engelhardt, Safiyah Jackson,Tarah Kadzielawski, and Marie Masterson) played a vital role in developing this important work. We hope you find the Whole Leadership Framework and accompanying toolboxes useful. We invite continued dialogue throughout the release and thereafter.


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By Sherry Rocha June 12, 2025
Bullying has been around for ages. That doesn’t mean it’s ok, or we should get used to it. It is a persistent problem for all ages, and now it’s reaching into our early childhood programs. What can program administrators do? Some definitions and tips are below. WHAT IS BULLYING? Bullying has been described as a student’s repeated exposure to negative actions on the part of one or more students in which there is an imbalance of power between bullies and the victim. Some children learn that by bullying others, they can get ahead. It can affect the goals of education if not handled well. While the behaviors of young children can sometimes be aggressive, they lack the more strategic and deliberate actions that typically define bullying. Still, early behaviors can be precursors to later behavior, so awareness and positive interventions are needed . Bullying prevention can be embedded into SEL practices, diversity awareness, and behavior guidance practices of early childhood programs. HOW COMMON IS BULLYING? Most studies look at bullying as something that involves older children. Research on early childhood bullying is still developing. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is considered one of the most effective school-based anti-bullying programs that schools and centers study. Its founder, Dan Olweus, Ph.D, found that 35-40% of boys characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had been convicted of at least three officially registered crimes by the age of 24. Bullies sometimes teach their children to be bullies. PREVENTION AND GUIDANCE CONCERNING BULLYING There are things parents, teachers, and friends can do to prevent or stop bullying . During the early childhood years, programs to help prevent bullying are helpful. Teachers and parents should be role models of caring behavior. Children raised in safe and nurturing environments will learn to be caring individuals. As children’s abilities develop, they can learn anger management, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. TEACHERS AND PARENTS CAN ALSO: Dispel myths that bullying is part of childhood. Encourage a positive environment by stating desirable behavior instead of negative behavior. Emphasize respect, fairness, caring, and responsibility in classrooms. Incorporate lessons about appropriate social skills in classrooms and everywhere; provide words for children to use. Understand the seriousness of bullying. Encourage children to consider the needs of others. Parents can arrange play groups for their children. A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM SHOULD: Promote a caring, respectful environment Help victims help themselves Challenge the bullies’ thinking Consider the effects of peer pressure Elicit students’ input FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). (2025, February 5). Get help now. StopBullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now The Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life. (n.d.). Olweus bullying prevention program, Clemson University. Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Clemson University. https://clemsonolweus.org/ Temkin, D., & Snow, K. (2015, August 18). To prevent bullying, focus on early childhood. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/prevent-bullying-focus-early-childhood
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