Ready to Lead

For Recently Hired Center Directors

An open and inclusive professional learning community designed specifically for recently hired (one-day to five years of experience) center-based, early childhood administrators of all backgrounds.

Develop your Leadership Essentials. Attendees will delve into topics that identify their leadership strengths, engage is interactive learning activities, and fine-tune strategies for dealing with real-life challenges experienced by new directors. Content in RTL is aligned with the Illinois Director Credential and Illinois Gateways to Opportunity.

A Blended Event of Virtual and In-Person Sessions


Funded by Illinois Department of Human Services


Applications for 2025 cohorts open May 9, 2025, and close July 9, 2025.

A group of women are sitting around a table in a room.
A diagram of directors ' enhanced leadership capacity rtl

Session Topics:


Session 1 – Orientation and Forming a Professional Learning Community
Session 2 – New Role, New Relationships: Learning to Lead
Session 3 – From the Inside Out: The Power of Reflection and Self-Awareness
Session 4 – Leadership in Action: How Effective Directors Get Things Done
Session 5 – Professional Development Coaching


Price


$175* and full participation gets you:


  • One, two hour virtual orientation (a working computer with Internet accessibility and audio and video capability is required)
  • Three, full-day in-person sessions (lunch and snacks included)
  • 22 contact hours of Illinois Gateways to Opportunity approved professional development
  • Books, handouts, and materials


Additional Opportunities:


  • Earn IL Director Credential credits through participation in AIM4Exellence™ online modules
  • Select up to three modules at no additional cost
  • Five undergraduate college course credit hours from NLU available for an additional course tuition charge


*Valued at over $5,000. The registration fee is only for Illinois administrators. Out-of-state administrators, please contact MCECL.LA@nl.edu


Two RTL cohorts are available:


RTL 12 – National Louis University Campus, 1000 Capitol Dr. Wheeling, IL 60090


  • Session 1 | Virtual | September 3, 2025 | 9:00 am – 11:30 am
  • Session 2 | In-Person | September 4, 2025 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Session 3 | In-Person | October 2, 2025 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Session 4 | In-Person | October 30, 2024 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Session 5 | Virtual | December 4, 2025 | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm


RTL 13 – Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski Rd. Chicago, IL 60652


  • Session 1 | Virtual | September 10, 2025 | 9:00 am – 11:30 am
  • Session 2 | In-Person | September 11, 2025 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Session 3 | In-Person | October 9, 2025 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Session 4 | In-Person | November 6, 2025 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
  • Session 5 | Virtual | December 4, 2025 | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm