New Principal's Institute

June 13 – 16, 2027
Oaks Christian School, Westlake Village, CA

The CESA New Principals Institute is designed to engage principals new to the position in the past two to three years. The Institute is designed to ground divisional leadership in the philosophy and practice that will help new principals find success in leading distinctively Christian, academically challenging divisions and create a culture where teachers and students can thrive.

This year, the New Principals Institute will be hosted by Oaks Christian School, Westlake Village, CA June 13-16, 2027. The Institute is designed with an emphasis on practical support for the development of core competencies of principal leadership to equip leaders to thrive and will be attended by leaders from outstanding CESA schools from around the country who are new to their positions within the past two to three years. Among the greatest benefits of attending the institute will be the creation of a nationwide network of excellent leaders for ongoing professional support and collaboration in the years to follow. The New Principal’s Institute is designed to work in tandem with the Wisdom Walk Mentorship.

A comprehensive leadership development curriculum will include 6 sessions over the course of three and a half days.

Core Elements of Divisional Leadership

This session will assist new principals in developing a tool kit for mastering the foundational skills that are universally necessary for leaders to succeed. In this session, principals will develop these competencies:

Practical Competencies of an effective Principal
Inspiring, Leading, and Managing Subordinates
Leading from the Middle

Academic Leadership

New principals must have a solid understanding of leading teachers toward continuous improvement and inspire the accomplishment of the academic and spiritual mission of the school. In this session, principals will develop these competencies:

Leading and Coordinating Effective Professional Development
Effective Implementation of Christian Worldview
Curriculum Analysis and Review Process

Cultivating Healthy School Culture

Preeminent voices in leadership development say the most important thing leaders do is create and manage culture. Principals can be so busy trying to manage day-to-day operations, they don’t have time to think about building culture. In this session, principals will learn how to:

Set the Tone for School-Wide Behavioral Expectations
Institutionalize Culture in Practice
Hold all Constituents Accountable to Culture

Managing Parent and Student Relations

From a practical standpoint, managing parent and student relations can be one of the trickiest and most stressful parts of a principal’s job. Principals need to know how to support both their teachers and parents, manage expectations, and keep parents on their team. Session skill building will include:

Practical Strategies for Winning with Parents
Establishing Healthy Relational Boundaries
Process Management for Student Discipline

Spiritual Life and Formation

In Christian education, principals are not only academic leaders, they are spiritual guides who set the tone for the achievement of the spiritual mission of the school. This session will explore:

Philosophy and Practice of Relational Ministry
Pastoral care of staff and students
Establishing Routines for Daily Encounters with Christ

Self-Care – Managing a Balanced Life for Sustained Thriving

Burnout is a troubling trend in the field of education, and with the demands and pressures of the leadership position, principals need to have a plan to guard their personal well-being. This session will foster the development of:

Foundational Habits for Maintaining Life Balance
Networks for Support
Personal/Professional Boundary Magna Carta

In addition to rich content and skill-building, participants will experience casual networking opportunities throughout the event. The cost is $1,800, and registration includes all sessions over four days, all meals and outings, and materials. Transportation and lodging are NOT included.

Speakers

Chris Cleveland

Head of Schools, WESLEYAN Schools

Peachtree, GA

Chris Cleveland has served as Head of School at Wesleyan School of Peachtree, Georgia since 2014. He began his time at Wesleyan in 2002 as middle school principal before transitioning to high school principal in 2004. In 2010 he assumed the role of assistant headmaster for advancement. Chris earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Auburn University and a Master’s in Administration and Supervision from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, has served as president of the Atlanta Christian School Association, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Georgia GOAL, INC. and Georgia Community Foundation, Inc. He also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Council for Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA).

Tawanna Rusk

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, cESA

Tawanna has served in various leadership roles in public and Christian schools as a teacher, principal, and most recently as Assistant Head of School at Mount Paran Christian School (GA). She has rich experience in every aspect of Christian school leadership, from academics and advancement to athletics and arts. Her work has consistently been characterized by her desire to foster strong relationships and maintain a distinctive Christian mission at the center of her decision-making. Rusk’s extensive experience in these areas makes her uniquely equipped to support CESA’s growing network of schools.

Christopher Rutz

Head of School, VENTURE Christian Schools

Los Gatos, CA

Mr. Christopher Rutz has served as Head of School at Venture Christian Academy in Los Gatos, California, Providence School in Santa Barbara, California and Capistrano Valley Christian School in San Juan Capistrano, California from 2012-2022. Chris began his career as a history, government, and global studies teacher in Oregon before transitioning to school leadership in California, where he served for seven years as Assistant Head of School at Calvary Christian School in Pacific Palisades, California. Chris earned a B.A. in History from the University of Minnesota, a B.A. in Secondary Education from Western Oregon University, and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Oregon. He completed his teacher credentialing program at Western Oregon and his administrative credentialing program at the University of Oregon. He is a founding board member of the DeepRoots Bible Curriculum, a dynamic K-8 curriculum designed to instill a love for God’s word and teach apologetics and Christian worldview through a comprehensive Old and New Testament scope and sequence. In 2022, Chris founded Rutz Educational Consulting, a firm dedicated to supporting school leaders to achieve greatness through increasing levels of professional competence and confidence.

Joseph Antonio

UPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, WESLEYAN sCHOOL

Joseph Antonio came to Wesleyan as a faculty fellow in 2006 and spent several years teaching seventh grade math before serving as the seventh grade boys chair for five years. He was named middle school principal in 2017 and has served in that role ever since. Antonio graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and went on to earn his masters in educational administration and policy from his alma mater. He has led Bible studies, served on mission trips, and has coached soccer, basketball, and cross country at various times throughout his tenure. Antonio is married to Caroline (former faculty fellow, grade chair, and college advisor), and they are the proud parents of Luke, Emily, Sally, and Jake.

Matt Northrop

ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL, OAKS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Westlake Village, CA

Dr. Matt Northrop is Associate Head of School at Oaks Christian School (TK-12) in Westlake Village, California, where he has served since 2017. He leads academics, arts, advancement, innovation initiatives, and Oaks Christian Online.

Matt brings nearly 30 years of experience in independent Christian education. He holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Pepperdine University, where he also taught as an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology’s master’s and doctoral programs.

At Oaks Christian, Matt has helped build the school’s distinctive institute model: the Institutes of Engineering, Global Leadership, Arts and Innovation, Health Sciences, and Bible and Discipleship. Through these programs, students follow their God-given passions through hands-on, real-world learning, from full-length feature films to designing a clean-water system for a rural areas of Sierra Leone. He has also served an integral role in establishing the new TK-3rd grade program, opening in August 2026. In addition, he also spearheaded a unique, multi-year international partnership with Wycombe Abbey in England, grounded in his belief that “schools shouldn’t be silos.”

Matt cares deeply about building strong teams, cultures of excellence, and spiritual and character formation. Above all, he describes himself as an educator, husband, dad, and Christ-follower.