Waddington Leadership Initiative - Vermont Principals' Association

Dr. Margaret Waddington left Vermont schools a great gift – one that could transform school leadership within Vermont.

The late Dr. Margaret Waddington was one of the many individuals transformed by CCL’s flagship Leadership Development Program (LDP)®. So much so that the pioneering neurologist and resident of Rutland became a strong financial supporter of CCL and upon her passing in 2015, entrusted the organization with a multimillion dollar estate gift to ensure ongoing access to leadership development for women, men, and the young people of Vermont.

Waddington Background Powerpoint

Efficacy Report

CCL Senior Evaluation Faculty Member, Dr. Micela Leis, has put together highlights of the data collected through Cohort #7. (November, 2020)

View 1 Page Efficacy Report, Highlighted Data (PDF Version)

View Longitudinal Study (16 PDF Slide Version)

Principal Leadership Influences Leadership “Churn”

Read the above linked Center for Creative Leadership blogpost by CCL’s Micela Leis which features Vermont data regarding principal turnover. It connects the benefits of the investment in professional learning in comparison to the costs with principal turnover. The blog also shares this great piece of data: “Additionally, 91% of Waddington participants are still principals in Vermont compared to 56% of non-Waddington participants.”

Selection Criteria Priority Ranking for Cohort Selections

VPA Membership
VPA Governing Committees Membership
Active Principal/Assistant Principal
Years as a VPA Member
All Others

Typically, new cohort applications are announced in the fall of each given school year. The announcement of cohort applications comes from via the VPA weekly newsletter.

Cohorts 18 Application is Now Open

The deadline for the application is 12/31/25

Cohort 18 of the Waddington Leadership Initiative in now seeking applications. The cohort will be made up of 30 Vermont school leaders. The selection criteria in determining the order in which applicants are chosen is as posted above.

Waddington Cohort 18:

Session 1 – April 8-10, 2026 Check-in 7th, Depart 10th Greensboro, NC

Session 2 – July 7-8, 2026 Check-in 6th, Depart 8th Mountain Top Inn (Chittenden, VT)

Session 3 – Nov. 9-10, 2026 Check-in 8th, Depart 10th Mountain Top Inn (Chittenden, VT)

*Note, Check-in is the night before for each session*

COST

As with the original Waddington program, all programming costs, hotels, breakfast and lunch will be paid for by the program. A total value of the program is more than $10,000 per participant. Thanks to the Waddington Leadership Initiative covering the cost of the programming, the cost to participants and their sending district is only a faction of that total. Note: The cost of dinners, and travel are the only things that are not paid, thus dinners, travel to Greensboro, and mileage to Vermont venues will be incurred by the participant (or given district). Lodging is booked by the program and paid for by the program.The estimated travel cost is $700.

Selection Criteria Priority Ranking for Cohort Selections