About ELITE
Dr. Taka S. Mays
FAU ELITE Director
Mr. Michael Maine
Superintendent
Martin County School District
Ms. Denise Rodriguez
Executive Director of Teaching, Learning & Leading
St. Lucie Public Schools
Dr. Joseph Stanley,
Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services
Okeechobee County Schools
Ms. Virginia Ramie
Director of Student Success & Instructional Improvement
Professional Development Department
The School District of Osceola County
St. Lucie Public Schools, in partnership with Martin County School District and FAU’s Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (ELRM), collaborated to develop the ELITE—Educational Leadership: Intern to Excellence Partnership Program. Okeechobee County School District joined the ELITE Partnership during the 2018-19 school year and The School District of Osceola County joined in 2022.
The rigorous accelerated master’s degree program focuses on bridging theory and practice through on-site principal mentoring and internships. To meet the changing needs of the educational leadership landscape, the curriculum for ELITE was written and is taught by current district and school leaders to develop teacher leaders, and the leaders of tomorrow. ELITE Program Candidates are nominated by Principals within the four school districts to be accepted into the program. ELITE participants who successfully complete the program and earn their degree will be automatically accepted into the SLPS, MCSD, OCSD, and SDOC Assistant Principal Pools.
This continued collaboration between FAU’s Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, St. Lucie Public Schools, Martin County Schools, Okeechobee County Schools, and The School District of Osceola County will be beneficial in our joint effort to improve educational opportunities for students in South Florida.
The ELITE Partnership Program is the pathway to your Educational Leadership future!