Jon Drescher has been a Professor of Practice, from 2010-2025, in the Graduate School of Education at Lehigh University. Jon was the Founding Director, and lead faculty member, of the Urban Principals Academy at Lehigh (U*PAL) a rigorous 13 month Ed. Leadership master’s program, which began in June of 2013, with an emphasis on Creativity and Imagination in Leadership, Issues of Inequity and Privilege, as well as the importance of Organizational Culture to enhance student learning
Jon also taught graduate classes in the Global Educational Leaders program to both masters and doctoral students. Both programs (U*PAL and Global) were designed to work specifically with veteran educators who are aspiring school leaders. Jon’s classes are primarily focused on developing leaders who will transform schools into outstanding institutions of student learning.
In addition to teaching Organizational Structure, Principalship I and II, Leadership: Self and Groups, Curriculum Management and other relevant foundational courses, all of Jon’s classes focus on: Self-Reflection, Capacities for Imaginative Learning, Communication, Balance and Trust. In keeping with this focus, his classes have traveled to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum, for classes on The Art of Observation and to Jazz @ Lincoln Center for classes that focus on Collaboration, Improvisation and Connections. His graduate students have studied the importance of leaders taking risks, knowing when to lead and when to follow and how to develop a sharing of perspectives by working with Jazz Musicians, Visual Artists and Improvisational specialists .
As a tangential part of Jon’s work, he has facilitated, since 2011, a monthly series of Socratic Rounds. These monthly gatherings of educators, and those interested in education, delve into topical issues relevant to developing creative approaches to leadership and teaching through shared perspectives and innovation. The Rounds also utilize a Collaborative Assessment Protocol at each gathering that allows each participant to look deeply into one piece of provided student work.
Prior to coming to Lehigh, Jon was a Project Director for the Center for Educational Innovation in New York City. He was Associate Director of the Summer Principals Academy at Columbia University. Jon also spent over 25 years as a Principal in New York City and Westchester County and four years as the Head of School of a K-12 Charter in Cambridge, MA. Jon also spent a number of years as a Group Leader at Harvard’s Principal Center and many years producing and hosting shows for New York Public Radio.