It was exciting to see Connecticut superintendent and friend Dr. Mark Benigni be recognized as a tech leader among superintendents.  Mark is doing some amazing work in Meriden personalizing instruction, and the recognition is well deserved.  Congratulations, Mark.

I was also very impressed by both of the candidates for the AASA president-elect.  Paul Imhoff of Ohio and Candace Singh of California are two inspiring leaders, and either would make us proud as the leader of our organization.  I encourage all of you to look for your electronic ballot (emailed to voting members earlier today) and to participate in this election.

 It was also a pleasure to listen to Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond as she talked about the importance of relationships in learning.  From the video clip of her grandson to her concluding quote from Dewey, she knows how to make her research, and her unparalleled ability to home in on what is right in our work, clear and obvious and manageable.  Every time I listen to her speak, I come away feeling that the big, vague ideas I had been wrestling with have been sharpened into clear A-ha moments.

For me, and from the many conversations I have been having with colleagues and friends, I would tend to believe for many of you as well, the theme of this conference continues to come into sharper and sharper focus.  I will be returning to Guilford Schools reenergized, with new ideas and newly inspired to ensure that instruction is built upon strong relationships and meets the needs of individual learners.