Thought Leader Session Stresses Applying Superintendents’ Conversational Skills When It Comes to Dealing the Most Difficult Situations
The superintendency is a demanding job that requires effective communication, especially in difficult situations, and the presenters at an AASA national conference session on Friday afternoon emphasized that important skill. According to the presenters at the one-hour Thought Leader session, “Navigating Difficult Conversations,” schools have always been considered “incubators of democracy.” Timothy Patrick McCarthy, faculty […]
[Video] Spark the Future: Early Learning Innovations (2:08)
On Friday afternoon, Summer Schultz, superintendent in Brookings, S.D., discussed how implementing preschool learning opportunities in public schools can jumpstart learning and improve students’ future outcomes. This session covered how administrators can implement early education programs in public schools and why it is necessary in order to support their growth and learning. This story was […]
Starting a Student Advisory Council? Be Sure You Serve Them Lunch, Two Superintendents Suggest at Conference Workshop
Students ought to be the driving force behind everything taking place in education. The speakers at the “Student Voice in School District Governance” roundtable at the AASA national conference in New Orleans spread this message to other superintendents to encourage the appreciation of student voice. Michael Wegher, superintendent of the Taylor School District in Taylor, […]
[Video] Prioritizing Accessibility to Benefit All Students (2:57)
J. Malcolm Cawthorne, director of METCO, was one of four presenters in a session Friday morning on how educators can reframe and reclaim the dialogue surrounding race and equity. In this video, Cawthorne discusses how accessibility benefits all students and why schools should make this a priority. This video was produced by Emercyn Randolph and […]
To Advance Work on Race and Equity Today, Boston-Area Educators Tout the Value of Refining Persuasion Skills
Four school leaders explained how the art of persuasion aids them in reframing dialogue today about diversity, race and equity during a workshop at the AASA national conference on Friday. The hour-long session was titled “Persuasive Conversation About Race and Equity: How Educators Can Reframe and Reclaim the Dialogue.” Lee Teitel, founder of Reimagining Integration: […]
As Challenges Swirl, Daggett Tells Educators to Stay Focused on What Matters Most: Ensuring Schools Succeed at Preparing Students Well
It’s easy to get bogged down in the heated topic of the moment, but educators must stay laser-focused on their primary goal: preparing students for successful futures. “We can’t wait and get caught in the mire of everything that is going on in our communities — these discussions about what’s happening in the political […]
AASA Gives Back: In Under an Hour, Volunteers Stuff 1,000 Backpacks with Ready-to-Eat Meals for Needy Kids
A crowded assembly line formed in the convention center lobby at AASA’s national conference on Friday, consisting of 3rd graders, public school leaders and other assorted do-gooders, all working diligently side by side. If you blinked, you might have missed it: Although the service project was slated for an hour, it only took about 30 […]
[Video] Guiding Conversation on Sensitive Topics (1:30)
In a Friday afternoon session, Aaron Spence, superintendent for Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, discussed the importance of a teacher’s approach in guiding conversations on sensitive topics. Spence emphasized the need for districts to support their teachers when dealing with inevitable controversial conversations. This video was produced by Claudia Cook at the National Conference […]
For Superintendents Caught in the Midst of Crises, AASA Launches Safety Initiative to Connect Them With Expertise and Guiding Resources
Executive Director David Schuler unveiled the Superintendent Response and Recovery Network—a vital lifeline connecting district leaders who have navigated school violent crises with those currently facing similar challenges — at AASA’s 2025 National Conference on Education on Friday. “When tragic events occur in our schools–a growing reality that not one of us is ever truly […]
To Reverse Teacher Attrition, Mesa Public Schools Deploys a Team-Teaching Approach to Good Early Effects
Teacher retention was among the challenges that prompted leaders in Mesa Public Schools in Mesa, Ariz., to reconsider the one-teacher model in favor of adopting a team-based approach to turn classrooms into lively workspaces for students. During a Thought Leader presentation Friday titled “The Next Education Workforce: Here, Successful and Expanding,” Mesa officials offered a […]
