Mental Health Services Make Big Showing in AASA Exhibit Hall, Promoting Their Wares for Students, Staff
Working through the negative voice in your head after being bullied. Reconnecting with friends after a suicide attempt. Working through LGBTQ+ issues as a teen. These are just some of the storylines explored in the animated web series “My Life is Worth Living,” a free resource offered by the Cook Center for Human Connection. The […]
National Superintendent of the Year Curtis Cain’s Unflappable Presence Models Public School Leadership in Contentious Times
As superintendent of the Wenztville School District in suburban St. Louis, Mo., Curtis A. Cain covers a lot of ground. Not just the physical territory – the district’s 18 buildings over 90 square miles – but also the ideological terrain that has put so many superintendents to a stress test of late. Cain has managed […]
Doug Reeves: Post-Pandemic Schooling Must Emphasize Experimentation, Collaboration Among Administrators and Teachers
Douglas Reeves wants superintendents to know that implementing change in schools does not come solely from inspirational messages, but through what he calls the “science fair approach.” Put the focus on collaboration and experimentation, Reeves said, and stray away from trying to get everyone on board with the latest fad. In his presentation, “Deep Change: […]
Odds and Ends about Curtis Cain, 2022 National Superintendent of the Year Honoree
His Greatest Influence Curtis Cain, who is 48, considers mentorship the most profound impact on his 26 years in education. As he puts it: “We speak to the importance of significant relationships for students and, in numerous ways, this is true for professionals as well. From being a student to my teaching to engaging in […]
Social Media-Savvy Superintendents Provide Tips and Cautions by Drawing on Their Significant Use
Navigating the murky waters of social media has become a priority for superintendents, and a panel of six Twitter-savvy superintendents assured audience members at an AASA conference session Thursday that taking the plunge will ultimately result in positive outcomes for public education. A standing-room only crowd gathered in the AASA Social Media Lounge in Nashville […]
Women in Artful Leadership Addressed by a Veteran Trio in Conference Room of Eager Listeners
“Artful leadership builds on the innovative and creative talents of female leaders to challenge the status quo and open doors of opportunity for all students,” according to a joint statement issued at the AASA national conference Thursday by Carmella Franco, a retired superintendent, Maria Ott, a clinical professor at University of Southern California, and Ruth […]
Education’s Rapid Adaptation During Changing State of Public Health Will Continue, Panelists Say
As the COVID health crisis continues, what defines success in education has changed as well. Superintendent Kelly Lyman of Mansfield, Conn., and Kenneth Kay, co-author of Redefining Student Success: A Powerful Strategy for District Transformation, hosted a conference session Thursday where they discussed the pandemic’s effects on education. “COVID, even if unwanted, increased the momentum […]
Gender, Race Reveal Interesting Trends in Recent Surveys of Who’s Landing Top School District Jobs
At a concurrent session on “Gender, Race, Ethnicity and School District Composition,” AASA conference attendees on Thursday learned about trends showing school districts were filling openings for superintendent vacancies previously led by women with a male at the start of the pandemic, yet the reasons for this are much less clear. An AASA survey of […]
They’re Clearing the Air: Companies in the Hygiene Field Leave a Major Trace on the Floor of AASA’s Exhibit Hall
More than a dozen companies offering products involving air quality or hygiene in schools make up one of the larger segments of new vendors in the AASA national conference’s exhibit hall in Nashville. “As Churchill said, never let a good crisis go to waste,” said James Rollins of R-Zero Systems. His Utah-based company was one […]
Shriver, in a Conference Keynote, Acknowledges Skepticism about Social Emotional Learning But Shares Data Showing Lopsided Support for Its Value
“If we are going to build a new America, you are the most important people in the world,” keynote speaker Tim Shriver told the audience at Thursday’s 1st General Session of the AASA national conference in Nashville. Shiver is chairman of Special Olympics and chairman of the board of CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social […]