With ‘Equity’ a Banished Word, a Rural School Leader Turns to Alternative Ways to Support Students by Granting Them Voice in a Politically Conservative Region
The word “equity” has become a controversial term in recent months, owing to nationwide political backlash over DEI initiatives. How then can school leaders effectively promote equality and justice among their students without increasing polarization and calling undue attention to themselves? In a thought-provoking session at Friday’s AASA national conference, superintendent Michelle Caulfield of Corning, […]
Effie Jones Memorial Equity Luncheon Speakers Implore Educators: Do Right by Children
“The work continues.” That was the message of keynote speaker Anita Raj at the Dr. Effie Hall Jones Memorial Equity Luncheon on Friday at the AASA national conference. Raj is the executive director of the Newcomb Institute for Gender Equity at Tulane University. The annual luncheon remembers Jones, who was a teacher, counselor and school […]
Colorado Superintendent Shares Insights on Leading a School Community Through Divisive Times
If anyone knows how to bring a divided school district and community together amid significant challenges, it just could be Superintendent Erin Kane. In the last few years, politically divisive issues on a national level played out in her district – Douglas County School District in Castle Rock, Colo. The district has dealt with superintendent […]
Past Presidents of AASA’s Yesteryears Turn Out for a Bow at the Conference’s 2nd General Session
AASA has an amazing history as an organization founded in 1865. It’s a history “that we continue to build upon as the premier association for school system leaders and as the national voice for public education and district leadership throughout the country,” according to Gladys Cruz, immediate past president of AASA, speaking at Friday morning’s […]
Long Island Superintendent Receives Digital Superintendent of the Year Recognition at Conference’s 2nd General Session
The superintendent of Mineola Unified School District in Garden City Park, N.Y., Michael Nagler, received CoSN and AASA’s 6th annual EmpowerED Digital Superintendent of the Year Award, sponsored by Classlink, at Friday’s 2nd General Session. AASA and the Consortium for School Networking, launched a partnership in 2019 committed to building a community of engaged superintendents […]
Hitting the Right Notes: What Music in Our Schools Teaches Us About Public Education
I started my teaching career with one foot in the music classroom and the other in a 5th/6th grade regular education classroom. So when March rolls around, I always get a little nostalgic—after all, it’s Music In Our Schools Month! Some of my best years were spent in the music room, where I got to […]
Future-Driven Leadership: Insights from My First Day at AASA’s NCE25
After a delayed flight, I finally arrived at the AASA National Conference on Education. The moment I stepped into the hotel, I was reminded why this gathering is so valuable. Seeing respected colleagues, reconnecting over dinner, and exchanging ideas about our work was both affirming and energizing. It reinforced the power of connections and the […]
Leading During Turbulent Times: Leading Experts Share How to Navigate a Fraught Political Landscape
Our current political landscape is a fraught one. And that might be why, during a Thursday afternoon Thought Leader session at AASA’s national conference, only a sprinkling of audience members held up their hands when asked, “Who here is really passionate about political leadership?” Jennifer Cheatham, a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of […]
Cook Center Panel Says Even Affluent Communities Need Plenty of Help in Supporting Mental Wellness of Students to Ensure their Regular Attendance
The well-to-do school community in Jackson Hole, Wyo., has plenty of positive attributes, including a 97 percent high school graduation rate and a 23 average ACT score among its college-bound students. But the district also has a problem with chronic absenteeism. The Jackson Hole story was part of the focus of an AASA national conference […]
Learning From a Failed Public Vote, a School District’s Hopeful Message Communicates the Impact Needed to Advance Its Facility Needs
In front of a standing-room only crowd, Mary Templeton, superintendent of Lake Stevens School District in Washington, delivered a general rallying cry to the troops. “We’re at war,” she said, stressing the urgency to amplify positive stories to save public education. Templeton made these boisterous remarks at the AASA conference session titled “Communicating Your Hopeful […]
