Odds and Ends About the Life of Kevin McGowan: School Mascots, Hair Donations, Favorite Books and a Go-To Snack
A few selected anecdotes and other briefs about the qualities that define Kevin McGowan, superintendent in Brighton, N.Y., and the newly named 2023 National Superintendent of the Year. Learning How to Be Culturally Responsive Mindful of his suburban school district’s diverse population, Kevin McGowan was proud that Brighton had added Eid-al-Fitr as an official holiday […]
New Scholarship in Daniel Domenech’s Honor Will Support Participants in AASA Aspiring Superintendent Academy for Latino & Latina Leaders
AASA, The School Superintendents Association has created the Daniel A. Domenech Scholarship, named after the organization’s executive director who is retiring this month. The needs-based scholarships will help fund recipients’ participation in the Aspiring Superintendents Academy for Latino and Latina Leaders,® a highly interactive year-long program that provides participants with the real-world skills a next-generation […]
Superintendent Panel Joins Daggett in Describing Whole-Learner Approaches in Their School Districts
Panelists at the National Conference on Education in San Antonio said instructional strategies need to look “entirely different” during a Thursday session on school improvement. Bill Daggett, founder of both the Successful Practices Network and the International Center for Leadership in Education, presented superintendents from three school districts in different stages of creative reform. According […]
Long-term Dedication Defines Three Recipients of AASA’s Distinguished Service Award
Three individuals will be recognized with AASA’s Distinguished Service Award during the 2nd General Session of the association’s National Conference on Education in San Antonio, Texas. The three honorees are: Additional details about the honorees can be found in the official AASA press release.
Profile of Kevin McGowan: A Considered Decision Maker in the Midst of Professional Challenges
As superintendent of the Brighton Central School District in Rochester, N.Y., Kevin McGowan is known for his strategic thinking, his willingness to listen to opposing viewpoints, his transparency and his calm leadership. He’s also known for his steadfast commitment to the belief he commonly shares that every single child matters: “Every child, every day, in […]
Bedell Details His Deft Approach to Transitioning as Superintendent During Politically Divisive Times
Mark Bedell, superintendent of Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Annapolis, Md., delivered advice for superintendents transferring into highly politically charged school districts by sharing his journey and recent transition from Kansas City. During Thursday’s conference session, Bedell laid out his plan for navigating the tense political climate in Anne Arundel County. He began his […]
Alex Boyé, in Conference’s Opening Keynote: Change Your Words, Change Your Life in Positive Directions
Raised in a tough London neighborhood, Alex Boyé never thought he’d amount to anything. Being homeless after leaving an abusive relative’s house at the age of 16, he ate his dinner out of garbage cans. At that time, he began to realize that health, both physical and mental, isn’t about what you are eating, it’s […]
Seen & Heard Around the Conference: Breakfast Favorites, a New York Takeover and Images of AASA Transition
Breakfast Cereal on His Mind AASA public policy staffer Tara Thomas briefed the Governing Board on Wednesday about AASA’s position on proposed new federal nutrition standards for school meals, during which she referenced the sugar content in some popular offerings favored by students. Once she had finished, Paul Imhoff, AASA past president, couldn’t resist his […]
Federal Relations Lunch Speaker Spells Out What to Expect Over Contentious Curriculum Challenges in the Coming Years
Controversial curriculum has been a hot button issue for school districts across the nation, divided on political lines, said Morgan Polikoff, author of Beyond Standards, an education researcher at University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education and AASA’s Federal Relation Lunch keynote speaker. In remarks at Thursday’s annual luncheon held during the AASA national […]
Guiding Principle from Camhi to Superintendent Colleagues: Tell the Stories of Kids’ Successes
Shari Camhi wants us all to know that we are more than just a number. In her remarks as AASA president during the AASA conference’s 1st General Session on Thursday, Camhi took advantage of a teachable moment to recall a 6th grader named Chris. When he entered her 6th-grade class, he had missed 180 continuous […]