Still Time to Turn Around Teacher Shortage While Conditions Are ‘Bending But Not Yet Broken,’ Conference Panel Reports
Strategies for teacher recruitment and retention, a growing concern among school leaders across the nation, were discussed in a Saturday session at the National Conference on Education in San Antonio. Sy Doan, associate policy researcher at RAND Corp. in Santa Monica, Calif., was accompanied by Alena Zachery-Ross, superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools in Michigan. The […]
DC School Leader on Advancing Education Equity through Anti-Racist Roadmap
Brenda (Bren) Elliott, chief of school improvement and support with the District of Columbia Public Schools, said she comes from a lineage of African American, European and Indigenous people. She admits her diversity is her strength. She told her story in a Saturday conference session, “Getting to Educational Equity.” Born incredibly poor, Elliott said she […]
With Pandemic Forcing ‘Massive, Messy Change’ into K-12 Education, Conference Panel Advises School Leaders About Mobilizing Quickly to Keep Pace
From the abrupt shift to online instruction in 2020 to ChatGPT, the “Leading and Learning in a Digital Age for All Students” panel at the AASA national conference gave school leaders advice on how to grow with the times. The Friday morning panel was facilitated by Richard Culatta, CEO of ASCD/ISTE, who provided insight into […]
After Shooting Near Superintendent’s District, Lubelfeld Shares Experience Implementing School Safety Measures
Given the nation’s current climate, demand for safety in public schools is very high. Now, more than ever, schools must be aware of the protocols to ensure the safety of students and staff Navigate360 CEO Jean-Paul “JP” Guilbault, and Michael Lubelfeld, superintendent of North Shore School District in Illinois, addressed a large audience Friday morning […]
Illinois District Shares Its Cost-Efficient Moves to Electric School Buses in Rural Region
Working with utility companies could minimize the cost of purchasing and maintaining electric school buses, panelists said Friday during a session at the National Conference on Education in San Antonio. Andreas Edmondson, superintendent of Hardin County Schools in Illinois, and Duncan McIntyre of Highland Fleets, a maker of electric school buses based in Beverly, Mass., […]
Systemwide Agency Can Be Used to Amplify Student Agency
How does student agency relate to college and career readiness? Michelle Whitney, superintendent of Pasco School District 1 in Washington, and Robi Cole, AVID associate area director for the Pacific Northwest, engaged participants at an AASA conference roundtable Friday morning with examples of the impact of their student agency work. They repeatedly noted their work […]
[Video] Building an Employee-Centered District (2:20)
This session with Georgette Warnock explored how superintendents can re-engage teachers and make their districts a top destination for those with the capacity and desire to help students grow. This story was produced by Silas Bryant at the 2023 AASA Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
New Hampshire Panel Details the School District’s Tack for Countering Opposition to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Work
The AASA conference panel “Introducing, implementing and sustaining DEI in Predominately White School Communities” on Friday afternoon offered advice on how to include more attention to diversity, equity and inclusion in school districts, even in places where there is some opposition to the work. The session was led by three employees of New Hampshire’s School […]
Addressing School Security Will Lend Appeal When Districts Recruit New Staff, Conference Panel Says
To address the teacher shortage, three school district administrators spoke to an AASA conference audience on Friday afternoon about how to create a safety-first culture that they contend will empower, recruit and retain teachers. The panelists at “Lessons from Districts: How a Culture of Safety Improves Teacher Retention and Recruitment” also explained the importance of using […]
Creating a Happiness Advantage to Educators Brings Positive Results to an Iowa School System
Joel Pedersen, superintendent of the Cardinal Community School District in Iowa, exudes excitement when he talks about his eight-year implementation of the Happiness Advantage in his school system. Pedersen first learned about the Happiness Advantage from AASA. His district was subsequently featured by Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, in his keynote address at […]
