Merits of Participating in AASA Learning 2025 Touted to School Districts at San Antonio Conference
Becoming part of the AASA Learning 2025 demonstration initiative gives school districts opportunities for mentorship and support, several panelists said at an AASA conference session on Friday in San Antonio. Bill Daggett, founder of both the Successful Practices Network and International Center for Leadership in Education, encouraged superintendents to join the network of rapidly improving […]
Leading School for Impact Means Knowing Why You are Leading, Greco Says in Conference Session

Leadership is critical for a school’s success, said Patricia Greco, a consultant with Studer Education, who presented at the “Lead for Impact” session at the AASA National Conference on Education on Friday in San Antonio, Texas. “I’m not improving, because the state is telling me I have to,” said Greco, a retired superintendent in Wisconsin, […]
Consensus Not Easy Between Superintendents and Their Boards, a Point Upon Which NSBA, AASA Executive Directors Concur

A good relationship between a public school superintendent and the school board can have a significant impact on the success of a school district. This partnership can create a collaborative environment that allows for effective decision-making, increased accountability and improved student outcomes. That was the takeaway from the Thought Leader Session at the AASA national […]
Conference Panel Tackles the Subject of ‘Imperfect’ Leadership of Education Organizations
A good leader is willing to admit when they have made a mistake, Peter Stiepleman, president of Imperfect Leadership in After Action in Bainbridge Island, Wash., told an AASA conference audience on Thursday. His session was titled “Imperfect Leaders.” “Serve as a leading learner,” said Stiepleman, a former superintendent. “Leading with vulnerability is one of […]
School Trauma Expert, in Thought Leader Session: Care for Yourself and the Members of Your Staff

School administrators step up in crisis whenever they help their schools and families. But they weren’t trained to do that work, said David Schonfeld, director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement and Pediatrician at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Schonfeld presented on “Caring for Yourself and Your Members” at a Thought Leader […]
Stronger Principal Preparation Leads to Better Student Outcomes, RAND Researcher Tells Conference Attendees

Five panelists addressed the importance for principals to be ready to take on their role as leaders and the process to be prepared for the job. At a Thought Leaders session titled “Redesigning University Preparation Programs,” Rebecca (Becki) Herman, a senior policy researcher for the RAND Corporation, spoke as the lead presenter about the recent […]
Countering Social Media Ills Among Students Addressed at Conference Panel

The founder of SmartSocial, Josh Ochs, delivered a presentation at the AASA conference on Thursday about social media safety and ways school districts can use technology and social media as a tool to benefit students academically. Ochs was joined on his panel, which addressed “How Superintendents are Navigating Social Media Use to Keep Students Safe,” […]
Designing a Diploma with a Purpose: Redefining Student Success
“Our workforce needs are changing so rapidly that we have to think differently about how we prepare our students.” That is the key takeaway from Dan Bridges, superintendent of Naperville Community School District 203 in Illinois, as he and his team described their journey of rethinking college and career readiness. Their district wants schools to […]
Superintendents Jointly Advance Work of Diversity, Inclusion in Schools

The AASA conference session “BIPOC and White District Leaders Work on Race and Equity Together” addressed diversity, belonging, inclusion and equity as steps to creating an equitable culture in the workplace and schools. The Thursday morning panel was facilitated by Lee Teitel, founding director at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Darnisa Amante-Jackson, founder/president […]
Investing in the Culture of Showing Up: Addressing Attendance Habits in a Post-Pandemic World
Chronic absenteeism is a major problem for many schools and remains an issue in the post-pandemic period, according to two experts from the School Innovations and Achievement organization who presented on Thursday at an AASA conference roundtable titled “Investing in a Culture of Showing Up.” After more than two years of remote learning, graduation rates […]