Conversation #85 was my first in-person #100DistrictConversations interview at the recent National Conference on Education from AASA hosted in Nashville. I loved getting to sit down for an extended chat with Superintendent Chuck Perry from Broken Arrow Public Schools in Oklahoma. Chuck is a hometown hero who grew up and spent his own K-12 experience…

Conversation #84 with Superintendent Heath Rocha of Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District in California surfaced something I keep coming back to. Research-driven practices only reach their potential when supported by strong cycles of continuous improvement. As Heath scales this work across all departments, implementation gaps are the real obstacle, not vision or will. He…

One of the things I have enjoyed about #100DistrictConversations is seeing the different starting points from which district leaders begin their innovation and change efforts. Neil Gupta is the Superintendent of Oakwood City Schools, a small, high-performing district in Ohio. As a former curriculum director who does not need to focus on turnaround efforts, Neil…

Conversation #81 takes us to Michigan for a lesson in innovation iteration. When the resource carpet is pulled out from under you, how do you stay focused and passionate about the work? Chris Timmis is the current Superintendent of Dexter Community School District. “After 8+ years with Summit Learning, we are now building our own…

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the context and constraints elevated during conversation #80 with Clayton Holland, Superintendent of Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) in Southcentral Alaska. Imagine 42 schools spread across 17 communities in a geographic area the size of West Virginia. Several schools are only accessible by plane or snowmobile….

I love connecting with rural Superintendents through #100DistrictConversations. Their innovations often emphasize community and culture-building over scale. Check out conversation #79 with Dr. Tiffany Rehbein, Superintendent of Anaconda Public Schools in Montana. “I’m energized by the opportunity to reimagine professional learning in our district. Coming from a principal background, I have seen firsthand how the…

Each of my #100DistrictConversations has been inspiring and informative, but conversation #78 with Dr. Lorraine Mora Perez, Superintendent of Santa Ana Unified School District in California changed my thinking about capacity-building and the future. “Coming out of COVID 3 years ago, we knew we needed to fundamentally rethink our approach to professional learning. We were…

Thank you Virgel Hammonds for introducing me to Gary Storts, Superintendent of Eureka City Schools. During conversation #77, Gary shares how powerful it has been to return home to the district where he grew up in rural CA. “I’ve been blessed to spend my entire career serving the area that helped raise me. Living just…

It’s 2026 and we have 25 more conversations to go before we hit our goal of #100Districtconversations. Today, I’m excited to share conversation #76 with Nicole Toepfer, Administrator for Professional Learning for Sun Prairie Area School District, in Wisconsin. Nicole’s work is anchored on an impressive set of instructional frameworks that are paced well for…