I had so much fun chatting with Mary Anne Butler, Superintendent of Stonington Public Schools in Connecticut for conversation #67. She is an innovative leader who lives by the principle that standing still is more dangerous than moving forward. I am excited to present with her and Sean McKenna at the MassCUE Fall Conference. “In…

The pace at which career and technical education (CTE) pathways are advancing and becoming increasingly aligned to high-demand workforce skills and careers is dizzying. It’s important to elevate the professional learning strategies and challenges that CTE leaders face, as they are often unique. This is why I am grateful to Dan Kelley for connecting me…

Truly grateful to Jim Flanagan, executive director of the Massachusetts Educational Technology Administrators Association (METAA) for introducing me to Dr. Lee McCanne for conversation #65. Lee is the Chief Information Officer for Cambridge Public Schools and has a wealth of experience bridging education technologywith curriculum and instruction. His insights regarding best practices for rolling out…

Conversation #64 was inspired by an article published on the AASA blog this summer on meaningful district transformation, written by Ellen Martin, Assistant Superintendent of Marshfield. I loved digging into her human-centered approach to professional learning and coaching. “One of our most effective innovations has been our Lab Teacher model. With leadership from instructional coaches,…

So many thoughtful leadership moves are packed within conversation #63 with Kirk Koennecke, Superintendent of Indian Hill Exempted Village School District in Ohio. “I’ve learned that high expectations come with incredible responsibility. Our community demands transparency in how we invest in professional learning, which has pushed us to be more intentional about everything we do….

I found out about Colquitt County School District’s work in a recent AASA article, “High School Literacy: It’s Not Too Late”. The article got me excited for conversation #62 with Superintendent, Daniel Chappuis and Director of Student Achievement, Jessica Graves about their strategy and change management approach to high school reading intervention. “We must be…

We’re back with #100DistrictConversations! We’ve got 40 more conversations to complete by the end of the calendar year and #61 is a great one. Thank you Sujata Bhatt for connecting me with Adrienne Usher, Deputy Superintendent of Bullitt County Public Schools in Kentucky. “Our North Star is simple: Students Matter Most. Every decision we make…

Rural Superintendents are some of the most creative and resourceful leaders. Conversation #60, with Dr. Beth Regulbuto, Superintendent of Southern Berkshire Regional School District, showcases her adaptive and community driven vision for improving educational opportunities via mindset shifts for teachers and students. “In our small regional district, we face a unique challenge: we are comprised…

Conversation #59, with Maureen Cohen, Ed.D, Superintendent of the Mendon-Upton Regional School District in Massachusetts reimagines adult learning while staying focused on the north star of student needs and experience. I could have done a full post just on the concept of Adult Learning Pathways. Thank you Lori Batista McEwen for nominating Superintendent Cohen. If…

I have been a High Tech High fanboy for years even though I have never personally made the pilgrimage to see their schools in action. Getting to speak with Diana Cornejo-Sanchez, CEO of High Tech High, during conversation #58 of #100DistrictConversations, was definitely the next best thing! There is an incredible vision and commitment to…