Bring Your Whole Team to #NAESP19
Make it a (school) family vacation at the NAESP 2019 Pre-K-8 Principals Conference.
By Eric Cardwell
Greetings to my NAESP family! Embarking on a family trip across the country is the quintessential American vacation. Inspired by my daughter asking that I shoot her high school senior pictures, we packed our entire family into the car (along with our two dachshunds) and meandered from Michigan to eventually Yellowstone National Park, snapping photos along the way. This trip was about the journey and the quality time we spent together. Time is fleeting and you seem to never have enough personally and professionally.
I have had the privilege to meet many of you as I have traveled across the U.S. during my tenure as NAESP president. I have witnessed firsthand the passion and programs that are making tremendous differences in your learning communities while strengthening the fabric that is education in America. The one common concern echoed by colleagues everywhere is that the “time bogeyman” is always in close pursuit. Making the most of the time we have is important.
I hope that you take time this summer to recharge professionally by attending NAESP’s 2019 Pre-K-8 Principals Conference, July 10-12 in Spokane, Washington. NAESP has planned another blockbuster conference, bringing together over 1,500 colleagues and experts from around the world.
Aside from the tremendous lineup of keynote speakers—Razia Jan, Michael Fullan, and Kwame Alexander—NAESP also will be offering over 100 educator-developed sessions. The topic areas offer a wide range of possibilities for your professional learning. Those strands are:
- Arrays of Management
- Ethics/Equity in Schools
- Instructional Leadership
- Innovative Strategies Through Technology and Techniques
In addition, if you want to come out to Spokane a little early, by July 9, you can join colleagues across the nation in making a difference in the lives of students on Community Service Day. Together, we’ll build a playground for a local school. It’s been one of my personal favorite activities to participate in!
I hope you are able to bring your entire school family—superintendents, assistant principals, curriculum coaches, and teacher leaders—along to Spokane. It will be an unparalleled learning journey and afford you quality time with your school family to chart the course for a successful 2019-2020 school year and beyond.
Book a train or an airplane ticket, or fill up the family station wagon with your school’s leadership team. You will have an amazing time. I look forward to seeing you in Spokane.
To check out details about the conference or to register, go to the conference website. Or follow @NAESP or #NAESP19 on Twitter for the latest updates.
Eric Cardwell is president of NAESP.
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