Nation’s Superintendents to Gather (Virtually) for AASA’s 2021 National Conference on Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
James Minichello
703-875-0723
703-774-6953 (cell)
jminichello@aasa.org 

National Superintendent of the Year® to be Announced

Alexandria, Va. – January 22, 2021 – School system leaders will have the opportunity to learn new ideas and share innovative solutions that address the myriad of issues and uncertainties generated by the global pandemic when they attend the virtual 2021 National Conference on Education, Feb. 18-19, hosted by AASA, The School Superintendents Association.

This annual event routinely convenes the most prominent education thought leaders addressing the most pressing issues in the education landscape. The ongoing challenges brought on by the public health crisis escalates the importance of a national conference where the leaders of our nation’s public school districts will be attending. 

“The impact from COVID-19, the nation’s economic downturn and the unrest as a result of the recent assault on Capitol Hill has presented a startling new era in public education,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “I know firsthand our superintendents have been working tirelessly to create positive ways to help ensure education for all learners becomes equitable, engaging and authentic. It is gratifying to know that many of our champions for children will be joining us at our national conference to learn more about reopening our schools to in-person learning, dealing with the social emotional needs of our students, catching up with the learning loss and much more.”

Themed Social and Emotional Learning for the Total Child, focused-learning tracks will include social and emotional learning, school reopening/digital learning and equity. Keynote speakers are:

• Bryan Johnson, Hamilton County Schools, Chattanooga, Tenn.
• Khalid Mumin, Reading School District, Reading, Pa.
• Christy Perry, Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Salem, Ore.
• Michelle Reid, Northshore School District, Bothell, Wash.

(Watch the video: “AASA’s 2021 National Superintendent of the Year® Finalists”, capturing the recent press briefing held on Jan. 8, 2021, featuring these outstanding school district leaders.)

In addition, the recipients of the 2021 Dr. Effie H. Jones Humanitarian Award will be honored. This award recognizes leaders who exemplify the qualities modeled by the late Effie Hall Jones, an educator and former AASA associate executive director. Honorees include Lillie Cox, executive director of the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development; Baron Davis, superintendent of Richland School District Two (Columbia, S.C.); and, Lillian Torrez, superintendent of Taos (N.M.) Municipal School District. (Feb. 18) 

AASA will also recognize the recipients of its Women in School Leadership Award. This award pays tribute to the talent, creativity and vision of outstanding female educational administrators. Finalists in the superintendent category are Noreen Bush (Cedar Rapids Community School District, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Elizabeth Lolli (Dayton Public Schools, Dayton, Ohio). (Feb. 19) 

AASA’s ever-popular Social Media Lounge is part of the program for the seventh straight year. This year’s topic is The Voice of Superintendents on Equity and Inclusiveness, focusing on how superintendents can use social media to make their voices heard on important equity and inclusivity issues to enhance their communications with their communities. Attendees can also engage with their peers online by using the hashtag #NCE2021 in social media posts.

Whether they’re attending the conference or not, advocates for public education can follow the activities and conversations through AASA’s Conference Daily Online. The award-winning, multimedia publication, updated each evening, provides a comprehensive report on the conference proceedings, including coverage of key speakers, award winners and AASA governance activities, a Twitter feed and a conference blog that shares the experiences of four participating superintendents. CDO will also include a video newscast summarizing each day’s happenings.

For more information about the 2021 National Conference on Education, visit http://nce.aasa.org/.

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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.