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Message From the Executive Director Connect With Your Peers and Learn Top Practices at IASA Annual Conference

Dr. Brent Clark

This conference was exactly the refresh I needed to regain positivity to lead my district.

If you haven’t already, consider registering for this year’s conference. I understand it can be difficult to break away, but I’ve heard from countless superintendents over the years who discovered that missing ingredient to push their district to the next level while in Springfield. You simply can’t connect with other superintendents, learn about top practices in the state and gain new perspectives on leadership while at home in your district. As I wrote last month, IASA plans to prioritize school safety and literacy during the 2023–24 school year. Our plan is to offer a free webinar each month, beginning in October, on specific issues within those two areas of focus. Even if you can’t make the webinar yourself, feel free to share the information with members of your staff. Our goal for each webinar is to pair industry experts with school administrators in the field to offer you different perspectives. Be on the lookout for an email in October with details and registration information. To close, I’m pleased to hear positive reports throughout the state on a great start to the school year. Every superintendent recognizes how pivotal this year is with the need to accelerate student learning, provide additional social-emotional supports for students and adjust to life without an influx of federal funds. As always, IASA will be with you each step of the way as you lead with intention and continue to put the interest of students first. Hope to see you in Springfield, Sept. 27–29.

Feedback like that is what makes planning and organizing IASA’s Annual Conference extra special. Our goal every year is to make sure each attendee leaves feeling more connected with their peers, their batteries are recharged and that they have learned about an innovative program or initiative that they can take back to their district. This year’s lineup is well suited to meet that goal. Our keynote speakers all have inspiring messages, but also education backgrounds that provide them with a unique understanding of the day-to-day challenges school administrators face. We also were very deliberate in selecting a diverse set of breakout sessions that serve the needs of superintendents in urban, suburban and rural settings as well as elementary, unit and high school districts. Check out pages 5–17 and familiarize yourself with this year’s schedule and be sure to download the IASA Annual Conference App. The App makes it easy to view the list of breakout sessions, learn about speakers, see the list of exhibitors and sponsors and get updates about any cancellations or important notifications. The App can be downloaded by scanning the QR Code on page 8.

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