Leadership Matters Summer 2015

Outgoing IASA president: Make new year ‘Essential’ for kids

educational associations, and begins a process of pushing the boulder of best thinking and best practices up a hill of reform and restructuring. I would prefer we look not at battling against the political will of the state, but rather that we now have a blueprint available that allows us to offer the tools we have from our toolkit to assist legislators and the governor in understanding what we must do and what we can do for the more than 2 million children who depend upon us each day. No, this will not be easy, but we

have a great start. Finally, I share with you a thought from the book, Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less , by Greg McKeown. He says, "The Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the non-essentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage." Our responsibility as IASA members is to continue to speak out against that which is non- essential for our children, and to reinforce and re- fortify that which is necessary and absolute for our children. And if we need to have tough conversations to remove those obstacles to the 'clear, smooth passage,' it's comforting to know that there are thousands of leading educators in Illinois ready to speak up. Make 2015-16 an Essential year for your District!

I would have enjoyed writing this column to conclude the 2015 school year full of vim and vigor, fresh from reviewing the next fiscal year's budget and with full plans for staffing and programming, and examining clear goals and principles for outcomes necessary to provide the best resources for our students here in Geneseo District 228. But alas, despite promises of changes in Springfield and greater transparency, we find ourselves looking through a fog of fiscal uncertainty and a myriad of imminent changes coming towards us without any clear relevance or direction in most cases. However, I can say that the 2014-15 year for IASA has demonstrated renewed commitment to children and persistence towards professional integrity and leadership. Celebrating our 50th anniversary as a stand-alone organization ushered in a spirit of renewal and a refreshing approach, encapsulated in the unveiling and strong embrace of Vision 20/20. Through the efforts of hundreds of educational "life touchers," this hard-bound book demonstrates the collective soul, spirit, and synergy of major

Scott Kuffel Geneseo Comm Unit 228 IASA Past President

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