The NJASA Southern Region Leadership Summit

A Convocation of Educational Leaders

School leaders working in southern New Jersey gathered in Tabernacle, Burlington County, at Seneca High School on April 27th to address challenges they face in working to improve outcomes for students. The Southern Region Leadership Summit, an outgrowth of the first statewide NJASA Superintendent Summit held last October, initiated with a welcome from host superintendent, Emily Capella. NJASA President-Elect Doug Groff next greeted the attendees and spoke to the importance of their participation in developing solutions designed to overcome obstacles to student and school success.

The Summit program provided participants with a forum to hear presentations on topics of interest, which included:

· Legislative Advocacy;

· Consolidation/Shared Services/Regionalization;

· Secondary School Redesign;

· Professional Learning Communities; and

· Data Driven Decision-Making and Closing the Achievement Gap.

The presenters for each session then engaged their peers in discussion of the challenges to effective leadership, which they face, and also explored strategies and promising practices to meet those challenges.

I was pleased to see the enthusiasm and active involvement of the Summit participants during each of the ten sessions. Attendees spoke candidly with one another and with NJASA staff members about the focal issues and their impact on improvement efforts in their own school districts. The educators present for the summit demonstrated a genuine commitment to their profession and validated the importance of the leadership role, which they play in directing New Jersey’s school districts toward excellence. The participants’ feedback reinforces the NJASA responsibility to provide opportunities for purposeful discussion on topics of importance to New Jersey educators.

I am pleased to see that our goal to provide a forum for communication among school leaders was so well received. We shall continue our work together to address the NJASA mission to ensure a superior statewide system of education by influencing and effecting educational policy, regulations, and legislation; and by maximizing the capacity and effectiveness of school leaders through professional development programs and support services.

I invite NJASA school leaders from the central and northern counties of our state to be present for a second regional Leadership Summit to be held at Kean University, Union, on May 13 and to enjoy the benefits of professional dialogue with your colleagues.

For More Information: www.njasa.net