ACSA’s premier learning opportunity for school leaders – the Leadership Summit – is featuring an exciting new approach this year. ACSA Assistant Executive Director George Manthey invited ACSA committees and councils to submit a string of workshop sessions, and the results are impressive.
Among the conference strands are community schools, classified educational leaders, adult education, diversity, and principal leadership. There is also a top-notch business services strand offered through ACSA’s Business Services Council.
Under the leadership of Brett McFadden, council professional development chair, and William Young, council past president, the Business Services Council will present such critical sessions as District and School Budgeting, Fiscal Matters for Aspiring Cabinet Leaders, Pension Reform and Your Career, Maximizing Instructional Technology, and Maximizing Custodial and Grounds Staff.
Business Services Council President Gina Potter said the council is very pleased to participate in developing sessions for the summit.
“The council’s overarching goal is to provide ACSA members with access to professional development opportunities within the specialized strand of education finance and district operations,” Potter said.
Another intriguing strand offered at the summit is civic education. Among the offerings for this strand is a luncheon with Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
Some of the sessions in this strand are Guardian of Democracy: The Civic Mission of Schools; Executive Engagement – Learning About Citizenship through a Presidential Lens; Foundational Support for School-Based Civic Learning; and Six Proven Practices: Model Civic Education Programs.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor recently spoke about the need to teach students more about how the government works – particularly the judicial branch.
“Young people need to know how our government works, and how they’re part of it,” O’Connor told ABC News. “It isn’t self-evident, and in schools today, I don’t think it’s widely taught.”
One approach O’Connor has promoted is being offered in one of the civic education strand sessions, iCivics: Understanding the Judicial Branch in the 21st Century. iCivics is a free, interactive website where students can play games and learn more about civic education.
The ACSA 2012 Leadership Summit, “iDream, iEmpower, iLead for a Brighter Future” will take place Nov. 8-10 in San Diego. The Leadership Summit provides opportunities for invaluable networking and offers professional development on current critical leadership and educational issues.
For more information on the annual event, please visit www.acsa.org/leadershipsummit, or contact ACSA’s Educational Services Department at (800) 608-ACSA.