Welcome to San Francisco

The weather is clearing. The sun is warming. The brains are really working. You need to be here and personally I am looking forward to talking to many of you who will be here. I am certain that I will hear the latest ideas in dealing with budget shortfalls. I am certain hot conversations will ensue about which state is getting the most money from the stimulus package. Who will be the first school system to apply for a Qualified Academy Zone bond or who will be the first to get access to zero interest school construction bonds?

It was my honor today to sit with fellow Superintendents of the Year from over 36 states. We were led in our discussion by Ben C. DeSpain who has conducted a survey of SOYs for a number of years. Interesting results from the survey provide a picture of school superintendents across the nation. It was interesting to learn that none of us read books on the internet. It was interesting to learn how many of us had received music and art lessons (Daniel Pink may have been on to something). It was also interesting to hear that Jim Collins (Good to Great) predicts that business leaders of the future will come from education leader ranks. Maybe someone among us will take over General Motors!!!

At the end of our meeting today, we talked about what superintendents might want to tell Institutes of Higher Education about administration preparation programs. It seemed a strong consensus that higher education needed to have a better screening process for candidates and that programs in school administration needed a better blend of practical and theory. A year long internship with lots of practical experiences is essential to prepare leaders for the schools of tomorrow. Finally, there seems to be a lot of conversation in the nation about alternative licensure and programs like the New York Leadership Academy and New Leaders for New Schools.

It is always a terrific professional development to learn from your peers about issues that we are all facing. That is what you have to look forward to at this conference. We know budgets are tight, however, you can always pick up some ideas that will more than pay for the trip.

I am honored to be among the SOY group and groups like Don Hopper's CQL and Larry Lezotte's Superintendency Institute. However, I am often reminded that Mark Twain said he wasn't certain he wanted to be a member of a group that would have him as a member. Thank you all for letting me be a part of your AASA experience. See you in San Francisco!!!!