FIVE CONFERENCES FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

School Administrators Conferences

• ASCD Annual Conference
• National Principals Conference
• AASA Women in School Leadership Forum
• AASPA 79th Annual Conference
• SAANYS Annual Conference

Scheduling time to attend school administrator conferences during the busy academic year or your precious summer vacation could facilitate your career advancement. Conferences are multi-day events organized by member organizations for education leaders to sharpen their skills for leadership. Attending a conference lets principals, superintendents, and other administrators gain the latest evidence-based methods from industry gurus, network with leaders nationally, and forge relationships with potential vendors. Conferences could also satisfy CEUs required in many states for school administrative endorsements. Here are five beneficial conferences for school administrators that can't be missed in 2017.

1. ASCD Annual Conference

Featuring 60+ breakout sessions, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) ASCD Annual Conference is open to 115,000+ members this summer at Colorado's Hyatt Regency Denver. Costing $463, the three-day event encourages teacher leaders, principals, and superintendents to embrace new methods for data-driven, differentiated instruction. Experienced educators like Marcia B. Imbeau, Tony Frontier, and Vernita Mayfield will lead engaging, team-based discussions on best school practices. Download the ASCD Annual Conference app to Apple or Android devices for updates.

2. National Principals Conference

Starting with a service project at Stonehurst Hills Elementary, the National Principals Conference will be held this summer at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. For the first time, the event will be dually sponsored by the NAESP and NASSP to connect school administrators in PreK-12 buildings. Thought leaders like Kevin Carroll, Sherry Turkle, and Michael Schmoker will deliver job-embedded professional development workshops to strengthen leadership. The HUB Exhibit Hall will also give 3,000+ principals access to cutting-edge school products.

3. AASA Women in School Leadership Forum

At the Island Hotel Newport Beach in California's Orange County, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) will hold its Women in School Leadership Forum this fall. The brief, two-day conference attracts 300+ female administrators with empowering educational exercises to address the field's gender gap. Members pay $399 and non-members are billed $549 for listening to keynote speakers and joining all-female breakout sessions. Topics addressed will range from culturally proficient leadership to transformative master scheduling.

4. AASPA 79th Annual Conference

Sponsored by Frontline Education, the American Association of School Personnel Administrators' (AASPA) 79th Annual Conference will kick off before Halloween at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass in Phoenix. With the motto "Reach for the Stars," the four-day event welcomes PreK-12 administrators seeking new insights into HR strategies. From the Welcome Reception to the VIP Celebration and Networking Walk, attendees will get inspired by keynote speakers David Nelson, Kindra Hall, and Tim Decker. Personnel administrators can receive HRCI/SHRM recertification credit hours.

5. SAANYS Annual Conference

State groups like the School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS) also coordinate school administrator conferences. In October, the Annual Conference 2017 will begin with EdCamp sessions and learning labs at the Otesaga in Cooperstown. Administrators at 728 PreK-12 school districts statewide are invited for $395 to share their tactics for promoting safe, effective learning environments. Attendees will benefit from a Q&A talk with Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, keynote address by Luvelle Brown, and Sue Szachowicz's Literacy Initiative.

Marking your calendar conferences is important for new and veteran administrators to recharge their leadership strategies for successful PreK-12 programs that incite student achievement. Not only will you learn, network, and share content, but you'll also travel the country. The best part is some school districts will foot the bill, including for airfare and lodging. In addition to these school administrator conferences, also check out the AASA National Conference on Education, CCOSA Summer Conference, New Superintendents Academy, and ACSA Every Child Counts Symposium.

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