Finishing Strong: Top Issues for District Leaders as Summer Approaches

Presented by Dwight Jones, Former Superintendent, Denver Public Schools (CO); Dr. Sandy Husk, Interim CEO and Executive Director, ASCD; Daniel Gohl, Former Chief Academic Officer, Broward County Public Schools (FL); and Anthony Salcito, Chief Institution Business Officer, Varsity Tutors

Sponsored by Varsity Tutors for Schools

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The challenges facing district leaders today are well documented: historic staff shortages, student absenteeism, and an urgent need to accelerate student learning and address student well-being. Leaders are facing an influx of federal funding at a moment when the urgency of the job has perhaps never felt greater. So, as the school year comes to a close and 2022-23 planning begins, how can leaders best prioritize their time and dollars to meet the needs of both students and teachers?

View this edLeader Panel for a discussion with former district leaders and administrators to discuss the issues and strategies that can help leaders retain teachers, invest in recruitment programs that diversify the teacher labor pool, support students’ social-emotional health, and rebound from lost instructional time.

This recorded edLeader Panel is of interest to PreK-12 school and district leaders, as well as teachers. 

About the Presenters

Dwight Jones most recently served as Denver Public Schools Senior Deputy Superintendent, Equity and Engagement. Before joining DPS, he served as Senior Vice President of Equity, Inclusion & Urban Markets at McGraw-Hill Education, where he found new ways to address the needs of administrators, teachers and students in some of the largest and most academically diverse districts. Prior to that role, he served as the superintendent of Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada, the nation’s fifth-largest school district. During his tenure there, he initiated a school reform agenda designed to raise the academic bar and ensure all of the district’s 315,000 students were prepared for college, a career or the military. Before his time in Nevada, Dwight served as the Colorado commissioner of education, overseeing the education of more than 830,000 students. Dwight also serves as a senior advisor at Whiteboard Advisors.

Sandy Husk, Ph.D. is the interim CEO and executive director of ASCD, guiding the leadership team in the mission to become that trusted partner to education in providing resources and services that help develop transformational learning communities. Previously, Sandy served as CEO of AVID Center, a national education non-profit focused on closing the opportunity gap and preparing all students for college and careers. As Superintendent of Salem-Keizer Public Schools in Oregon, she led the implementation of a districtwide strategic plan with an accountability system for all schools and departments. Prior to Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Sandy served five years as Superintendent for the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System in Clarksville, Tennessee. In addition, she previously served as Superintendent for Mapleton Public Schools in Colorado. She has also served as the executive director of learning services in Westminster, Colorado, principal of an elementary and alternative middle school, staff development coordinator, elementary school counselor, and teacher.

Daniel Gohl served as the chief academic officer for Broward County Public Schools in Southeast Florida—the sixth-largest school district in the United States—until April 2022. He is currently focused on the challenges of ensuring universal early literacy, the infusion of digital tools and resources for student learning, and fostering global educational dialogue. Previously, he was the chief academic officer in the Houston Independent School District, the deputy chief of innovation for the New Jersey Department of Education, the executive officer for innovation and change for Newark Public Schools in New Jersey, and the director of secondary school transformation in the District of Columbia Public Schools. He was also the founding principal of McKinley Technology High School in Washington, D.C. During his career, Daniel has worked to address issues in closing achievement gaps, integrating academic and career preparation, and bridging STEM and humanities education.

Anthony Salcito works to help empower educators and inspire students to achieve more. He aims to transform the way we learn with the support of the best technology to help build critical skills for the modern, global workplace. In his role as Chief Institution Business Officer at Varsity Tutors, Anthony works to support institutions and educators with solutions for high-dosage tutoring, homework help, test prep, and enrichment all with the goal of driving student outcomes and helping transform education.

Anthony is a recognized leader in driving education transformation and has worked globally with education leaders and organizations to support new approaches to delivering student impact and supporting learners. Prior to joining Varsity Tutors, Anthony served as Vice President of Worldwide Education for Microsoft, leading the worldwide execution of the company’s vision for education, and pioneering many core programs and education offerings including Live@edu, Partners in Learning, Microsoft Innovative Educator program, and Showcase Schools.

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