Looking Back and Looking Forward: Leading Teaching and Learning in Today’s World

Presented by Dr. Carol Kelley, Superintendent, Oak Park Elementary District 97 (IL); Dr. Chris Marczak, Chief of Instructional Leadership for the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity, Pacific Center for Instructional Leadership (Japan); Dr. David Schuler, Superintendent, Township High School District 214 (IL); Dr. Donna Wright, Director of Schools, Wilson County Schools (TN); and Frankie Jackson, Independent K-12 Chief Technology Officer – Education Technology Leader and Success Advocate (TX)
Moderated by Ann McMullan, Project Director, EmpowerED Superintendent Initiative, CoSN (Consortium for School Networking)

Sponsored by ClassLink
This edWebinar series is co-hosted by CoSN, AASA, and edWeb.net

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There is no question that the year 2020 presented a whole new reality to the practices and processes for leading learning in today’s school systems. Old problems and challenges were magnified, as new crises arose almost daily. One positive thing life in COVID-19 did provide was an opportunity to examine the current status of K-12 education and innovate new ways to meet the needs of all students.

In this edWebinar, education leaders, Dr. Carol Kelley, Superintendent, Oak Park Elementary District 97, IL, Dr. Chris Marczak, Chief of Instructional Leadership for the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity, Pacific Center for Instructional Leadership, Japan, Dr. David Schuler, Superintendent, Township High School District 214, IL, and Dr. Donna Wright, Director of Schools, Wilson County Schools, TN, reflect on the lessons learned for dealing with a sudden crisis as they recall the steps they took in March and April of 2020 when the world was beginning to deal with the reality of a global pandemic. They also share strategies, policies, and practices they are implementing in their school systems to assure that effective learning for all students continues today and in the future. Frankie Jackson will share the latest updates from CoSN’s 2021 Driving K-12 Innovation Report. Watch the conversation as together we look back and look forward.

This recorded edWebinar will be of particular value to school superintendents, K-12 school and district leaders, and aspiring leaders. 

About the Presenters

Prior to joining Oak Park Elementary District 97 in Illinois, Dr. Carol Kelley spent three years as the superintendent of schools for the Branchburg Township School District in New Jersey. Before that, she served as the director for curriculum and instruction for Hunterdon Central Regional High School in New Jersey for three years. She was also a middle school teacher and principal in New Jersey for a number of years.

Dr. Kelley is an exemplary superintendent who received her bachelor’s degree and a doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds an MBA from the University of Virginia. She has more than 25 years of progressive experience in K-12 educational settings with a background highlighted by professional training and achievement in the areas of education, product, and service management. Mastery knowledge of evidence-based instructional practices with a demonstrated ability for building collaborative relationships to support teachers and administrators in raising student achievement are areas of focus. Dr. Kelley is deeply committed to playing a critical role in improving the academic and social success of ALL students. Dr. Kelley currently serves on the CoSN Superintendent Advisory Panel.

Dr. Chris Marczak is the former Superintendent of Schools for Maury County Public Schools in Tennessee. Today Dr. Marczak serves as the Chief of Instructional Leadership for the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity, Pacific Center for Instructional Leadership in Japan. Dr. Marczak was the recipient of the 2017 National School Boards Association’s “20 to Watch” educational technology leader award. He has led trainings across the United States as a leader of district and principal professional development, SMART goal implementation, professional learning communities, and the impact of social media on the superintendency. Dr. Marczak has also served as an adjunct doctoral professor at both David Lipscomb and Trevecca Nazarene Universities in Nashville, TN. Dr. Marczak’s educational history includes roles as the assistant superintendent in Oak Ridge Schools, as a district lead principal with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, an elementary principal and assistant principal, and an elementary teacher. Dr. Marczak currently serves on the CoSN Superintendent Advisory Panel.

Dr. David R. Schuler is the 2018 Illinois and National Superintendent of the Year. Known for his ability to inspire and build leaders, he spearheaded Redefining Ready!, the national movement to redefine what it means for students to be college, career and life ready while serving as the 2015-2016 president of AASA, The School Superintendents Association. He currently serves as the chair of the CoSN Superintendent Advisory Panel.

Dr. Schuler has served 21 years as a superintendent, 16 of them currently leading High School District 214, Illinois’ largest high school district. There, he led the development of an innovative instructional philosophy around personalized learning experiences focused on career pathways, early college credit, and industry credentials that enable students to discover their futures while still in high school. Dr. Schuler earned his bachelor’s degree from Carroll University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Donna Wright has served nearly 40 years as a career educator. She has positively influenced the educational field in many roles, including serving as a classroom teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and deputy director of schools. Prior to being selected as the director of schools for Wilson County in July 2014, she served as the deputy director in two other school districts in Tennessee. Dr. Wright earned her doctorate in leadership studies from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She has earned many awards, including the Women of Achievement Award, named “Superintendent of the Year” by the Professional Educators of Tennessee in 2016, and received the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce “Wilsonian of the Year” award in 2017. Recently, the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents recognized her as the 2020 Tennessee Superintendent of the Year. Under Dr. Wright’s leadership, for three consecutive years, the Center for Digital Education and the National School Boards Association has recognized Wilson County Schools for its innovative use of technology. Wilson County Schools hosted the Digital Consortium Summer Meeting (AASA) in July, highlighting many of the programs that have brought state and national recognition to the district in support of teaching and learning. Dr. Wright serves on the CoSN Superintendent Advisory Panel.

Frankie Jackson is an Independent Chief Technology Officer serving as a catalyst for Performance Excellence in K-12 Leadership. She started her career as a software engineer at NASA supporting Space Shuttle and Station Operations. Quickly moving up in the organization, she served as a Baldrige quality examiner and program manager of the Safety, Reliability and Quality Assurance contracts. She then moved to the K-12 education sector as CTO of Cypress Fairbanks ISD in Texas. As a nationally recognized influential leader at one of the nation’s largest districts, she led an IT team of professionals in building the largest K-12 SMART Education Network by Design (SEND) in the nation using the most innovative, best-of-breed technologies. Frankie serves on the CoSN Driving K-12 Innovation Committee which created and produced the 2021 Driving K-12 Innovation Report.

About the Host

Ann McMullan is Project Director for CoSN’s EmpowerED Superintendents Initiative. Ann served as Executive Director for Educational Technology in Klein ISD, near Houston, Texas until September 2013, when she and her family moved to Los Angeles, California. For 16 years Ann led the district team that provided professional development on technology and 21st century instructional strategies to 4,000 educators serving 50,000 students. She was co-chair of the Texas Education Technology Advisory Committee which developed the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology.

Today, Ann works as a public speaker, writer, and education consultant focused on leadership to meet the needs of today’s students. Ann serves on the edWeb.net Advisory Board, ClassLink’s Senior Advisors Group, and is a founding member of ERDI’s Alliance for Education Impact Advisory Council. She also volunteers as a leadership consultant with Executive Service Corps of Southern California, serving non-profit associations. Ann is the co-author of Life Lessons in Leadership, available on Amazon.com.

Closed captioning will be added to the recording within 2 weeks of the live presentation.

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AASA is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill.

CoSN (the Consortium for School Networking) is the premier professional association for school system technology leaders. CoSN provides thought leadership resources, community, best practices and advocacy tools to help leaders succeed in the digital transformation. CoSN represents over 13 million students in school districts nationwide and continues to grow as a powerful and influential voice in K-12 education.

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