Tennessee’s Education Leaders Hone Skills at 7th LEAD Conference

NASHVILLE – School and district education leaders gather in Nashville September 23-25 for the 7th Annual Education Leadership Conference. National education authors and teaching veterans will headline the conference during which Tennessee will name its 2009 Supervisor of the Year, Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year.
 
“The LEAD conference is an opportunity for Tennessee’s education leaders to learn from each other and respected colleagues from across the country,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said. “To practice excellence in education, it is important to stay abreast of how best to help students reach their academic potential.”
 
The conference focuses on improving student learning through leadership, assessment, instruction and support systems. Professional development sessions include increasing parent involvement, an overview of Tennessee’s redesign of education leader preparation, creating a safe and supportive school environment and developing leadership skills beyond curriculum and data.
 
“The professional relationships developed during such events are particularly important in education where administrators spend the majority of time in a silo,” said Barry Olhausen, Executive Director of Professional Development. “Part of leadership is exchanging ideas and providing support. It’s also a reminder that the paperwork can wait; students come first.”
 
The LEAD conference is a training and networking event for district supervisors, principals and other instructional leaders from public and private schools. The conference focuses on how to grow as an education leader by cultivating the many roles of being a successful and effective leader. To view detailed conference information, visit www.tennessee.gov/education/lead/index.shtml .
 
For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.