Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools
This podcast is designed to celebrate all that is good in Public Education around Western New York. We will be featuring programs and innovative ideas that inspire and influence our students, faculty, staff and community in new and exciting ways.
Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools
NYSCOSS President - Dr. Donna DeSiato - Leading and Learning at the Pace of Change
In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, host Dr. Brian Graham sits down with Dr. Donna DeSiato, President of NYSCOSS and Superintendent of the East Syracuse Minoa Central School District.
Dr. DeSiato shares her district’s visionary journey from traditional, industrial-age models of schooling to future-focused, student-centered learning. She highlights the power of strategic planning, project-based learning, STEM ecosystems, and authentic pathways like aviation and computer science that prepare students for their futures—not ours.
The conversation also explores how partnerships with business, higher education, and government fuel innovation, and how the upcoming NYSCOSS Fall Leadership Conference will challenge superintendents to lead boldly, embrace inquiry, and create agile, future-ready school systems.
Listeners will walk away inspired by Dr. DeSiato’s message: superintendents are not just stewards of schools—they are architects of the future, leading and learning at the pace of change.
For more information send an email to: superintendent@esmschools.org
Find us on Twitter @NiagaraErie
Or visit our website E-NSSA.org
Hello everyone and welcome to the Erie Niagara School Superintendent's Associations podcast, achieving Joy and Mastery in public schools. I am your host, Brian Graham, superintendent of the Grand Island Central School District. We are really excited that you're listening today. This podcast is designed to celebrate all that is good. In public education around Western New York, we'll be featuring programs and innovative ideas that inspire and influence our students, faculty, staff, and community in new and exciting ways. So everybody, let's get started. Today on the podcast, I'm honored to be here with Dr. Donna Dedo, someone who lives and breeds visionary leadership, not just in her school district, but across the entire state of New York. Donna is the superintendent of the. East Syracuse Manoa Central School District and the current president of the New York State Council of School Superintendents East Syracuse Manoa, is approximately has 3,500 students served in seven schools across the community. It is. Dished as a district nationally recognized for its pioneering approach to STEM learning, music education, and student centered innovation. And today we're gonna learn a lot more about that, and I think we're all gonna be influenced and inspired to take this podcast and try to apply it in our districts across the United States and maybe the world. Donna began her career in the Syracuse City School District serving in roles, including teacher, vice principal, instructional specialist, director of elementary education and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instructional services before becoming superintendent in 2005. Over nearly two decades, Donna has led strategic initiatives and. Partnerships with businesses, higher education, and the broader community to reimagine learning, especially through this district's nationally recognized STEM learning ecosystem. Also the early college and aviation pathways that has been developed over time and their award-winning music programs. Donna was named New York State Superintendent of the Year in 2021 by the New York State Council of School, superintendents making her the first woman in the role since 2016. And she is the recipient of the Margaret Aida STEM Leadership Award, which she received in 2015, the STEM Woman of the Year Award in 2016, and the STEM Outreach Individual of the Year Award in 2020. In addition to all the roles and responsibilities that are a part of Donna's professional life, she also serves as a trustee at the Onondaga Community College, president of the Syracuse University Studio Study Council, and serves on the New York State Council School Superintendent's Executive Committee along with the Syracuse. Regional Airport authority. I definitely wanna learn more about that. Donna, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2:It's wonderful to be joining you and thanks for all that you do for supporting our superintendents and our colleagues across the state and education in New York State and beyond.
Speaker:Yeah. Thank you so much and quite honestly this is a passion of mine. I get to. Meet with people like yourself who are amazing leaders and steal maybe a couple ideas to bring it back to Grand Island. It really has been a joyful journey listening to leaders across the state talk about their journey and their role. And speaking of joy and this joyful journey that we're on as this podcast is called Achieving Joy in Mastery in Public Schools. I like to ask all of the guests what is bringing you joy right now as a superintendent?
Speaker 2:Certainly Joy as a superintendent for me is in leading a district in providing a high quality education designed to meet the learning needs of every student. At the heart of our mission is one unwavering priority, and that is student learning, the joy and commitment to being champions for learning, and guardians of both safety and hope for every child who walks through our doors. The joy as president. Of the New York State Council of School superintendents this year is in the opportunity as well as the challenge to inspire, equip, and support all of our superintendents in their role as leaders of the systems that they are leading and the stewards of the resources that are entrusted to us, as well as being the architects of the future in the design of our learning environments.
Speaker:Yeah, I can't agree with you more. It is. Such an important role and responsibility that we have as superintendents to be those agents of leadership. And to help and to help all of the people in our school community really think about the pathway to helping students feel empowered, engaged, and their ability to belong to our schools and feel that they're, that they. That they're really connected in a positive way to teaching and learning. So I love that philosophy and I wanna dig a little deeper. I've been reading a lot about messages that you have shared either here in the district or with the council of school superintendents. And there was one thing that I thought was really powerful as you were talking about your school community, and you had mentioned about preparing students for their. Futures not our futures as adults. And I'm just wondering about that subtle shift and from your lens I think it's very powerful, but could you unpack that for our audience today?
Speaker 2:Certainly. It actually begins with the, as we explored the development of our first strategic plan in 2008. So we're now into the fourth. Generation five year strategic plan in our district. But at the very early stages, what we were finding was that we were still very much in education tethered to an industrial age society. Wow, okay. And the industrial age had really passed several decades ago. But I think both as a result of assessments and as a result of the way in which the. Determination of graduation requirements has stayed so really stoic so unchanged in our state for so many years. Even though there has been strategies for how to improve graduation rates, the passing those five regions have still remained the requirement, so to speak. It drives. The way in which schools had designed themselves and equipped themselves for us, we began to break away from the fact that we needed to be tethered to the industrial age. We really needed to move towards certainly an information age into a digital world and using an understanding. The increasing intelligent technologies that were all around us. In doing so, it gave us permission to really start to design learning where it became not just strictly the knowledge of content, which we think is again, somewhat driven by the way in which a Regent's Exam is assessing your knowledge of content. But we were more interested in what do you do with what you know? So we really moved to shift to the application of that content. Love it. In doing that, we believed that we had to also really look at how was the world changing and the professions changing in a way that would give students more of the skills needed. So if I were to take a look at this year's theme at ESM, our theme is. ESM where learning meets innovation. The theme celebrates ESM by recognizing the significant impact we make by deepening student engagement. This is not a sit and get environment. This is an environment in which students are engaged in meaningful learning. It's embracing innovative ways to teach and to learn, and the importance of supporting the whole child. With certainly a strong focus on social emotional learning as we embarked on that journey really about 18 or years ago we embraced and integrated the, what we referred to at this time as 21st century learning skills. Critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, collaboration, and creativity. Yeah.
Speaker:And all those are still important, but I love essential skills. I love that as a foundation. Yeah. And,
Speaker 2:and that became not only the foundation and to become deeply embedded, but it also became the reason that we also began to find that at every intersection, stem. Learning, right? STEM areas of study, were embracing those particular skills. So we became students and learners of the engineering design process. We began by learning that the engineering is. Elementary with the Boston Museum of Science, we began to integrate that into our elementary schools, and that continuum developed into our middle and our, and into our high school. It was actually the middle school, which I'll talk a little bit more about. Okay. That was actually the launching pad for all of this. But I think what was most important is that. We began to certainly understand that our students are living in this present world and we need to equip them with the skills that will best prepare them to be successful in this world and in their future.
Speaker:Yeah. I love this focus of the future and. Off mic. We were chatting a little bit about this moment in 2013 when you were, I think at the University of Albany getting a tour of their nanotech labs and rooms and the way they have embraced technology and the future. I love the story that you told me about the microchip in 2013. Is it okay if you just share that with our listeners?
Speaker 2:Certainly. I'd like to give a little backdrop to it though, in. 2000 10, 11, 12. It was actually at Pine Grove Middle School. A transdisciplinary team of teachers at the eighth grade level has designed learning units in the context of solving a problem. Okay? So what they were doing is we need to solve this problem. How do you get someone from the earth to the moon? Okay. Solving a problem of how do you get voters in a community to decide what kind of energy resources nice they find to be most valuable?
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And what they did was that the students had to know the content in order to solve the problem. So they had to know content of math, science, social studies. It was the beginning of our exploration of project-based learning, and both inquiry and engagement were at the heart. Of it. The model was developed and in that first five years of developing that model, or first few years of developing that model, we were recognized by the New York State School Boards NICE association and the Nanotech Science and Engineering Center in Albany. Fantastic for being the change for kids. Yeah.
Speaker:Love it.
Speaker 2:One of the ways in which we were recognized was to be able to visit the actual center, and we took a group of students and teachers and there was a medical. Professional. That was the guide for our tour, and they took a chip about a little bit smaller than an index card, and they showed it to us as we were viewing the clean room and said, this chip will become smaller and smaller, and yet within it. It will increase in power and it will change the world as you know it, as we know it. Yeah. In which we are living. So exciting. We never forgot that was truly a moment in which this world of this chip industry was going to truly transform our world. Yeah. 12 years ago.
Speaker:Exactly. And how accurate as you look at the way, compute power has changed the world in those last 12 years. Boy, that person was spot on and it just is a strong reminder of the futures, right? The futures that we're helping to shape and mold and influence and inspire. This school district really has done an extraordinary job. And speaking of that, because of this strategic. Plan. And by the way, Donna, let's celebrate the fact that this is maybe the fourth iteration of a five of five year plans under your leadership here. For our listeners, that is just. Truly extraordinary to meet and for me to meet you and to talk to you and to have such sustained leadership and vision for this district and to hear all of the wonderful accolades that your students and teachers have received over the. Over that course of time is remarkable. Big applause. Big kudos to you and your leadership and to your board of education for recognizing your leadership in this journey. You have talked a lot about the exemplary student-centered learning community here. In this district, I'm here. I'm learning more about that vision and how it came to life through your strategic plans and this journey and how it fosters of course, critical thinking and collaboration and creativity, which are all those foundational important skills. But I'm wondering if you could take us now you. You've had this vision, you just talked about this extraordinary work in 2013 and what has come since then. What are some things that you're excited about here that is emblematic of this vision?
Speaker 2:Certainly over the course of the years actually from that 2013 up to the time of the pandemic, we actually hosted over 125 learning tours for. Districts from other parts of the state. A nice. This year we're actually being asked to host learning tours for redefining ready. So there will be school districts is my understanding. That will be part of the redefining ready agenda. And they will actually be coming here later in actually in early November. What we've done in those, in the. Th those years is certainly, we have a very strong commitment to our professional learning community work and our professional learning team leaders that we have now at every level in every school. That's part of the. The design teams that are actually strengthening our models. What we will also see here though, in addition to that middle school learning model that generated much of this project based learning type of work, we also created coursework and further went on into the design of career and technical education programming. So our most recent approved CTE program is aviation. Wow. And that actually yeah, came to us. Very nice. I do serve on the Regional Airport Authority. I was wondering
Speaker:how that, that got on your resume. That's amazing.
Speaker 2:And one of the retired pilots who serves on the Regional Airport Authority came to me and said, we're well aware of the work that. E Syracuse Manoa Central School District does with authentic types of learning, with real life, practical types of application. I, as a member of one of the the association at the national level. Of pilot association. We have a growing concern that pilots must retire at the age of 65. We really don't have a pipeline any longer because Yeah, you're right as strong as it once was because they're not that as many individuals that are going into the armed services. Yeah,
Speaker:grand. We have one student in Grand Island that's going to Kent in Ohio. To become a pilot that, that I know of in my 10 years. Wow. Clearly this important work and you getting approved for CTE and aviation studies right, is perfect.
Speaker 2:And it came about. Probably about seven years ago, eight years ago, we did reach out in the, a, an individual in Maryland who was working with the A OPA and that's the association at the national level. They had developed a curriculum and quite often, Brian, this is where we find our partnerships, is with the professions or with the business industry in which they're developing the curriculum. And then we're able to, as educators take that curriculum and further refine it. For it being developmentally appropriate and course level appropriate, right? Yeah, for sure. We were able to do that, work it through and have the various courses that when you enter as a ninth grader, you can have Introduction to Aviation as a 10th grader, you can get the next level course. And so we created that developmental of our coursework, worked with the New York State Education Department and our CTE. Program at the state education department was able to review it. You have to have both internal reviewers and external reviewers. Nice. As part of the profession. And we now have an approved aviation career and technical education program. In addition to that, while we were developing it, American Airlines offered a grant that we applied for. We had two of our our, both the principal, the executive principal at the high school and the teacher of the aviation program. Flown to Texas. Wow. All paid for by American Airlines. Nice. Yeah. And we were the recipient of flight simulators for our classrooms. No way. So our classroom actually had flight simulators. Built into it. We're now upgrading those flight simulators about seven years later. Yeah. To be actually even higher level functioning at this point in time. Wow. Because of AI and some of the other things that we can actually Yeah. Use, utilize, but our students are able to get their drone pilot license. As part of the course. Nice. And they're able to be equipped by the time they've completed or even by, actually by the time they're a junior, we actually have a junior who has completed enough coursework in which he was able to take the. Pilot exam. Wow. Amazing. So he has passed his pilot exam from here? From here. He did all of that here. He did all of that from high school.
Speaker:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:And and the flight instructors that are out there in the real world are so impressed with the fact, and now he's had enough flight hours on his own time that he just actually did his first solo Wow. Flight.
Speaker:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And he plans to this. This coursework has, he was going into the study of engineering. He now intends to be a pilot Yeah. For one of the major airlines. Yeah. And that's how influential this is because it is real life, real authentic, and experiential. And we think that's a true game changer for us being able to really help students to make those decisions. And make those ch decisions and choices before they have to decide on which college and which program they'll be applying to. And by doing that, they're well on their way and well prepared for the next level of learning.
Speaker:Oh my gosh, I love that. That is so well said. So Donna, I am just I'm very impressed. I'm very excited about the work that's been going on here under your leadership for such a long time because. Now here the state seems to be getting closer to the fact that they want to celebrate authentic based project based learning for when they start to describe their vision of a portrait of a graduate, right? And here you have been doing this work and other districts come here to learn and to tour what you're doing and it. And I understand it's really because you're leading the way and you're teachers, but because you've exposed them to all these other ideas by taking them to visit other campuses across the United States. So with that said, when you think about the portrait of a graduate am I right to say that your school district is, could. Actually help other districts in formulating project-based capstone projects, authentic learning experiences to shift a little bit away from the traditional regions exams. We
Speaker 2:absolutely are very committed to. That work and to sharing what we're learning. We actually open our doors for learning tours, not to boast nor to be in any way suggesting that we're doing something better than someone else. We actually do it because we believe strongly that the profession will grow by sharing with each other. Yeah. Thinking together. Agreed. Collaborating together and learning from each other. So when we do this, we are. Finding that people come, they ask us great questions, and we believe at the heart of all really strong learning is a great inquiry model. Yeah. The ability to ask good questions. And so in doing that, what we found is that those learning tours have benefited both those who come, but also they benefit our professional commitment to the work that we're doing. Yeah. And this journey did begin that many years ago. I'm, this is my 21st year as superintendent. Giving our teachers, our educational leaders, our administrators permission support and in that support has to come deeply embedded, professional learning, and then the protection that we don't have to do it. Exactly. Yeah. Perfectly the first time we try it, right? Yeah. We need to know that we're going, it's stumble a little to make some. Modifications, but in the portrait of a graduate, we have been we designed and. We're, we had our portrait of a graduate actually in our last iteration of our strategic plan. So we have already been using a pro portrait of a graduate for at least five years. In the latest iteration we had redesigned it. However, we now have it influenced by the state and we were really, truly pleased to see this most recent version that the state has now. Yes. Just approved. I applaud the regents that they adopted it on the, very early on, on having the presentation and the state education department for making it a strong presentation that was adopted by the Board of Regents, because I do believe it will. Provide the framework for the development of our educational system in un understanding that we are developing the whole child. So no longer is it just solely focused on this cognitive area? Did you, of preparation, how did do the algebra exam? It's actually focused on the development of the whole child. Yeah. And that's, I think, going to be a significant part of this process going forward. Yeah,
Speaker:for sure. It's an exciting time and it's really going to help those specialty. Teachers such as algebra, think a little differently in how to measure learning maybe be a little bit more interdisciplinary and develop some project based ideas that would help measure learning in a little bit of a different way. And that's gonna, because what is it? By 2027, that cohort of ninth graders will be able to choose a different path.
Speaker 2:Our challenges now are how do we define, identify and cultivate different measures of learning. Yes. And we are capable of doing that. Yeah, for sure. We have capstone projects. We actually have a course called Capstone for All. And we have been also implementing that. It, interestingly enough, it came from Egypt.
Speaker:Wow.
Speaker 2:Rather than adopting the AP model, which ends in a test.
Speaker:Ah,
Speaker 2:we actually adopted a model from Egypt.
Speaker:No kidding.
Speaker 2:In which. The students actually present to an audience. You love it. An authentic audience love it. Rel. That's has. Knowledge of what the capstone is about that they're presenting to. But through the development of rubrics, through the development of other types of measures, we're able to measure student learning, give meaningful feedback, and most importantly, students learn from their own application of knowledge. Yeah. So their own reflection helps them to increase. Their levels of performance.
Speaker:Yeah. Wow. That's, again, so well said. And, be, before we talk a little bit more about your state role, your state vision as the President of the New York State Council School Superintendents, I do wanna celebrate a little bit of this tech hub that's gonna be focused on Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. And the incredible amount of resources may be coming from the federal government, the state government, to support. Chip making right to support Micron and so forth. I just, if there's so many lessons I think that I am taking away from this video in the 27th minute. I think we're gonna come and visit you and do a learning tour. I definitely see that. But. I'm also impressed. I think, Donna, with your ability to create partnerships maybe where they haven't existed before with different businesses and different partnerships, right? And one of them might be this hub and this work that Micron, will lead regionally here. So I guess just some thoughts about that. That tech hub. And how will your district embrace that kind of future?
Speaker 2:We happen to be one of the 10 districts in the state that was the recipient of. Funding from both the New York, from New York State. The governor committed a certain amount of money as well as the New York State United teachers, as well as Micron. Micron saw this as an opportunity to have 10 districts. Begin to work on what we call advanced technology manufacturing. So in some ways what it does is it takes us to the new era of manufacturing in which technologies and these clean rooms and these really highly developed systems are. We need to prepare our students for, whether it's through the processes of engineering or systems design or whatever. In our case, we're right now developing our next career in technology education application for the New York State Education Department, which is in the pathway of computer science, right? So our students are able to take computer design the develop they're able to take gaming development. They're able to learn the languages of. Java and Python and c plus and apply those they're able to actually work in cybersecurity. And so huge field. So these courses are a magnet for students, but Donna, where they wanna be solving these problems, I'm so
Speaker:excited about this. Where are you finding the teachers, in, in a world, right? Where we're we have a 2% cap on foundation aid and so forth. This is remarkable work. But you, and you've built this pathway, so did some of the teachers maybe come from the science department or the math department to support it, or were you able to find others?
Speaker 2:It's a combination of all of the above. Yeah. We happen to have our the computer science teacher at the high school happened to also be one of our parents. Nice. But was working in the industry and was really drawn to us Love it because of our commitment and because of our ability to give that the lead teachers that permission to be part of the design. Our computer. Science teacher at the middle school. Yeah. We do computer science for all sixth graders. Nice. Also happens to be a parent, also a graduate of ESM. Yeah. But also is also really committed to this design and this implementation. Yeah. Super smart has been part of this innovative type of teaching and learning. And as our teachers connect with other teachers in the region. Other teachers are drawn here. Yeah. Love it. And why? Because they wanna be part of the success. Yeah. They wanna be part of the excitement. They wanna be part really of the making a difference in what matters for students. Yeah. What makes students get up in the morning and wanna come to school.
Speaker:But, I just, I'm just so impressed with all that you just shared and are you. Helping some of these industry professionals in computer science, make that transition here maybe through a similar way that BO Cs does, right? Like you're an industry professional, we're gonna give you a transitional, a certification or something that gets started and then they move on to get their. Teacher certification,
Speaker 2:we do anything that will help anything to make that work. We also our computer science teacher happens to be not only certified in computer science, but also in math. Perfect. And in science. Yeah. So really that was easy. Those are rare finds. Yes. But what we do find is that those individuals want to be able to work in systems where they are really part. Of the solutions. Yeah. And part of the design process. Yeah. And that makes a big difference. When we talk about partners, the Department of Defense, because of our STEM ecosystem work at the national and international level, we have become really very strong partners with the Department of Defense. They have an amazing number of grants that they give, and they have. Flown and our executive director, along with two or three of our teachers to major conferences in the country to be learning again, this work as part because cybersecurity. Yeah,
Speaker:I know
Speaker 2:systems design for the various applications of this work are part of every industry right now. Yeah. Yeah. And they wanna help us. To equip our teachers as well as our students in these areas.
Speaker:Wow. Super exciting. Great way to get us through this podcast. And now I wanna shift a little bit and talk about your role as our president. My, my president, the president of all of our superintendents through NICUs. And I just, maybe just. I think I can guess, but your vision for supporting superintendents during a time when public edu education is either being attacked or under a microscope or public education needing to evolve rapidly what message do you wanna send to our fellow superintendents?
Speaker 2:I have great respect for all of my colleagues across the state and I believe that as we look ahead, we need to lead with boldness. And with heart, we have to recognize that innovation is not about having all the answers, but it is about being willing to ask better questions. It's about staying grounded in our purpose, but remaining agile in our practice. And we have to forget that at the center of everything we do as a child is a student with hopes, dreams, and infinite potential. So when we talk about advancing innovation and advancing innovation, leading and learning at the pace of change is the theme for the fall conference. It's not about doing more, it is about doing differently. It's about focusing our energy on what matters most and then eliminating what no longer is serving. Yeah. The purpose so smart of preparing our students and building systems that are agile, that are equitable and that are future ready. We believe that it's not easy. However, it's essential and it has to start with us as superintendents.
Speaker:Yeah. I love that while you were talking, I was taking notes I, boldness and willing to ask better questions. That's so important. And it kinda reminds me of what you said earlier that, excellent. Educational engagement is inquiry based and we should be modeling that as superintendents. I think that's fantastic. I know you've been quoted as pushing the boundaries of what's possible and I think you said, which was fascinating both on earth and beyond that, that as superintendents, we are not only stewards of our schools, but also architects of the future. And in an era defined by rapid innovation, global transf transformation, our greatest responsibility, I think you said, is to ensure every student graduates prepared to lead, to learn, and to thrive at the speed of change. That I love that. At the speed of change, Donna, just share a little bit more about how that message can motivate us as leaders across the state.
Speaker 2:Again, I think we have to have both the confidence, the courage and the commitment to lead and be able to do what we know and we have, are able to demonstrate for our districts to embrace project-based learning for. That connects students to real world problems and interdisciplinary types of thinking to be able to have innovative scheduling models that allow for more personalized learning pathways, teacher collaboration and wellness focused practices within our systems to be able to have technology integration that moves beyond devices and platforms, but to more meaningful student-centered learning experiences. And then to have student voice initiatives that bring young people into the decision making processes and giving them both agency and shaping the environments in which they learn. We can do all of these things, Brian. We actually can and we can do them together.
Speaker:That is so well said. Very exciting stuff here. I hope our listeners are really enjoying this podcast, and I wanna take us back a little bit. You talked about the theme for the upcoming leadership conference that NICUs is sponsoring again. I believe that Saratoga right? That's correct. That's Saratoga and it's advancing innovation, leading and learning at the pace of change, at the pace of change. That is, to me very powerful. I'm just wondering if you can give us an overview of what I'm sure we want all of our superintendents to attend that conference. And what are some of the other initiatives of the council right now?
Speaker 2:Sure. One of our greatest strengths in the council is the sense of community. And we really work at fostering the sense of community. We are reminded that we're part of something larger than ourselves, and that we are reminded that when we're together, we are stronger. This year as we embrace this theme. Certainly it's playing off of advancing innovation, ai, artificial intelligence. AI will be a theme. Yeah. That we will see and how do we embrace it? How do we use it, how do we understand that it won't replace our teachers or our administrators. That's right. Very important. But it will strengthen our ability to do things more efficiently and perhaps things more effectively. We also will. Be embracing AI as authe authentic intelligence, and that's what our students remind us each and every day. It's their authentic intelligence that we're developing. The other part that we have to look forward to is the keynote speakers are going to be speakers who have walked in our shoes, speakers who will bring about how do we do things differently so that we can be. Cha meeting some of the challenges that we face. We're going to be introducing an opportunity what we're that we're calling cool drinks and hot topics. Okay. And our partners will be sponsoring that. And it will be so that we not only engage in perhaps some refreshing types of yes. Of, of refreshments, but we also will be having. A room that will be filled with experienced superintendents at each table. And we are going to have seven different tables of hot topics. What we believe that superintendents in their first one to seven years are challenged with. Yeah. And having those conversations at those tables. Oh, I love that. That's great. About those hot topics.
Speaker:Yeah. Yeah. And that should encourage I know in the past couple leadership conferences NICUs has suggested that it's been. Very well attended and maybe breaking some records or, recent records. So I'm sure we wanna see more of our superintendents participate. Of the 700 school districts we're well over 400 that attend, right?
Speaker 2:We are, yeah. And I, we actually, I think we will see record breaking attendance mainly because I think. C time right now is of the essence as we do embrace this new portrait of a graduate and we understand that hopefully we can move effectively in helping state education department to move some of the paradigms that we have struggled with over time in ways that are going to help to better equip both our educators and certainly most importantly, our students. I think it's an exciting time for us, for our leadership.
Speaker:If somebody listening today is, wants to come and do a learning tour with a team from their district, how best do they make that connection?
Speaker 2:Typically, it's reaching out to me. Okay, perfect. If they're part of the redefining agenda, then I know that Randy Squire is going to be coordinating those efforts as part of the redefining readiness. That's an agenda that they will specifically have. Got it. And we'll host that. When we do have requests for learning tours, we actually try to make it so that we have at least. Two, three or more districts attending. Got it. At a time. Mainly because we learn from each other. So that rather than having one district, we have 2, 3, 4 districts and they are able to learn perhaps from what they're seeing here, but also from each other as we share during the process of the time that they're here.
Speaker:Yeah. I know I'm gonna be contacting you, Donna. Is there a, an email address that's good for people to reach out to you? I,
Speaker 2:so that my, administrative assistant also gets it at the same time as I do. Got it? Got it. Use superintendent@esmschools.org. All right. So S-U-P-E-R-I-N-T-E-N-D at SM schools. Dot org.
Speaker:Perfect. Alright, listen very impressed very really inspired by meeting you today in person to do this podcast. And clearly you are an influential leader, not only here in this region, but across the state. Your commitment to the future, that it's not just about test scores, but it's about curiosity, connection, courage, and creating and thriving in a world that's ever changing is certainly a wonderful example of your leadership. For our listeners who like to subscribe or follow, you can find Achieving Joy Mastery in Public Schools on Apple, Spotify, Odyssey, Amazon, and so many more of your favorite. Podcast platforms. Until next time, thank you so much for tuning in. Thank you for joining us today as we explore the concept of achieving joy and mastery in public schools. We will be interviewing school districts in Erie and Niagara Counties on a regular basis as we look. To shine a spotlight on all of the amazing programs and practices essential for achieving joy and mastery with our students, faculty, staff, and community. This podcast is sponsored by the Erie Niagara School Superintendents Association, and we hope you consider scribing.
