Dr. Christina Kishimoto
I hope you are having a wonderful summer and getting some time to relax and recharge as another school year rapidly approaches. There is so much hard work to do – it is important to keep yourself healthy, both physically and mentally.
We had an amazing conference in Vancouver last month, with more than 200 women education leaders sharing their stories and expertise while building relationships and deeper networks. We also got excellent feedback from attendees. Here are some highlights:
- 95% of respondents rated the summit as Excellent or Very Good
- 96% of respondents rated the summit at Extremely or Very Unique
- 100% of respondents felt Extremely or Very Safe
- 100% of respondents rated the venue as Excellent or Very Good
Women Education Leaders on the Vancouver Waterfront at When Women Lead
The 2024 When Women Lead summit planning is already underway, with our dates set for June 20-21 to take place again on the Vancouver waterfront. Stay tuned for more information in August and September! We got lots of excellent feedback from attendees, and will be making a number of improvements in the programming and operations to make next year’s event even better, while retaining the components that you loved!
In addition to our next national conference, I am also excited about the upcoming year and so many other great things that are happening. We have added a second cohort for the Women Superintendents’ Policy Leadership Academy (WSPLA), allowing for Fall and Winter sessions. Designed for newly appointed and future superintendents, the WSPLA enables a deeper understanding of the role of equity-informed policy making through the Voice4Equity Culturally Responsive Policy Framework while building lasting connections with other women in leadership roles. This ten-hour program runs over the course of five two-hour sessions making it very manageable while providing high value networking with other bold women leaders.
We are also again hosting the High School Girls Policy Network, a free program for schools that engages juniors and seniors in policy work related to community and regional issues through a five session online program led by Voice4Equity in partnership with Discovery Education. Take a moment to learn more about the program and consider engaging girls in your school community with the opportunity to build their own policy voice and expertise.
This month, I am so pleased to bring you my conversation with Dr. Alicia Thompson, retiring as superintendent of Wichita Public Schools after 6 years in the CEO seat. The first Black woman to serve as a superintendent of the largest school district in Kansas, Dr. Thompson attended Wichita Public Schools at all levels, from kindergarten through high school, served in the district as an elementary school teacher, a principal, an assistant superintendent, and superintendent. I know you will enjoy hearing more about her career journey and her advice for future education leaders.
And in the spirit of health and rejuvenation, enjoy a fresh new yoga session from Tiana in our wellness corner. Have a great July!
With gratitude,
Christina
