The GAEL Winter conference concluded yesterday, January 28. Once again, the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders presented a wonderful conference filled with inspiring speakers, and informative break-out sessions.

This year’s Leadership Panel offered words of encouragement and reassurance from just a handful of Georgia’s award-winning education leaders. The panel featured:

  • Mrs. Samantha Fuhrey, 2020 Georgia Superintendent of the Year
  • Dr. Curtis Jones, 2019 AASA National School Superintendent of the Year
  • Dr. Steve Barker, 2018 Georgia Superintendent of the Year
  • Dr. Joseph Barrow, 2017 Georgia Superintendent of the Year
  • Mrs. Kerensa Wing, 2020 NASSP National Secondary School Principal of the Year

Breakout sessions included offerings such as: Effective Leadership of Teacher Recruitment and Retention; Coaching/Leadership of Academic Growth; Leading a Safe, Positive, and Healthy School Climate and Culture; and Operations and Facilities Management. We were impressed at the coordinated effort by attendants to split-up and then meet back to share their notes later in the day.

On the first day of the conference, GAEL Executive Director, Robert “Buddy” Costley, presented the Allene Magill Award for Distinguished Public Service to Joy Hawkins, Executive Director of The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. This award is presented annually to individuals that serve in the public arena that have demonstrated significant support for public education. Pictured above (L to R): Robert Costley, Joy Hawkins, Donovan Head (GOSA Deputy Director), and Jesse Davis, GAEL President.

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The Georgia Association of Educational Leaders is the organization that provides unity of school leadership groups in Georgia. It is a statewide “umbrella” organization, composed of seven professional affiliate association for school leaders. More info on GAEL.