Dean\u00a0Gladis Kersaint<\/a>\u00a0and alum\u00a0Alan Addley \u201908 ELP, \u201914 Ed.D.<\/a>, superintendent of Darien Public Schools, also gave welcoming remarks, and University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) alumnus Jonathan Budd \u201903 6th<\/sup>\u00a0Year was recognized for his outstanding portfolio of work in educational leadership.<\/p>\n Budd shared his experiences from starting as a high school English teacher over 20 years ago to his current role as the assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, and assessments for Trumbull (Conn.) Public Schools. \u201cAs educational leaders, we must pass along the torch to others and should do so with integrity and be mindful that the best days of education are before us, not behind us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Paths to Leadership \u201cLeadership matters,\u201d said Villanova during his opening remarks. \u201cWe want to talk tonight with an experienced panel of educators [about] how leaders can create conditions that attract the best and brightest people \u2014 and the most caring \u2014 to positions of leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n Villanova then led the panel through a series of questions about their leadership paths and their recommendations for recruiting and retaining the next generation of talented leaders, especially from underrepresented groups.<\/p>\n Lucero, who has now been superintendent in Stamford since this past spring, started on her path to educational leadership swiftly. During her first year as a teacher in Columbus, Ohio, she missed learning so much that she decided to go back to school to earn a master\u2019s degree and principal certification. After finishing three years later, her principal told her: \u201cI know you just finished your degree, but I think you are ready to become a principal.\u201d<\/p>\n At the age of 24, Lucero became an interim principal and was eventually appointed principal, a role in which she served for 15 years and, she says, \u201cabsolutely loved every minute of my time there.\u201d<\/p>\n Dumais also shared his rise to leadership, which began with his first role in education as a science teacher.<\/p>\n \u201cI had people who believed in me early and started my career with the best guidance and support that I could get,\u201d said Dumais, who sought ways to participate in collaborative opportunities with other teachers across the state. \u201cIt was about building relationships and broadening perspectives. It was about increasing your understanding of your job beyond your job.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHaving a perspective broader than my current job was the most hirable asset that I could have, and that allowed me to get into other positions. Once I became an assistant principal, I knew I wanted to be a principal, because you could see the impact one could have on a larger scale.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u2014 Chip Dumais \u201909 ELP, Executive Director, Cooperative Educational Services<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Although he initially had no intention of being an administrator, the encouragement he received to broaden his perspective kept him going to school, eventually leading him to earn his certification in administration.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving a perspective broader than my current job was the most hirable asset that I could have, and that allowed me to get into other positions,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce I became an assistant principal, I knew I wanted to be a principal, because you could see the impact one could have on a larger scale.\u201d<\/p>\n He later applied to the ELP program not with plans of becoming a superintendent, but wanting to develop a perspective that was broader than the principalship so that he could be a better principal. That turned into the opportunity to become superintendent for Region 5, which led to his current position at the CES.<\/p>\n \u201cI do believe one of the best things about being superintendent, is that often you have the opportunity to say \u2018yes,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Cardona opened with sharing how proud he is to be a Neag School alum. He told the audience he realized he wanted to be a leader when he was 10 years old and his sister told him he was \u201cbossy.\u201d The first in his family to go to college, Cardona pursued a career in elementary education.<\/p>\n \u201cI was happy in the classroom, but then a superintendent approached me about going into the administration at the time when I was serving on a district-wide committee,\u201d he said. After being asked several times if he had signed up for an administrator program, Cardona decided to pursue UCAPP \u2014\u00a0what he calls \u201cone of the best decisions I ever made.\u201d<\/p>\n By 28 years old, he was principal at Hanover Elementary School in Meriden, Conn., where he served for 10 years. \u201cIt was a wonderful experience, and I had no intention of leaving,\u201d he said, \u201cbut was I called to join the central (district) office to help with performance and evaluations.\u201d<\/p>\n To enhance his professional development, Cardona decided to continue his education through Neag School\u2019s Ed.D. program and through ELP, in addition to teaching UCAPP courses.<\/p>\n \u201cI was happy as the assistant superintendent,\u201d he said. \u201cThen I got a call from someone who was meeting with the governor who said, \u2018I worked with you on different panels before and I appreciate the way you approach your work, and I wanted to know if I could put your name forward.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was humbled. \u2026 Things started to evolve quickly,\u201d he said. \u201cBut my message here is my pathway. \u2026\u00a0\u00a0Be passionate; it\u2019s an extension of who you are. I\u2019m the commissioner, but I\u2019m still Miguel Cardona. I\u2019m still that fourth-grade teacher who has passion for the kids. It\u2019s just a different scope of influence now. My pathway is based on my values to be 100 percent in everything you do and keeping kids at the center.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to do a better job of making sure black and brown kids want to be in school and are graduating at high rates and thinking about themselves as potential teachers. If we don\u2019t, then the conversation will be superficial.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u2014 Miguel Cardona \u201901 MA, \u201904 6th Year, \u201911 Ed.D., \u201912 ELP, Connecticut Education Commissioner<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Recruiting the Next Generation \u201cWe need to do a better job of making sure black and brown kids want to be in school and are graduating at high rates and thinking about themselves as potential teachers. If we don\u2019t, then the conversation will be superficial,\u201d Cardona said. \u201cWe can\u2019t disconnect the work we have to do to close the achievement gap in Connecticut with diversifying the workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe need took at the students in the classroom as potential teachers. How are we doing that?\u201d he asked. \u201cWe need to create programs that incentivize relationships with colleges. How do we encourage middle and high school students thinking of themselves to become teachers?\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed out as an example\u00a0Orlando Valentin \u201915 (ED), \u201916 MA<\/a>, a Neag school alum, current UCAPP student, and teacher in Meriden, Conn., who was in attendance. \u201cHe has a passion for things,\u201d Cardona said. \u201cYou need to give them the space for that and let them run with it. You have to see it, and let them lead.\u201d<\/p>\n Lucero spoke about women in leadership. \u201cUnfortunately, in teaching, it\u2019s a field that\u2019s largely women. It\u2019s the flipside when you get into leadership, because men apply for jobs when they\u2019re 60% feeling like they\u2019re qualified for the job, and women wait until they are 100% qualified for the job when they apply.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you select people to sit on panels, you are saying something when there is only one woman in the room,\u201d she added. \u201cWe need to pay more attention to what we\u2019re doing and be purposeful about it because it is important that our voices are heard.\u201d<\/p>\n When Lucero is looking for good leaders, she says looks for all types and all backgrounds. \u201cIf women don\u2019t see themselves as leaders, we need to tap them on their shoulders.\u201d She also recommended \u201cleading from the position you are in,\u201d adding, \u201cYou don\u2019t have to be in the role of the superintendent to do work that helps the superintendent. Those people rise to the top.\u201d<\/p>\n From Dumais\u2019 perspective, the most important part of the event occurred in the hour before the panel, when attendees had the opportunity to network. \u201cFor all the students who are here, expand your network,\u201d he said. \u201cTake advantage of all the people who are here to support your leadership development. That\u2019s why they\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n In closing remarks, Cardona shared his advice, too. \u201cI\u2019m here tonight because UConn has done so much for me. It\u2019s a family,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the benefits of my education through UConn was that it was a cohort. That experience shaped who I am as a leader. Take advantage of that. You are part of the family now.\u201d<\/p>\n Interested in taking your education career to the next level? Learn more about\u00a0Neag School\u2019s Executive Leadership Program (ELP)<\/a>, which holds its next information session on Dec. 10, and\u00a0UConn Administrative Preparation Program (UCAPP)<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Villanova, an ELP alumnus, moderated the evening\u2019s panel discussion featuring\u00a0Miguel Cardona \u201901 MA, \u201904 6th Year, \u201911 Ed.D., \u201912 ELP<\/a>, Connecticut education commissioner; Tamu Lucero, superintendent, Stamford Public Schools; and Chip Dumais \u201909 ELP, executive director, Cooperative Educational Services (CES).<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Each panelist also weighed in on diversifying the administrator talent pool into the future.<\/p>\n![\"EDLR](\"https:\/\/education.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1621\/2019\/11\/72800261_10156645703901765_2400970010764771328_o-400x267.jpg\")