NJASA

Incoming President's Message 

Dear Colleagues:

The start of the school year always provides an uplift to the spirit and a reminder of why we do the work we do. I hope this is happening for you, and that your year is off to a great start.

I am humbled and energized to be serving as your President during a time of ongoing change for education in New Jersey. If you have not already done so, please view NJASA’s recent thought leadership video at https://youtu.be/f1HUZD5mMPM to keep up on the pressing issues that impact us as school leaders.

I continue to be inspired by our mantra of “One Vision, Our Voice” and how Vision 2020 outlines our key challenges, initiatives, and recommendations. And yet, I have been asking myself if there is some way to amplify our voice in service of a greater good. In my mind, there is strong appeal to the power of equity as a unifying and guiding theme. How compelling would it be to focus our collective voice on achieving a vision of equity for New Jersey’s students, communities, school leaders, and our association members?

Our officers and staff have been discussing what equity means to us and how we as an organization may contribute to its progress. By equity we mean giving each person access to what they need to be successful, while equality is about giving each person the same thing.

This has important implications for: (1) our students through equitable access to services and resources; (2) our communities through equitable access to funding; (3) our leaders through equitable access to professional development especially through digital technologies and social media networking; and (4) our female and minority association members through equitable access to career opportunities and compensation.

As you think about the power of equity in your own leadership practice, I encourage you to express what that means in a broad, inclusive way. This can be done through service on NJASA committees, sharing insight with other educational leaders, and/or engaging the public in meaningful dialogue. Together let’s amplify our collective voice in pursuit of greater equity for our students, communities, leaders, and NJASA members.

Sincerely,

Dr. G. Kennedy Greene

NJASA President 2018-2019