Put On Your Networking Shoes

If I had to pick one attribute the conferences provides me each year, it’s this: Networking! We all are attending this conference together at this precise moment in time. Yet, we all got here differently. Reflect back to your own professional networking footprints as I share how I arrived Sunday for the conference!

I presented with a colleague in 2009 at the Indiana Coalition of Quality Schools conference. During my presentation, I shared with participants about the organizational transformation of our school. In the audience, was an educator who knew. Dr. Nancy Phenis-Bourke. At that time, Dr. Bourke provided professional development opportunities to a network of administrators in central Indiana. Nancy asked me to speak at that event.

While I was at the event, Nancy encouraged me to explore professional opportunities through NAESP, specifically the Principal Mentorship program. During the mentor institute and certification process, I worked closely with NAESP Zone Director Missie Paschke and NAESP Kathleen Sciarappa, as well as a cohort of administrators from around the state. The end result provided me with fantastic knowledge and resources to support other principals, and connections with NAESP and information to connect with my own state membership (in which I was a member but did not realize the benefit. I quickly did.

I connected with IASP Executive Director Dr. Todd Bess and became involved on the board of directors for IASP through my own district. Through my involvement in IASP, I have found other educators who are passionate about helping children succeed, building teacher knowledge, and advocating for education in my state.

The opportunity to network grew with my recent role as the NAESP State Representative for Indiana and serving as a trainer for the NAESP mentor program. My networking footprint isn’t about the names or the titles or the roles in which I serve. The networking footprint is about how these experiences helped craft my own leadership skills as a principal. I would tell you—and the teachers at Lincoln would agree—I don’t have all the answers. But, when I have a question, I have a wealth of resources with whom I can connect.

Who is part of your professional networking footprint? Want to take that next step? Make it happen at #NAESP14!