3 minute read
Director's View
Ready, Set, Go...
Dr. Vic Wilson, CLAS Executive Director
I know you are ready; I know you are set; and I know you are going. My hope is your journey will be filled with peace, joy, love, learning, and fun. CLAS stands ready to help you along your journey. All you must do is check the website for events or contact us with questions. We are here to help.
Summer is over according to the school calendar, but summer does not end until late September according to the Autumnal Equinox. I hope you enjoyed the school summer, and I hope you enjoy the end of the real summer as well. Hopefully, you were able to recharge and refresh during the summer because I know you have hit the ground running with the new school year. Just remember, take the time to relax and recharge during the year too. Everyone under your care needs you. If you burn out, everyone suffers.
So, what occurred since school let out in May? Much ado about nothing? Hardly. It has been a very busy summer. Pray tell? We started with the CLAS Convention in June, we enjoyed a quick Fourth of July, we attended the NAESP and NASSP conferences, and we made it through another special session of the legislature. Oh, we also hired a Director of Governmental Relations. Whitney Miller-Nichols joined CLAS in mid-July, and she has plunged right in. In fact, she has an article in this issue, and she has taken over advocacy updates in the Friday Update.
Whitney will oversee state and federal advocacy, and she will be our State Board of Education contact. Whitney comes to us from SSA where she also worked in advocacy, policy, and legislation. She is an Alabama native, and she and her husband, Taylor, live in Pike Road, Alabama, with their children Molly (8) and Sam (5). We are thrilled to have her working with us, and I know that you will be too after you see her in action.
As stated, the legislature met in special session to draw new congressional districts. I encourage you to check out the Legislative update to learn more about this session. The CLAS Convention was a great event, and 793 CLAS members attended to learn with and from some of the best speakers and each other.
We hope you have a great start to the 2023-2024 school year, and we are here to help along your leadership journey. It’s always a great day at CLAS, and everyone here wants to help make your day great too.
