Georgia Association of Educational Leaders

Today marks Buddy Costley's official retirement from GAEL as the Policy Advocate. Farewell on this Sine Die, and best wishes on the next chapter!

🌟 Join us for the 50th GAEL Summer Conference on July 14-17 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. Explore Sponsor & Exhibitor opportunities now: https://lnkd.in/ecVU8JpU. Let's Dream, Believe & Achieve in Public Education with 1500+ GAEL members! #GAELConference #PublicEducation

'Tis the season for festive treats, holiday cheer, and incredible camaraderie!

We appreciate our intern, Raelyn DePratter, for her exceptional contributions and unwavering dedication! 🌟 Her passion and expertise have truly elevated our team. #TeamAppreciation #GAELInternship

Cheers to the end of an era with Buddy Costley's final board meeting as Executive Director, celebrating the triumphs of the 2023 GSSA Fall Bootstrap Conference, a promising start for the 2023-2024 GAEL Board of Directors, and the appointment of Cindy Flesher as the GAEL Interim Executive Director #LeadershipLegacy #GSSAFall2023 #NewBeginnings

Your Students Can Have this Program Too! https://lnkd.in/gF-smAW8 At the 2023 Summer GAEL Conference, we invited the Houston County Sharks to Jekyll Island to give our 1500 participants a demo of an athletic program designed for students with disabilities. As members of the wheelchair handball league from the American Association of AdaptED Sports Programs, the Sharks have multiple state titles under their belts, and they were proud to show of their skills for us! Why did we bring them? We wanted to show other systems across Georgia what their students could do as well with just a little bit of planning and resources and a huge commitment to changing lives! If you think about it, our students with disabilities in Georgia's school systems often desire the same opportunities to shine on the field and on the court and show off their athletic spirit of competition as any other student. And so do their parents and family members. Many of these moms and dads have only dreamed of the day that they could cheer their children on in an athletic game. When you think of the challenges of raising children with disabilities, we can all understand why this would be so important to such a parent. Well, we have good news for you: THE ADAPTED SPORTS PROGRAM could give many of your students and families just such an opportunity! Imagine giving your students and community one more reason to feel good about learning and being part of your school system. Imagine the pride, the smiles, the confidence built by these students and families as they learn about teamwork, learn how to win with humility, and learn how to use a loss to grow stronger in the future. When Cook County leaders saw this program at Summer GAEL, they knew they had to bring this program home for their students. According to Superintendent Tim Dixon, "Adaptive sports is another great opportunity for us to offer students the chance to participate in extracurricular activities." Leslie McElrath, Cook County Special Education Director, is helping her superintendent to lead the charge: "We are looking to bring this to Cook County to give our students the chance to experience the positive impact that sports can have in developing skills that help them grow and flourish." HOW CAN YOU BRING THIS PROGRAM HOME TO YOUR COMMUNITY? AAASP has been providing interscholastic Competition in Georgia for 26 years. There are currently 9 teams that compete during the school year in the following sports: Wheelchair Handball: August- November Wheelchair Basketball: November - March Wheelchair Football: March- May Track and Field Wheelchair and Ambulatory: March-May For more information about participating, for a copy of the rules, or how to start a team in your area, please log on to: http://adaptedsports.org Schools or districts can learn more about becoming a member of AAASP by contacting u 404- 294-0070 or contact the Georgia High School Association. 

"One of the reasons I believe in public education is because I believe in the capacity of educators to continuously grow and adapt to meet the needs of students. Pursuing wellness both physically and mentally equips me to serve teachers, students and families with the best of my energy each day. Thank You GAEL for giving away this amazing Peloton! I appreciate the support you offer educational leaders of Georgia each and every day!" - Christie D. Bergh Ed.D Assistant Principal of Instruction, Bonaire Primary School, Houston County Schools, 2023-2024 GAEL Member #memberappreciation #GAELStrong #Ibelieveinpubliceducation

A few weeks ago, we published an Op-Ed from an intelligent entity warning us of the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). Recently, we asked another intelligent entity to submit an editorial about the potential advantages of A.I.The following editorial represents the opinions of the author alone, and GAEL is publishing the article not as an endorsement, but for your critical inquiry and discussion. What will you do with Artificial Intelligence?  Ban it? Post guardrails? Totally embrace it?

Welcome back, leaders! "Wait a minute!" you say. "What do you mean, 'Welcome back'? We never left!" Touché. You're right. Educational leaders do not get to go home for the shorter and shorter summers most of the time. Okay, let me start over: Happy Back to School Week with your students, staff, and families returning! And from all of us at GAEL, we are most sincerely grateful for each of our educational leader members and what you mean to Public Education and our great profession. As you begin another school year full of hope, challenge, and opportunity, our organization stands behind you. To that end, it is our hope to not only make your loads a little lighter this year, but also ensure that you have more reasons to be proud of your work for children and educators, to have more efficacy in your work, and to have more of the actual feeling that you are a part of something bigger than just your job duties and titles. In essence, you are part of a larger team and mission to help make our world, our nation, and our great state of Georgia a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Where does this start? In every single beautiful hometown and community of Georgia: Whether it be Cochran, Trenton, Rochelle, Albany, Perry, Fitzgerald, Gray, Forsyth, Bowdon, Roosterville, Homer, Walnut Grove, Rome, Macon, Chatsworth, Sylvester, Quitman, Metter, the ATL, Savannah, Macon, Gainesville, Cleveland, St. Mary's, Athens, Dahlonega, Moultrie, Valdosta, Augusta, Columbus, Tallapoosa, Waycross, Dublin, Douglasville, Jackson, Bainbridge, Conyers, Newnan, Georgetown, Milledgeville, Gordon, Tifton, McDonough, Hinesville, Ludowici, Griffin, or Mountain City...or all the other proud and noble and tiny and large hometown places in between. The truth is, while we focus on the children always, we have to remember that the administrators and teachers and staff of our school systems are the sons and daughters of their communities too. You are the people who stay home and continue to serve so that your children can go off to their futures! And we cannot take you for granted. You are also the voters, the mothers and fathers and grandparents, the taxpayers, and the backbone of helping to raise generations of children into leaders in Georgia. Thank you for what you do, what you have done, and most of all, for what you WILL DO in 2023-2024! Robert "Buddy" Costley, Executive Director

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful technological force with the potential to transform various industries, including education. While AI integration holds promises for enhancing learning experiences, it is crucial to critically examine the potential harm it could inflict on the institution of public education in America. This editorial explores the risks and challenges associated with AI in public education and highlights the need for thoughtful implementation and careful consideration. #AI #education