This July in Nashville, NAESP is excited to be hosting its annual conference jointly with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) for UNITED: The National Conference on School Leadership. Host Andy Jacks is joined by NAESP President-Elect Kevin Armstrong and Associate Executive Director of Professional Learning Gracie Branch, to discuss what to expect and how school leaders and educators from all grade levels can learn and grow this summer.

Kevin Armstrong, Ed.D. is principal of DuPont Hadley Middle School in Old Hickory, Tennessee, and president-elect of NAESP.

Gracie Branch, Ph.D., is associate executive director of professional learning at NAESP.

Andy Jacks, Ed.D. is principal at The Nokesville School in Nokesville, Virginia, and senior fellow at the NAESP Centers for Advancing Leadership.

Learn more and register today at theunitedconference.org.

School transformation is about more than just a change in name, or even a change in leadership. For Eric Chagala, principal of San Diego's VIDA Academy, culture is key. Chagala shares his story with Center for Innovative Leadership fellows Liz Garden and Scott Mcleod, and talks about the real reasons for VIDA Academy's successes.

Eric Chagala, Ed.D. is is the founding principal of the Vista Innovation & Design Academy (VIDA) in San Diego, California.

Liz Garden is principal of Henry P. Clough Elementary school in Mendon Massachusetts, and serves as fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.

Scott McLeod is professor of educational leadership at the University of Colorado, Denver, and a fellow at the NAESP Center for Innovative Leadership.

Should I stay, or should I go? That's the question many assistant or aspiring principals are asking themselves when considering whether to transition fully into the principalship. We sit down with two APs to discuss their advice on the when, how, and why of becoming a principal.

Shay Lewis is assistant principal at CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering Elementary School in Rocky Hills, Connecticut.

Delaney Rosenberg is assistant principal at a pre-K–8 school in Fremont, New Hampshire.

Donna McGuire is assistant principal at The Park Terrace School in New York City, a 2023 NAESP National Outstanding Assistant Principal, and moderates the NAESP Assistant Principal Community of Practice.