At this year’s conference, attendees from across the commonwealth gathered for an opportunity to grow professionally, network with colleagues and be inspired. Sunday night’s School Leader Awards Dinner and Student Showcase started the three-day event, with lively student performances and a celebration of innovation and leadership.  

Award presentations included the Pennsylvania Education Innovation Awards:  

• Innovative Teacher Awards: Scott Tuffiash, high school English teacher, Avonworth School District, and Joy Crouch, elementary education teacher, Freedom Area School District 
• Innovative School Leader Award: Dr. Charles Lentz, superintendent, New Hope-Solebury School District 

PA Secretary of the Budget Uri Monson was this year’s recipient of the William Howard Day Award, established in honor of the first African American school board president in the United States. Secretary Monson has an almost 30-year career in public service, exemplifying excellent budget management and financial stewardship. Additionally, Dr. Shane Hotchkiss from Bermudian Springs School District was honored as the 2024 Superintendent of the Year! 

Student Showcase performances included those by Nazareth String Orchestra (Nazareth Area SD), Honesdale High School Guys Choir (Wayne Highlands SD) and East Junior High School Glenwood Jazz Ensemble (Pocono Mountain SD). 

During the conference, PSBA CEO Nathan Mains announced the 2025 Student Leader Scholarships sponsored by the PSBA Trust, as well as a new international study group. The scholarships provide a one-time award of up to $5,000 to graduating seniors from PSBA member districts who have demonstrated ongoing leadership and meet the criteria for one of four available scholarships. Each award is named to honor the first chair or president of the following: the Pennsylvania Public Education Foundation, the Pennsylvania School Safety Institute, PSBA and the PSBA Trust.   

• The Frerichs Scholarship recognizes a student planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education.  
• The Marcus Scholarship supports a student planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree in public safety, criminology, forensics, or other law enforcement or safety major.  
• The H.H. Quimby Scholarship honors a student who has served as a student representative to their local school board during their high school academic career.  
• The Swope Scholarship recognizes a student planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the arts.  

Additionally, Mains announced that the PSBA Institute recently entered into a three-year partnership agreement with the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Over the next three years, we will exchange study teams to learn from each other and enhance public education in our respective countries. The announcement follows the first cohort of the PSBA Institute’s International Education Study Group, which traveled to Germany in April 2024 and reported their reflections and recommendations in sessions at conference. Learn more about the scholarships and the study group, including how to apply, at PSBATrust.org.  

To close out Sunday’s event, a drawing was held and these four individuals in attendance received $500 STEAM Scholarships for their districts.  

• Paige Brookins, Reading School District 
• Semira Perdue, Methacton School District 
• Constance Nichols, Grove City Area School District 
• Lisa Peterson, Governor Mifflin School District 

Thank you to Ainsworth, American Athletic Track and Turf, Buchart Horn Architects, and CM Regent, our STEAM Scholarship sponsors. 

Starting Monday morning, more than 35 education sessions and learning labs were offered over two days, on topics in six learning tracks: Education and Technology, Superintendent Focus, Safe Schools, Pathways to Learning, Of the Moment and Board Governance. At the opening general session, nationally recognized education consultant Dr. John Hodge delivered a well-received keynote presentation on student achievement and the reduction of the achievement gap.   

At the featured session on Tuesday morning, Attorney Mark W. Cheramie Walz of Sweet Stevens Katz Williams highlighted what artificial intelligence tools can do and where school leaders should exercise caution.  

To close conference, world-famous performer and music producer Steven van Zandt inspired the audience with his presentation about TeachRock, an organization he founded to address two escalation problems: music classes being cut from schools and a high school dropout epidemic. 

In the exhibit hall, more than 170 exhibitors were available to interact with school leaders throughout the conference. Special features included evening receptions, student performance, live demonstrations of the Pennsylvania School Safety Institute (PennSSI), and a Great PA Schools booth that showcased Brentwood Borough students’ F1 in Schools cars, portfolios and videos from the 2024 National Final. Reigning conference mini golf design champion DRAW Collective Architecture put together a creative putting course for participants. Strawbridge Studios offered complimentary professional headshots to attendees. 

School leaders explored featured sponsors and enjoyed food and beverages as well as student performances in the Midway – a carnival-themed section of the exhibit hall. We appreciate our Midway champions: CM Regent, Gilbert Architects, PSBA Insurance and Sapphire Software; Midway sponsors: EI Associates & Engineers, ICS, Laurel Life and SitelogiQ; and Midway supporters: Alloy 5, Anatomage, Chartwells/SSC, PSDLAF, PSBA, Strawbridge Studios and Varsity Tutors.  

All attendees who completed the overall conference survey on paper or online were entered to win a $100 gift card. Congratulations to Sandy Fyock from Purchase Line School District, who is this year’s winner!

Thanks to all our education session speakers, presenters, performers, attendees and sponsors for another amazing learning and networking experience! Plan to join us for next year’s conference on October 19-21, 2025, at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Poconos!