This year’s School Leadership Conference was packed with opportunities for learning, connection and inspiration. The School Leader Awards Dinner and Student Showcase kicked things off on a celebratory note, featuring talented student performances and presentations of the Pennsylvania Education Innovation Awards to the following: 

• Innovative Teacher Award: Chris Buckner, high school technology education teacher, Oley Valley School District
• Innovative School Leader Award: Dr. Matthew Friedman, superintendent, Quakertown Community School District 
• Innovative School Board Award: Erie City School Board 

The William Howard Day Medal, established in honor of the first African American school board president in the United States, was presented to Kathy K. Swope, board chair of the PSBA Trust, for her many dedicated years of service to her community and to public education. Kathy is a PSBA past president, and a former school board director and board president of the Lewisburg Area School Board, where she served for over two decades. She also served for 12 years on the PSBA Governing Board. 

Additionally, Dr. Tina Kane from the Marple Newtown School District was honored as Pennsylvania’s 2025 Superintendent of the Year!  And Student Showcase performances included those by the East Stroudsburg High School North Chorale, the Loyalsock Township Middle School Jazz Ensemble and the Pocono Mountain East High School Show Choir. 

Video interviews with each of the award recipients will be available soon on psba.institute. The presentations and student performances were livestreamed on PSBA’s Facebook page.  

During the event, current PSBA President Allison Mathis listed the recipients of the 2025 Student Leader Scholarships sponsored by the PSBA Trust. 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 application period for the 2026 scholarships is now open at psbatrust.org.  

Additionally, Mathis invited members to view reports from the PSBA Institute’s 2025 International Education Study Group in a special insert in the Fall 2025 Bulletin magazine.  Learn more about the study group and apply for the 2026 cohort by November 28, 2025, at psba.institute.   

Lastly, Mathis announced two new services starting this fall, exclusively for members. PSBA Health Services, in partnership with Marathon Health, offer a smarter, more sustainable alternative to traditional health care. Through on-site, near-site and virtual health centers, this model simplifies care, improves access, reduces costs and empowers school employees to take charge of their health.  ConnectED PA is a wireless infrastructure program available to members at no additional cost and delivered in partnership with Diamond Communications. Participating districts benefit from improved cellular service in and around school buildings and neighborhoods, enhanced emergency communications, and even potential revenue opportunities through infrastructure leasing agreements. Learn more about these new services on myPSBA. 

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

• Jen Eaton, School District of Lancaster 
• Lori Baer, Williamsport Area School District 
• Tammi Holden, Warren County School District 
• Andrew Kline, Oley Valley School District 

Thank you to Willis/WTW, Berkheimer, SHRADERGROUP, and CM Regent, our STEAM Scholarship sponsors.  

Starting Monday morning, more than 35 education sessions were offered over two days, on a variety of topics. At the Opening General Session, author and professor Dr. Christine Porath, a returning keynote from the 2023 conference, spoke on how everyday changes, no matter how small, can shape workplace culture and elevate performance. 

Acclaimed American actor Sean Astin and closed conference on Tuesday, with a powerful keynote on mental health, continuing his mother Patty Duke’s legacy of activism in this area.  Congratulations to the winners of the Exhibit Hall Challenge and the raffle ticket drawing that were announced at the end of this session!  

In the exhibit hall, more than 120 exhibitors were available to interact with school leaders throughout the three-day conference. Special features included evening receptions, student musical performances, and the new Great PA Schools Learning Lab – a mobile, high-tech environment designed to bring immersive learning directly to Pennsylvania school districts. Attendees toured the lab and enjoyed demonstrations of the learning modules for school leaders, staff and students. Members may now submit an interest form on greatpaschools.com to schedule a visit from the lab to their schools. 

In Reunion Square at the heart of the exhibit hall, attendees recharged while enjoying themed attractions from the 1950s through the early 2000s. We appreciate our Reunion Square sponsors: CM Regent; CM3 Building Solutions; Crabtree, Rohrbaugh and Associates; PSBA Insurance; Laurel Life; SitelogiQ, PSDLAF; Sapphire Software; Compass Group; Gilbert Architects; McClure Co.; and Weaver Associates Inc. 

Thanks to all our keynotes, education session presenters, student performers, attendees, exhibitors and sponsors for helping us provide a valuable learning and networking event to our members. Mark your calendar and plan to join us for next year’s conference on October 18-20, 2026, at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Poconos!