Picture this: It’s the Winter of 2016. I was serving as the brand-new—and first ever—district mathematics coach in my home district. I was a few years into the role, trying to find my footing, balancing big dreams with the reality that most days I was simply figuring things out as I went.
(If you’ve ever been a new leader, you know exactly what I mean.)

One day, my supervisor came across a professional learning opportunity being hosted at Georgia Tech by an organization neither of us knew much about at the time: NCSM: National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics. What we did know was that it sounded like exactly what I needed—a space focused on supporting mathematics leaders who were trying to make a real difference for teachers and students.

So, with equal parts curiosity, excitement, and “I hope I’m not in over my head,” I signed up for the NCSM Winter Leadership Academy.

I still remember the very first day. As participants introduced themselves, I found myself quietly thinking, “Wait… they’re just like me.” They were classroom teachers, coaches, district leaders, and aspiring leaders wrestling with the same challenges I was facing back home. Suddenly, I didn’t feel like I was trying to figure leadership out alone anymore.

Over the next three days, we learned alongside incredible NCSM leaders including Lisa Scott and Pat Baltzley. With their guidance, we explored content progressions, engaged with NCSM position papers, grounded our thinking in research-informed instructional practices, unpacked the imperatives of the PRIME Leadership Framework, and reflected honestly on the strengths and shortcomings of our own systems. It was the kind of professional learning that both stretches you
and energizes you.

But what stayed with me most was the humanity of the experience.

During our action-planning work, I had the opportunity to collaborate with then-NCSM President John Staley. To be honest, it took me a minute to stop being starstruck. Here was the president of a national organization sitting beside me, listening carefully to the needs of my schools and my district. Not talking at me—thinking with me.

John pushed my thinking in ways that still shape my leadership today. He challenged me to think deeply about questions like:

• How is our curriculum different from simply following a resource?
• Are we treating our instructional materials like a script or using them to support
  meaningful learning experiences?
• How do we build a culture where teachers and students are both reflective learners?
• How do we ensure mathematics instruction centers big ideas, rich tasks, formative
  assessment, and student thinking?

I left the academy with far more than notes in a binder. I left with clarity, purpose, and a practical action plan tailored to the needs of my schools.

When I returned home, we got to work.

And while no single professional learning experience is solely responsible for success, I can say without hesitation that the Winter Leadership Academy played a major role in shaping the work we did next. A few years later, the three elementary schools I supported became ranked #1, #2, and #3 in mathematics achievement among elementary schools in our state. More importantly, we had built systems and instructional practices that kept students—and meaningful mathematics
learning—at the center.

That is why I am genuinely excited to share that the NCSM Summer Leadership Academy is back.

I personally invite you to join us June 16–18 for 2.5 days of in-person professional learning designed for mathematics leaders at every level—from classroom teachers to district leaders and beyond—who are ready to move from vision to action.

Grounded in the NCSM Essential Actions Series, this year’s Summer Leadership Academy will support participants in:

• clarifying what high-quality, culturally relevant mathematics instruction looks like,
• gathering meaningful evidence of teaching and learning,
• and designing leadership actions that lead to sustained instructional improvement.

You will leave with a clearer instructional vision, practical leadership tools, meaningful connections with fellow mathematics leaders, and a personalized action plan you can begin implementing immediately in your local context.

And who knows? You may even find yourself sitting in a room thinking the same thing I did back in 2016: “These are my people.”

For more information and to register for the 2026 NCSM Summer Leadership Academy, visit: NCSM Summer Leadership Academy

I truly hope to see you there.