From the Director of Government Programs, Yosef Kanofsky
First and foremost, we want to thank all of you who came to our first annual Teach NYS Member School Summit. A gathering like this is really dependent on the energy and interest of the participants, and you all really delivered on those fronts. Thanks to you, the sessions were engaging and the discussions were lively. We appreciate all the feedback that we received both at the summit and afterward.
From sessions on security grants to STEM to mandated services to lobbying, I loved seeing the enthusiasm from both attendees and our staff. We also had several school heads and outside experts present or co-present, bringing a level of knowledge that was greatly appreciated by all. Many sessions were packed, including the security seminar, which was so successful that attendees stayed well past the end-time to ask more and more questions!
Additionally, many of the participants were openly excited to see our Mandated Services Director, Mrs. Leah Grossman, who has lived out of New York City for many years. Her 20-plus years of professional experience in the field is a key facet of the government program assistance we offer.
Our goal for the summit was not to gather you all for a photo opportunity, a PR effort, or other strategic reasons. It was simply to gather together, connect, celebrate our partnership, and discuss best practices, new ideas, and challenges. I believe we delivered here, and I look forward to future member school summits that benefit all our schools, families, and students.