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every day .”

Fullerton credited ACSA as a supportive organization in her career path , stating , “ The ACSA organization has been a wonderful support group for me to be able to have a group of people who have many years in education and experience that I can reach out to for support whether it be how their district handles a student situation , or how they are implementing new policies .”

And she brings that support to her district , in turn supporting each school , so that the ongoing activities of the instructional program can succeed .

“ Traci Fullerton is our district ’ s ‘ go-to ’ person ,” said Elementary Principal John Partin . “ Anytime you are in a situation that needs either some clarification or needs follow-up with someone that might have information , you can bet Traci will get back to you – even if she ’ s busy .”

Rick Light : Retired Administrator of the Year

ACSA relies on the voluntary involvement of its members to lead , innovate and collaborate . Without the commitment of retired educators like Rick Light , the strength of all members would be diminished . For his volunteer service to ACSA in retirement , Light has been selected as ACSA ’ s 2016 Retired Administrator of the Year .

It would be all too easy after a demanding career to take advantage of retirement and take life easy , but Light just isn ’ t made that way .

In 1989 , in his role as interim elementary and middle school principal at three schools , he worked to resolve longstanding issues with the community and various interest groups . As superintendent of Thermalito Union School District in the 1990s , Light led the district to grow in student attendance , facilities , programs and student services . His district was in sound financial condition through the end of his tenure in 1998 , overcoming numerous unexpected challenges .

Like so many of ACSA ’ s retired leaders , Light returned to administration in interim and part-time principal and superintendent roles . He acted as interim superintendent of Biggs USD in 2007 , assisting the district through a critical financial crisis . Light considers some of his work in retirement among his greatest successes .

“ As a retired administrator , I was able

ACSA retired leader Rick Light and his wife Georgianna , center , are flanked by Sen . Jim Nielsen , left , and Assemblyman James Gallagher , whom they met with prior to last year ’ s Legislative Action Day .

to help a district located near the Oregon border through a rough situation and to find a suitable administrator that met their needs ,” he said . “ My last position as a retired administrator was in a district that was under state and county control . The district had a wonderful and dedicated staff that helped pull it back to solvency . The person we then hired took the district to new heights . That was most rewarding .”

School funding continues to be an important issue for Light .

“ My greatest concern is the inadequacy of funding ,” he said . “ My efforts and ambitions for the future is preserving free and adequate education in California . The attacks nationally as well as locally on public education are real and constantly reoccurring . I will work to benefit education as long as I can be effective .”

Through his involvement with ACSA and his family legacy of education , Light stays informed on the current challenges facing education , such as the implementation of Common Core State Standards .

“ I think ( CCSS ) is designed to usefully expand students working knowledge and skills as opposed to limited individual subject data recall ,” he said . “ As in all changes , it must be properly implemented , embraced and adequately funded .”

Light ’ s commitment to ACSA spans more than 30 years , and includes involvement in both Region 2 , serving as vice president and president of the Retired Leaders and Managers , and on the state level as a representative to Legislative Action Day and current ACSA ambassador . He is described as being “ a warrior for ACSA .”

“ As a retired school administrator , Rick has continued to look after the interest of his fellow retirees by attending state , regional and local meetings that address issues of retiree benefits ,” Donald Remley said of Light . Remley is a Retired Emeritus ACSA member and former superintendent of Oroville City ESD . “ I often receive emails from Rick with information regarding pending legislation or recent legislative actions .”

Bill Cornelius , former superintendent of schools for Sutter County , describes Light as his mentor , and said Light “ speaks with our legislators with great effectiveness in how they , as elected officials , can make the best decisions for our current and retired educators .”

In his work as an ACSA ambassador , Light often discusses the benefits of membership . “ This gives me the opportunity to speak with new members , find their needs , show them how ACSA can help them , and also let ACSA know their needs as new members ,” he said . “ It is rewarding to find that most new members have in some way already taken the opportunity to use ACSA as a resource .”

While he worked , Light prized the informative meetings ACSA held to provide up-to-date information . “ The greatest asset to me was the networking ,” he said . “ Administrators who were being successful in an area I was trying to develop unselfishly shared their process , allowing me to not have to ‘ recreate the wheel .’”

With his current involvement in the Region 2 retired charter , he said he doesn ’ t feel divorced from school administration . “ The active members treat me as one of their own ,” he said .

For all his accomplishments , Light considers one achievement to be his greatest : “ going from a high school dropout who could not adequately read to a superintendent of a school district .” In his long and thriving career , he has remained committed to ensuring that all students have the chance to reach their potential .

Achievement scholarship window opens

AXA Achievement helps make college possible by providing access to $ 1.4 million a year in scholarships through an application process that opens Sept . 1 .

Scholarships range from $ 2,500 to $ 25,000 . Recipients – known as AXA Achievers – also receive comprehensive advice to help them plan for college .

Why the two-pronged approach ? Because , while parents named expenses as the biggest obstacle to pursuing a college degree , navigating the financial aid process came in at number two in an AXA survey .

Funded by the AXA Foundation , the scholarship has been increasing educational opportunities since 2003 .

“ AXA Achievement is a natural fit for a company whose purpose is to help provide financial security ,” said Foundation President Faith Frank . “ A college graduate can expect to earn 64 percent more than someone with only a high school degree . Helping a young person pursue a college education is a great way of starting them on the road to a more secure future .”

AXA Achievers , have all accomplished something exceptional outside the classroom . A 2016 scholarship recipients was Dahkota Kicking Bear Brown , a June graduate of Argonaut High School in Jackson who has been a champion for Native American rights and culture since he was 12 . Brown co-founded Native Education Raising Dedicated Students ( NERDS ) to increase the graduation rate of Native Americans through peer-to-peer mentoring , cultural awareness and education .

Scholarships also went to remarkable students who :

• Created the “ Global Soap Project ,” which repurposes soap from hotels to send to vulnerable populations around the world .

• Developed GreenShields , a device that helps boost gas mileage of school buses .

• Designed a software program that automates the diagnosis of bladder cancer .

Visit www . axa-achievement . com to read more about AXA Achievers , watch their inspiring videos , and learn how to apply for the scholarship . The application window will close Dec . 15 .

AXA is a partner with ACSA through the Partner4Purpose program , connecting members to vetted school solution providers .

Session 1 | Cupertino October 14-15 , 2016

The Apple Campus , 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino , CA 95014

Session 2 | Indian Wells February 7 , 2017

Hyatt Regency Indian Wells , 44600 Indian Wells Ln , Indian Wells , CA 92210

BULLYING Session 3 | Sacramento &

March 6-7 , 2017

CYBERSPACE

Session 4 | Location TBD

MISCONDUCT April 28-29 , 2017 :

Location TBD

A PRACTIONER ’ S GUIDE

For further program information contact :

John • Roach Salinas , Program , Oct . Director 4 • Ontario , jroach238 , Oct @ gmail . 13 . com Trudy Arriaga , trudyarriaga73 @ gmail . com

• Fresno Oct . 21 • Sacramento , Dec . 1

• Costa Mesa , Dec . 14 • San Jose , Jan . 20 www . acsa . org / Educational-Services / Trainings # bullying

ates and cations : 8:29 AM Registration / nental Breakfast 3:00 PM Workshop

SUPERINTENDENTS BASIC TRAINING … AND BEYOND

CO-SPONSORED BY

Cohort registration is under way for the 2016-17 program . Quarterly workshops in both Northern and Southern California provide superintendents with the content and support they need . www . acsa . org / programs

Red Lion Woodlake , 500 Leisure Lane , Sacramento , CA 95815

www . acsa . org / trainings

• Sept . 29 , Ontario • Nov . 18 , Monterey • Dec . 8 , Sacramento

• Dec . 9 , Torrance • Jan . 13 , Berryessa • Jan . 18 , Victorville

More than 550 education leaders in academies

If you are new to an administrative leadership position or planning your career advancement , an ACSA Academy is professional learning designed for you . Join the 566 participants already enrolled in academies statewide . Become part of a dedicated community of learners , supported by expert practitioners , in cultivating your leadership capacity . In 2015-16 , 899 participants attended 33 academies statewide hosted in 14 ACSA regions . To provide more high quality professional learning locally , academies were expanded to first-time and non-traditional locations around the state . So , what awaits you in the 2016-17 Academy Program ? Academies specifically focus on building leadership and management fundamentals you will need to lead the work in any of 11 specializations : Classified Educational Leaders , Curriculum and Instructional Leaders , Equity Leaders , Innovative Technology , Leadership for Local Control Accountability Planning , Personnel Administrators , Principals , Pupil Services , School Business , Special Education , and Superintendents .

ACSA academies are designed and delivered by ACSA members for ACSA members . You will meet academy directors who are expert practitioners in their fields and know first-hand the issues and challenges , along with the intangible rewards , that are part of leadership in the service of improving outcomes and possibilities for students . You will meet a faculty of academy presenters who bring their expertise , passion , and experience to pay it forward to academy participants as the next generation of leaders . You will receive invaluable professional materials and resources curated for you by academy presenters and directors . And , your professional network will expand immeasurably through your active participation and contribution to your academy experience .

New for 2016-17 , all academies will be supported by the Schoology Learning Management System . In fact , the Innovative Technology Academy , ACSA ’ s only blended learning academy so far , has operated on Schoology since its inception . While participants in all other academies will continue to attend all sessions in-person , Schoology will enhance the academy experience for everyone . Your academy experience will be augmented through a technology platform providing easier electronic access to materials and resources , facilitating communication between academy sessions , and managing a host of

other academy logistic , including possibly electronic badges . Registration and complete information , including the Academies-At-A-Glance , are available at www . acsa . org / academies . Join us !

Speak with clarity in Hard Conversations As administrators , coaches or teacher leaders , we often come up against situations where difficult topics must be addressed . What do we know about the best strategies for those moments ? What questions should we be asking ourselves before we speak up and what words shall we use so the conversation can be as humane and growth producing as possible ?

Having Hard Conversations Part 1 is an interactive workshop and personal approach to mastering the art of challenging conversations . The strategies in the workshop address a wide range of situations , including communication with supervisees , peers and supervisors . The workshop helps educators at all levels speak with clarity and courage to directly address difficult situations within their schools .

Having Hard Conversations Part 2 is an extension and deepening of the work of cultivating conflict competence . The workshop revisits the key elements of Having Hard Conversations Part 1 , such as working with individual case studies , outcome mapping and the use of scripting protocols , and goes deeper into how to keep conflict at a cognitive level , how to analyze possible covert influences in play during a hard conversation , how to respond productively when conflict escalates , plus other strategies and tips for being more confident and empowered when facing challenging situations .

Information and registration materials are available on the ACSA website at www . acsa . org / Trainings . Would you like to host Having Hard Conversations training in your school district or region ? ACSA welcomes the opportunity to schedule additional training based on demand and commitment for a minimum of 25 participants . Please contact Mary Gomes , mgomes @ acsa . org , to inquire .