Learning for leaders: Some of the Idaho Education Association’s up-and-coming leaders — ranging from an aspiring educator to folks who are well-established in the classroom — spent last week at the annual NEA National Leadership Summit.
• Participants included Zoraida Juarez, Cassie McBean, Kim Ross and Leslie Evans-Boxer of the Boise Education Association; Shelly Johnson of the West Ada Education Association; Pauline Smith of the Pocatello Education Association; Paige Stranahan of the Aspiring Educators-University of Idaho Chapter; Tiffany Long of the Moscow Education Association; NEA Director Lindsey Smith; IEA Vice President Jon Hawkes and IEA President Layne McInelly.
What they did: Members were able to choose between more than 100 competency-based, experiential training sessions led by members, partners and staff — including Smith, who taught a class about the NEA budget.
• The training was grounded in NEA’s Leadership Competency Framework, which includes seven domains covering the knowledge, skills, and behaviors educators need to lead.
• Speakers and keynote speakers included NEA President Becky Pringle, Dr. Maria Stephan, Eric K. Ward, Matthew Hawn and Christina Rivera.
Why it matters: McBean said she came home with strategies for both her union work and in her day-to-day classroom life. Going to conferences like the leadership summit has helped skyrocket her interest in shaping the union, McBean said.
• “It boosted my interest in national work and bringing that work home,” McBean said. “But it also really upped my involvement in the union.”
• You don’t need to be a current leader to attend, McBean said. “Even if they’re thinking about it, they’re a leader,” McBean said about fellow IEA members. “They don’t have to already be in a leadership position to want to go.”
Want to attend the 2027 event?: Talk to your local union president or region president for more information or to be nominated for next year’s event. Details about the 2027 summit should be available this fall.
