September 2026 ACSA Newsletter

Our ACSA kickoff event in August gave us a chance to pause, connect with colleagues, and reflect on how we can nurture belonging in our own leadership roles. As educational leaders, we know that belonging doesn’t happen by accident. It is cultivated intentionally through relationships, meaningful connections, shared experiences, and opportunities to learn alongside one another.

My hope for each of you this year is that you find those opportunities to connect, engage, learn, and grow with our ACSA community. Whether through a professional learning event, a committee or council, a conversation with a colleague, or simply showing up and getting to know someone new, I hope you’ll find a place where you feel connected and where your voice and leadership are valued.

Thank you for being part of our ACSA San Joaquin Charter community. I’m looking forward to all that we will learn and accomplish together this year. Here’s to a year of belonging, leadership, and community!

Thanks,

Megan Smith | President

ACSA Region 7, San Joaquin Charter

San Joaquin Charter's goal is centered on three areas: empowerment, collaboration, and advocacy.

• Empowerment: Joining an organization (like ACSA) strengthens the skills and influence of school leaders.
• Collaboration: Being part of a community (like ACSA) fosters the sharing of ideas and best practices.
• Advocacy: Providing a unified voice to champion policies and initiatives that benefit students, schools, and our communities.

These words emphasize the value of leadership, community, and a collective purpose in education. San Joaquin Charter is dedicated to providing opportunities to support school leaders in attaining these values.

On behalf of San Joaquin Charter, we'd like to welcome 7 new members:

• Michele Bryson | Principal, Ripon USD
• Maria Cordero | Administrator/Vice Principal, Manteca USD
• Danielle Etcheverry | Special Educaiton Program Specialist, Tracy JUSD
• Kristin Laney | Coordinator, San Joaquin COE
  
• Vanessa Martinez | Credential Analyst, San Joaquin COE
• Cynthia Neutze | Assistant Principal, River Island Technology Academy
• Katie Turner | Recruitment & Retention Coordinator, San Joaquin COE

Know someone who would like to join our charter? Encourage them to visit www.acsa.org/join. Or, forward this email and they can apply using the button below.

Click on this link to access our charter's calendar of 2026-2027 events and meetings. Please check this often as it reflects the most current dates and updates.

Got a leadership strategy, innovative practice, or story that transformed your school or district? We want to hear from you! ACSA Region 7 is looking for passionate leaders to present at our upcoming Fall Mini-Conference on October 28 at Davis High School. Presenting is a fantastic way to give back to our region, share proven ideas, and step into regional leadership.

Submit your proposal today—presenter selections are being made this week!

This is a call for nominations for the Vice President of Legislative Action (VPLA) to complete the remainder of this year's term. The Region VPLA role is an important part of collaborating with State ACSA and our local leadership to communicate our legislative priorities and pressure points clearly to our region's elected officials. This work is vital to our voice, collaboration, and future work. We are seeking qualified leaders from our charter to help fill this position this year. Please share the link below with any individual you believe would be interested in serving in this regional leadership role.

We invite you to share your article as Leadership magazine announces its editorial themes for the 2026-27 publishing year.

Leadership magazine highlights the most important issues facing education leaders today through thoughtful and practical insights. Published five times each year, every issue focuses on a specific theme and features articles written by education leaders and practitioners like you. Your voice and experience can help inform, inspire and support colleagues across the field.

To submit an article, please email Leadership Editor Michelle Carl at mcarl@acsa.org by the deadlines listed for each issue below.

2026-2027 Issue Themes & Deadlines:

• September/October 2026: Early Learning Foundations Deadline closed
• November/December 2026: School Safety Deadline closed
• January/February 2027: Career Technical Education Deadline 10/12/26
• March/April 2027: Staffing Solutions Deadline 12/7/26
• May/June 2027: Classified Leadership Deadline 2/8/27