By DAVID VITRANO

News Editor

RESERVE—St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Courtney Millet was one of about 40 new superintendents invited to the Center for Quality Leadership’s School Research Nexus fall meeting.

Chosen by an advisory panel of nationally recognized experts because of her unique experience and level of accomplishment in her career, Millet was informed of her selection by letter. She did not have to go through any application process to be selected.

According to Millet, besides the new superintendents, about 40 “veteran” superintendents also attended the meeting, which was held in Orange County, California.

Millet said of the assembly, which had the theme “Leadership, Governance and Cognitive Learning,” “There are two main things I continue to think about.”

The first of these, she said, is a presentation on the first day concerning brain research. The presentation dealt with not only the basics of brain research but also delved into how the brain learns. The aim of the presentation, said Millet, was to determine strategies that might increase the rate of learning.

The other presentation that really stuck with the superintendent came on the second day of the meeting and concerned the “Texas growth model.” There is currently an effort underway in Texas to move away from the model of basing a student’s accomplishments on one big test and instead use different means, such as a series of tests, to measure a student’s growth.

Millet said that the major benefit from attending the meeting, now in its 27th year, was that she learned theories concerning why to implement certain practices and not just how to implement those practices.

“I learned much theory on teaching and learning to inform the practice I do every day,” she noted.

The Center for Quality Leadership paid all expenses associated with Millet’s travel and participation in the meeting.

The center gathers a network of top creative and innovative thinkers and leaders in education twice annually to consider the latest thinking and findings of research-based efforts, problem-solving sessions and creative solutions symposiums.