Wednesday, February 4

About Keynote

The quality of your communication will make or break the quality of much of your work. From supervising classroom instruction, to navigating challenges, to collaborating with families, the best leaders are great communicators. In this session, attendees will learn  why gaps in communication often exist and how as leaders, we must work to overcome the “curse of knowledge”! Leave this session with evidence-based practices for your school community and practical activities to replicate with your staff. You’re guaranteed to laugh, while simultaneously reflecting on your practice.

About Tom Murray

Tom serves as the Director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools, a project of All4Ed located in Washington, D.C. He has testified before the United States Congress and has worked alongside that body, the US Senate, the White House, the US Department of Education and state departments of education, corporations, and school districts throughout the country to implement student-centered learning while helping to lead Future Ready Schools® and Digital Learning Day. An ASCD best-selling author, Murray serves as a regular conference keynote, was named one of the “Top 100 Influencers in Education” by District Administration in 2024, the "2018 National/Global EdTech Leader of the Year," by EdTech Digest, the "2017 Education Thought Leader of the Year," one of "20 to Watch" by NSBA in 2016, and the "Education Policy Person of the Year" by the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2015. His best-selling book, Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow’s Schools, Today, co-authored with Eric Sheninger and published by ASCD, was released in June 2017. His most recent book, Personal & Authentic: Designing Learning Experiences that Impact a Lifetime, is also a best seller.

Before moving to his role in Washington, D.C., Murray served as an elementary teacher, secondary teacher, middle school principal, elementary principal, and at the district level in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He is most passionate about creating cultures of innovation where teachers are empowered to create the types of learning experiences today's modern learners need to thrive. In addition to his role at Future Ready Schools®, Murray works directly with school and district leaders for administrative retreats, opening convocations, and professional learning days. You can connect with Tom at thomascmurray.com and on various social media channels.