As part of our 60th anniversary celebration, long-time members and leaders are sharing their thoughts on the ASCD community. Mary Ellen Freeley has served on the former Executive Council and has been a member of ASCD and New York ASCD for more than 20 years. She is superintendent of Glen Cove City Schools in Long Island, N.Y.
Figure
Noteworthy Changes: ASCD has changed for the better by clearly identifying its mission, vision, and strategic plan and consistently aligning its efforts to reflect them. It has also become more "affiliate friendly" and made great strides to support affiliate efforts with outreach from outstanding staff members. ASCD has made numerous efforts to engage members, particularly through the use of technology.
Personal Perspective: The feature that sets ASCD apart from other professional organizations is the family spirit that pervades all of our efforts. Strong bonds are formed and nurtured among diverse people based on our belief in the children—our hope for the future. We might only meet at Annual Conference each year, but over time, long-lasting friendships develop.
For example, I first got involved with ASCD when I was a doctoral student. I served on the local arrangements committee for the 1984 Annual Conference in New York City. Marcia Knoll, who later became ASCD President in 1987–88, was chairing the Conference Planning Committee at the time, and a wonderful friendship was born.