Superintendent Gives Keynote at International Conference in Thailand

Superintendent of Schools Lynne Celli is in Bangkok, Thailand this week talking about American education and learning about Asian education.

She said yesterday in a phone interview that she hopes to bring back ideas to help Swampscott students.

Between 150 and 200 administrators, master's degree students and others from around the globe are exchanging ideas at the March 5-7 Education and Development Conference 2012.

She and a fellow superintendent and a doctoral candidate were the keynote speakers Monday. They talked about the educational advancement of primary and secondary students, the superintendent said.

Her focus was on engagement — the ways in which cooperation, advocacy, communication and shared decision-making advance learning.

She will make a full presentation on her talk to the School Committee when she returns.

The superintendent was invited to speak at the conference by virtue of a chapter she wrote in a book on education.

The trip is being partially funded by the professional development provision in her contract with the district, she said.

That provision covers expenses for attending state and national conferences.

The superintendent said she has not attended a national conference. This trip was funded at the same level as a national conference, up to $2,000, with her paying out of pocket for expenses beyond the the $2,000 threshold, she said.

The School Committee chairman and vice chairman approved the conference, she said.

It took about 30 hours to get to Thailand and will take the same time to return. She will return the day after the conference ends and arrive back in the US on March 9.

All of the conference participants speak English.

We'll have more information on the conference after the superintendent returns.