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President's Notes                         

A. Elaine Fogliani, Ph.D.
Superintendent, Westmoreland County Public Schools

     It is indeed an honor to serve as the 2009-10 president of the Women Education Leaders of Virginia (WELV).  Having celebrated our tenth year as the only all female educational leadership organization in Virginia, I appreciate the quality of leadership provided by my predecessors.  During the past ten years WELV has grown in membership and has embraced more initiatives to support, inspire, and encourage women to pursue leadership roles in education.  Although the educational ranks are comprised of a large percentage of females, they remain in the minority for leadership roles, as principals, superintendents, and university executives.  Although there are many similarities in the knowledge and competencies that all leaders must have to be effective, there are contrasts between genders in the challenges and skill sets of leadership.  At the annual WELV conference, women educational leaders in Virginia learn and grow, building knowledge of our field and of ourselves as leaders.  We also celebrate and support what we, as women, have to offer as 21^st Century leaders. 

    To continue the legacy of the many outstanding women leaders who have served as WELV president, my vision for WELV is that all women leaders in Virginia will become members, much like all superintendents are members of the Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS) or curriculum leaders are members of Virginia Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (VASCD) or principals are members of their respective principal organizations.  WELV provides the networking opportunities that our male counterparts often excel in creating.  This WELV networking and support system serve to encourage and facilitate women leaders as they move from leadership in the classroom to more global leadership roles in schools, in school districts, in state and national organizations, and in colleges and universities.  I invite the Virginia women educational leaders and all who aspire to begin the journey of educational leadership to join the organization, find out how you can become involved, and attend our annual conference.