At the Learning Counsel’s Learning Futures & Tech Media Meeting hosted at PNW BOCES in Yorktown Heights, NY, education leaders gathered for a thought-provoking panel discussion moderated by LeiLani Cauthen, CEO of the Learning Counsel. The panel featured Dr. Karen Gagliardi, Superintendent of Schools for Lakeland Central School District, and Dr. Adam VanDerStuyf, Superintendent of Schools for North Salem Central School District.

Cauthen opened the discussion with a powerful question: “What are you most proud of?”

For Dr. Karen Gagliardi, the answer was rooted in people—the students and staff who embody the district’s mission each day.

“I would say I'm most proud of my students,” said Dr. Gagliardi. “From the vantage point of being a superintendent, I’m always proud of my staff—and I know those are typical answers when you ask an educator what they’re proud of. But I truly believe that the legacy we leave behind is something people aspire to. And if you're in a position of leadership, you want to make sure that you're doing that. So when I say I'm proud of students and staff, I'm proud of the work that they're doing to get us there.”

Her remarks underscored a recurring theme throughout the day: leadership as legacy, and the shared responsibility of educators to model purpose and perseverance for the next generation.

Dr. Adam VanDerStuyf echoed Gagliardi’s sentiments, emphasizing that schools exist first and foremost for students—and that rediscovering the core mission of teaching and learning is vital.

“Always begin with the reason we’re there—students, faculty, staff,” he said. “In North Salem, we’re a small district that has been mission-driven for the last 20 years. But over time, we started to lose sight of the actual teaching and learning behind the work. Things became much more hypothetical, more think-tankish than instructional. So one of the proudest moments for me was calling a timeout on all that.”

VanDerStuyf described how his district refocused its energy through a “back to basics” initiative that re-centered instruction around literacy, MTSS (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support), student leadership, and independence.

“People were saying, ‘You’re going backwards,’” he added. “But I think we’re actually going forwards by getting back to basics.”

As the panel continued, the conversation connected to broader national trends—how districts are balancing innovation, technology, and humanity in the classroom. Both superintendents spoke about fostering student agency while maintaining the rigor and relationships that define high-quality learning.

Cauthen noted that discussions like these are at the heart of the Learning Counsel’s Learning Futures series—conversations that help educators reflect, adapt, and lead amid the shifting landscape of AI, technology integration, and evolving student needs.

By the end of the panel, one theme resonated clearly: education’s greatest strength lies not in its tools or trends, but in its people—and in the courage to return to the fundamentals that make learning meaningful.

Tune in below to see the full discussion.