I remember the feeling I got the first time that I heard a speaker say, “Today’s rate of change is the slowest that you will experience in your lifetime.” I don’t recall who said it or where I was when I heard it, but I regularly think about the sense of urgency I felt to make my work meaningful for the teachers and students in my district.

As a district administrator serving 28 schools and approximately 18,000 students, I’m responsible for innovation and instructional technology. I often reflect upon those words and sometimes even utter them myself as I look for opportunities for change and to shift mindsets.

Whether we’re talking about learning spaces, curriculum, device adoption, personalization or the host of other topics we focus on daily, the fact is that we’re in a constant state of change to meet the needs of our students.

ISTE is in a similar spot.

Each year we see new standards, programming, professional development opportunities and partnerships that are meant to meet the needs of you, the members of ISTE. I’m continually amazed at the powerful changes taking place across the country and how educators are responding.

Throughout my career, ISTE has provided resources, ideas and inspiration that inform my daily practice. The new opportunities emerging from programs like ISTE U and ISTE Certification for Educators, as well as the thought leadership in Edtech Advisor, continue to push my thinking and that of my teachers. We recognize that we’re in a constant state of change and that we’re forever in “beta.”

As I begin my term as president of the ISTE Board of Directors, I’m excited to be able to serve and give back to the organization and its members that have given me so much – and I’m not alone in this sentiment. Every board member is humbled by the opportunity to strategically position ISTE to help make education a better place for everyone. We offer guidance, oversight and strategic direction as ISTE continues to evolve to meet the needs of you and your communities.

Your board is comprised of educators and practitioners who work with schools, students and teachers every day, and we want to hear your voice. We understand the sense of urgency that you have in your work and, as we look to the future, we recognize that ISTE has the capacity to play a role in the changes you’re making.

Together, we hope to transform teaching and learning, accelerate innovation and solve tough problems in education.

Thank you for being resilient change agents who share the sense of urgency I felt to give students authentic and meaningful learning experiences. We appreciate your commitment to ISTE and your students, and look forward to our next steps together.

Please don’t hesitate to connect with the board using the hashtag #ISTEBoard or emailing us at board@iste.org. We look forward to serving and connecting with you throughout the coming year.

Bill Bass is president of the ISTE Board. He also serves as the innovation coordinator for instructional technology, information and library media for the Parkway School District in St. Louis, Missouri.