From My Heart to Yours: A Love Letter to MESLC 2025 Presenters

I am an educator, I love educators and I serve educators. I am so full of gratitude to all the people who made #MESLC 2025 a success. This newsletter is a shoutout to the presenters and the next one will be for all the other amazing people who helped us have a great event.

First off a massive shoutout to our incredible presenters! You all absolutely rocked it.

Watching you share your stories and your wins (and yes, even those challenging moments we all face) was fab. You didn't just deliver presentations, you sparked conversations that I know will continue outside of the event.

Evelyn Forde MBE thank you for being so amazing and kind. You shared from your heart and it resonated with so many. I hope you gained as much or even more than you gave.

Robert Coe thank you for coming and giving us so much to think about. Yes, quality teaching matters most and if we did not get that from your presentation, then I am not sure we ever will. You were brilliant.

Claire Gadsby You are amazing and I feel like I have known you for ages. You came, you spoke and you conquered. Thank you.

Debra Forsyth thank you for your continued support and kindness. I somehow feel like I am a part of the BSME family. Maybe an honourary member. Nalini Cook .

Nargish Khambatta , Amy Falhi , Youlande Biosah ?????? ?????? MA , Andrew Jenkins words cannot express how much I thank you all for your contribution, vulnerability and your willingness to be authentic.

Rebecca Coulter , Matt Lecuyer , Justin Reynolds Ed.D. , Dr. Suleiman Hamdan You words of wisdom on how to craft a school culture that lasts will keep echoing for years to come. Thank you.

Dr Ritika Anand. NPQEL , Sadia Saba , Tracy Crowder-Cloe and Dr. Ashkelon Govender Thank you for being open and giving so much of your time and expertise and Ashkelon I think you have found a new calling in being a moderator. You all did so well. Thank you again.

Debra Forsyth , Bill Turner and Dr Helen Wright , thank you for sharing your stories to inspire other leaders and let them know that there is a bright future ahead of them after they leave school leadership.

I know I am not allowed to have favourites in this line of work but I have a serious professional crush on Dr Helen Wright she embodies grace and kindness.

To my crew Kausor Amin-Ali FRSA FCCT , Joanna Povall , Dr. Emanuel Vincent we spoke truth to power and we smashed it. I would love to continue working together with you all to make sure we give a voice to the voiceless and let everyone know that inclusion is not an option and that we have to be intentional about it.

Nick Hart Thank you for being so willing to share from your fountain of knowledge. You rock!

Julie Keyes and Simon O'Connor FCCT Thank you for sharing your real-world example of how coaching is transforming Deira International School . I am excited to see and learn more as time goes on.

Nicholas Bond thank you for coming all this way to share with us your work. Wishing you every success as you put wellbeing at the centre of everything you do.

Andrew Jenkins Your willingness to share and be flexible is the hallmark of a great leader. I wish you continued growth and success.

Fiona Cottam FCCT I am going to write what I think, and you are not allowed to shoot it down since you are on a no-self-critique cleanse. You Fiona Cottam FCCT are a wonderful example of what it means to lead with kindness. It does not mean being a pushover or always saying what people may like or want to hear; it means being authentic and leading with empathy and kindness, and this is what you do. Thank you for being you.

Because words can't capture all the amazing moments, here are some of the highlights.

Here's something I really want to talk about: If you're a school leader who's been sitting on the fence about presenting at conferences, I get it. It can feel intimidating. But let me tell you why you should go for it (and I'm speaking from both organising and attending countless conferences):

It's like having the world's best coffee chat with fellow educators who get exactly what you're going through.

The connections you make? Priceless.

I've seen so many collaborations start from a simple "Hey, we faced that exact same challenge!"

And you know what's really cool? That project you've been working on, the one that might seem "just normal" to you? It could be exactly what another school leader needs to hear about. Your everyday solutions could be someone else's breakthrough moment!

Listen, I know it's easy to think "Oh, but my experience isn't special enough" or "Others probably know more than me." Stop right there! Every single one of us has unique experiences and insights worth sharing. Your perspective matters, and there's a room full of educators who could benefit from hearing your story.

To everyone who presented at MESLC 2025: You've set the bar high and shown what's possible when we share openly and honestly. To everyone thinking about presenting at the next conference: We need your voice! Your experiences, your challenges, your wins - they're all part of making our educational community stronger.

Drop a comment below I'd love to hear what stood out to you from MESLC 2025!

Or if you're thinking about presenting at a future conference but have questions, let's chat about it.

MESLC 2026- Mark your calendars January 28-29, 2026

Theme: Transformational Leadership: Leading Schools For Global Impact.

April 24-25, 2025 Dubai, UAE 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM