 Dr. Winsome Gordon, who spoke at a 39th annual conference of the National Principles Association to the theme, Creating Sustainable Leadership, Future Leaders, Future Schools, has been at the forefront of transformational leadership in education in Jamaica and the wider region. Dr. Gordon says in order for people to acquire the information, skill, competencies, and attitudes necessary to support a sustainable human society, educational leadership must direct the education process. Dr. Gordon emphasized that learning in the 21st century should be more collaborative, where principles provide instructional leadership that embraces the technological era. The school's culture, she says, is key in creating that conducive environment for learning. In our school environment, we need to create the culture that we want and is created in a setting of happiness, respect, love. As principals, we are transformational. As leaders, senior teachers, we are transformational. That's what we are about. We are about to transform in minds. And so the environment has to work with those persons who help us to be transformational. Quoting former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Gordon stated that the philosophy of a school in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next generation. Premise in her point that patriotism must be utilized to foster educational leadership. The advice that providing this level of leadership at schools builds patriotic identity which allows students to thrive. All that is good about St. Lucia, for them to have that loyalty, for them to have that culture that says, I am not going to do this. I live in this place and I'm not doing it. I'm St. Lucia. And this is me. That has to come out of your school and your setting. Education Minister Hon. Sean Edwin, who addressed the gathering of principals, vice-principals and senior teachers, commended school leadership for the critical role they have played in dealing with challenges within the education system and in developing the St. Lucia society. You operate at a level where, if you are not at your most effective, not only will we have a disruptive system, but the country will suffer dire consequences down the road for the lapses in educational administration at the school level. The Education Minister says the ministry will endeavor to work with all schools to deal with mounting challenges, including the spike in criminal activity on the island. The minister along with stakeholders including the National Principals Association and the St. Lucia Teachers Union and Ministry of Education officials visited schools in Faye for Monday to reassure and stand in solidarity with schools and the wider community following an unstable environment resulting from several violent incidents over the last week, which forced the closure of schools in the southern town. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, I am Chris Satney reporting.