Featured Speakers

Principal's Playbook: Mastering Special Education & 504 with Expert Q&A

Superintendents are not expected to be experts in the highly regulated area of Special Education, but they must have a working knowledge base of its fundamental elements. This session will explore the areas superintendents need to understand in order to work effectively with the special education staff and building administrators in their district.

Presented by Teresa Combs, Fowler Law Firm

Leading with Knowledge: Special Education & 504 Expectations for Superintendents

Principals have a role in providing special education services that differs from others - teachers, directors, therapists - but are still integral in ensuring certain students receive appropriate instruction and services. Bring your toughest questions to this session for answers that will help you be an effective principal in navigating special education and 504 situations.

Presented by Teresa Combs, Fowler Law Firm

Director's Dialogue: Navigating Special Education Challenges

Special education directors are ultimately responsible for the entire spectrum of services provided to special education students. The magnitude of the task brings both familiar and new challenges. This interactive session will provide an opportunity for discussion of those challenges with colleagues and experts who can share new perspectives and help craft solutions.

Presented by Teresa Combs, Fowler Law Firm

Beating "One More Thing" Syndrome: Igniting Excellence through Tier 1 Instruction

Why don't all educators teach grade-level content to struggling learners? And why is it that even with massive investments in high-quality instructional materials, some educators who do teach grade-level content struggle to teach Tier 1 instruction at the necessary level of rigor? "These kids can't" mindsets are hard because gaps in will are often paired with gaps in skill.

This session will provide you with powerful, but practical tools to give your teachers an "all kids can" skillset. Learn how to integrate engaging, culturally-responsive critical thinking into your existing curriculum and how you can similarly enhance the efficacy of student learning in your schools without it feeling like one more thing. High-quality instructional materials are not enough. Teachers need high-quality instructional MOVES and school systems need to create a MOVEMENT around this work.

Presented by Colin Seale, thinkLaw

Tackling Attendance Challenges: Universal Prevention & Function-Based Intervention

Chronic absenteeism is a pervasive problem that is negatively impacting the academic and behavioral success of far too many students in our schools. In this session, participants will learn how to apply a multi-tiered approach, using universal prevention at the schoolwide and class-wide level to boost the attendance of all students, and using functional-behavioral approaches for Tier 2 and 3 intervention to support students with more resistant concerns. Participants will leave with a variety of samples from schools that have seen dramatic increases in student attendance using this multi-tiered approach.

Presented by Jessica Sprick, Cook Center

On Time & Ready to Learn: Decreasing Tardies & Boosting Engagement

In this session, participant will learn how to structure your school to reduce tardies, increase instructional engaged time, and increase positive interactions between staff and students. Whether it is addressing those students who come late to school everyday, or those students who trickle into class after the bell throughout the day, learn practical strategies for helping address this common and often frustrating problem.

Presented by Jessica Sprick, Cook Center

Four Steps to Overcome Chronic Stress, Anxiety & Lack of Focus: So You Can Feel Calm and Confident Every Day

Learn the four most important steps to overcome chronic stress, avoid burnout, and balance the stresses of life and work. When you implement tools at the root cause level...living life from a state of calm & confidence is easier than you think!

Presented by Shonna Storz

Start Your Day Well to Live Well

Gentle chair yoga & breathwork practice to move your body and wake your mind.

Presented by Shonna Storz