TUESDAY,
OCTOBER 28
Members earn .5
Board
Member
Academy
credit for each
Action Lab attended.
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
AA An Effective Communication Plan
… Priceless! (Limit: 36)
Effective communication is an on-going challenge in every walk of life;
when it comes to boards of education, it is especially crucial. This lab will
provide you with the opportunity to develop the outline of a communication plan
that meets the needs of your district--from clarifying messages to identifying
markets. Activities will include
surveying methods of implementation and assessing the effectiveness of those
methods. Learn to identify your target audience and the type of information
that you need to convey to that group.
Presenter: Cathie Sousa
AB New Teacher Induction: A Recipe
for Success (Limit 36)
How do you take your district’s new teacher induction program to the
next level? Through both presentation and small group discussions, you will
discover how one district designed an aggressive induction model, providing ongoing
support for teachers who have yet to receive tenure. Learn strategies to meet
the unique needs of alternate route teachers. Walk away with plans for
improving your district’s program for new teachers.
Presenters: Stephanie
Goldberg, Lewis Stonaker
AC Preschool Through 12th Grade: Tackling School Facilities Issues in non-Abbott Districts (Limit 36)
Gather insight on how to address facility issues in your districts. Explore Information on both facility and preschool requirements and the steps necessary to compete for State grant funding for school facilities. Emphasis will be placed on options for both early childhood facilities and resolving overcrowding issues, including the steps needed to prepare for the 90 day window of time to apply for grants.
Presenters:
Joan Ponessa, Senior Facilities Consultant, Education Law Center, Moorestown
Cynthia Rice, Senior Policy Analyst, Association for Children of New Jersey, Newark
AD Dual Enrollment: College Credits
for High School Courses (Limit: 30)
Understand how dual enrollment (also called “Option
2” in
New Jersey)
can work for your high school. Although dual enrollment is a nationwide trend, New Jersey is not among the
leading states in this area. Board members
and administrators need more information about how to correctly set up these
programs. Examine “Option 2” from the viewpoints of the parent, the student and
the board member. Learn to set up policies and procedures to facilitate dual
enrollment in your district.
Presenter: David W.
Bosted, Esq.
AE The Challenges of Charter School
Governance
(Limit: 48)
Examine the responsibilities of governance as they apply to charter
schools. Participants, working in small groups, will examine their oversight
responsibilities, explore creative ways of implementation and develop an annual
calendar that will provide a roadmap for timely execution of their duties. This
program will also touch on how the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum
(NJQSAC) will be applied to charter schools and influence the workings of the
board.
Presenters: Mary Ann
Friedman, Kathy Winecoff
AF Superintendent Search: The Process (Limit: 42)
Explore all aspects of the
superintendent search process. Examine the CSA’s areas of responsibility and
reach consensus on your expectations. Move to the preparation stage and discuss
the decisions that have been made. Write a “help wanted” ad for a
superintendent, and then move into the processing stage, which involves setting
up a calendar, reviewing the applications, and conducting the interviews.
Review the legality of interview questions. Explore the final selection stage,
which includes choosing the finalists, district visits, negotiating the
contract, and hiring the new superintendent.
Presenter: Joanne Borin
AG Focus on the Future – Inspiring
the 21st Century Student (Limit: 48)
Much of what we teach today will be obsolete in the future. Focus on activities
and programs that develop skills that align with workforce needs. To be
successful in the workplace, students will have to communicate well, work in
teams, and be able to solve problems. Discover resources that are available
from organizations such as NASA, NOAA, Lockheed Martin, and Stevens Institute
of Technology.
Presenters: John Henry,
Diane Viehweg
1:15 - 2:45
p.m.
AH Strategic Planning for School
Districts (Limit 48)
Understand strategic planning
as a unique opportunity to set your district’s course to meet identified needs,
while remaining cognizant of the interests and demands of your local district,
its future possibilities and the internal and external forces your schools are
subject to. Dive into an activity that recognizes the strength of an organized
process, brainstorm the elements of excellence, and examine educational beliefs.
Presenters: Joanne Borin, Diane Morris
AI Using Graduate Data for School
Improvement
(Limit: 36)
Graduate feedback is an important part of improving the overall
education a school provides. Who can provide better data than your graduates?
Learn to gather data through the eyes of students, and use this school improvement
tool to help shape school review and reform efforts in your local community.
Presenters: Bob
Eichensehr, Larry Ledgerwood, John Lewis
AJ Discover Science Today for Our
Children’s Tomorrow: Family Science (Limit: 24)
Program participants will recognize how important
the teaching of science is, and why elementary teachers are afraid and hesitant
to teach it. Learn how to establish a Family Science Program that involves
parents and children in doing hands-on, engaging and fun activities to reinforce
what is being taught at school. Experience these activities in a fun,
non-threatening collaborative session.
Presenter: Dr. Eva M.
Ogens
AK The Role of
School-Community-Parent Partnership in Bullying Prevention (Limit: 48)
Engage in enjoyable and
interactive dyadic and small group activities incorporating active listening
techniques, conflict resolution skills and problem solving scenarios. This
session utilizes part of the comprehensive “No More Bullies, No More Victims”
curriculum developed by the N.J. Child Assault Prevention (NJ CAP) over the
last 10 years. Take written strategies, suggestions and resources home with
you.
Presenters: Patricia
Crimaldi, Patricia Doebler
AL Character Education from the
Inside Out: Making All of the Pieces Fit (Limit: 48)
Experience hands-on
activities that connect your Character Education program with all aspects of
your school community, including crisis management, school safety, discipline,
academics, social emotional issues, parent programs, service learning, and
community involvement. Learn to create an environment of confidence and trust,
allowing students to feel comfortable and safe. Learn how the links between
community and school environment have increased test scores and changed a
school building into a model of positive social and emotional behavior and
academic achievement. The session will outline activities that have proven to
be successful in a model program.
Presenters: Sharon Carr,
John Gallucci
AM Lessons Learned in Conquering
Mold: A Proactive Approach for School Districts (Limit 36)
Mold has become one of the
most important “four letter words” for districts to avoid, both in construction
projects as well as in existing school facilities. Through hands-on demonstrations,
explore ways to prevent mold buildup. Working with a team of experts, create an
effective and efficient cleanup program to restore acceptable air quality.
Tailor an environmental management program to keep your students and staff
safe.
Presenters: Jayanti
Chatterjee, Dan Millen, Jay Perantoni
AN Integrating the TI-Navigator
into the Special Education Classroom (Limit 30)
Discover how a TI-84 graphing calculator can be
used in low-level math classes. Participants will be provided with a calculator
to use during the session to discover how it feels to learn math in a fun, new
way. Leave with sample lessons to take home and share at different level
classes.
Presenter: Holly Terrill
AO Implementing an On-Line Interdisciplinary
Teacher and Parent Friendly Curriculum: How to Attain Proficiency on the NJ ASK (Limit: 48)
Participants are invited to
learn how Wayne School District provides its teachers with a dynamic
interdisciplinary online curriculum and a content-based writing program, which
are both correlated to the K-5 Core Curriculum Content Standards and assessed
by the NJ ASK. Study examples of student work, and learn about the writing
experience in the same way students do. You will be provided with a model and
leave with a format for developing a curriculum in your district.
Presenters: Jean Blakley,
Richard Erck, Ellen Klein, Clara Korosec, Linda Mandarino, Cynthia Randina
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29
9:45 -11:15 a.m.
AP School Safety: Solutions to
Cliques, Truancy and Bullying (Limit: 36)
Truancy is a consideration of
NCLB, and is a daily problem for every board and school administrator. Discover
how to accurately assess the safety issues in your district and in specific
schools. Explore methods of eradicating negative-behavior cliques at any grade
level. Attendees will work through three non-scripted action drills to learn
how these problems can be solved. Leave with an action plan to implement in
your home district.
Presenter: Dale Yeager
AQ School Board Problem-Solving:
Working Your Way through the Maze (Limit: 48)
Explore topics such as personnel
matters (including Rice notice and CSA/board relationships), public
participation and board meeting processes. Learn both legal and practical
approaches to issues that may be facing your board. This lab will identify how
issues should, and should not, be handled. In addition, legal rulings that
provide guidance on how to address many of these situations will be addressed.
Presenters: John Burns, Esq., Cathie Sousa
AR Shared Superintendents 101 (Limit: 42)
Two shared superintendents
will outline the reality of working for two boards of education. Practical examples
will illustrate what it takes to make a shared service agreement successful.
This is a must-attend program for board members who are contemplating a shared
service in the future. Work in groups to outline the components to include in a
contract for sharing a superintendent.
Presenters: Dr. Robert
Bazzel, Dr. Albert K. Brown
AS Understanding the Role of the
Board President (Limit: 48)
Being board president can be challenging. Using scenarios from both the
presenters and those in attendance, participants will be given legal and
practical information to help navigate the challenges presidents face. The
roles and responsibilities of the president, before, during and after the board
meeting will be examined, as will the board president’s relationship with
fellow board members and the administration. Develop leadership skills that
will improve your effectiveness.
Presenters: Mary Ann
Friedman, Diane Morris, Mark H.
Zitomer, Esq.
AT Autism 101 For Board Members (Limit: 48)
A board member, a learning
consultant, an administrator and a behavioral analyst will use PowerPoint,
video of actual students and staff in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) programs,
and case studies to share information regarding these programs, in and out of
district. Explore the special needs of learners with autism and discover where
the dollars go when providing programs for these students.
Presenters: Gianna
Apicella, Sheli Dansky, Jennifer Goodell, Erika Steinbauer
AU Superintendent Search: The
Process (Limit: 42)
Explore all aspects of the
superintendent search process. Examine the CSA’s areas of responsibility and
reach consensus on your expectations. Move to the preparation stage and discuss
the decisions that have been made. Write a “help wanted” ad for a
superintendent, and then move into the processing stage, which involves setting
up a calendar, reviewing the applications, and conducting the interviews.
Review the legality of interview questions. Explore the final selection stage,
which Includes choosing the finalists, district visits, negotiating the
contract, and hiring the new superintendent.
Presenter: Joanne Borin
AV Effective Lobbying Techniques
for Board Members (Limit: 42)
The Trenton solution to educational issues often is “one size fits all.”
However, what is a board member to do if that “one size” does not fit? Lobbying
your state legislators on behalf of a district may be uncomfortable, but it is
necessary. Learn keys to developing good relations with your legislators, and
come away with tips on how to make each meeting more productive. Discover
resources to be better informed, and develop a relationship with your legislative
representatives.
Presenters: Ray Pinney, Sharon Seyler
AW Using Family Tech Nights to
Increase Positive Parent Involvement in School (Limit: 48)
Discover how Vetter School
is encouraging Positive Parent Technology Involvement through Family Tech Nights.
Using research which shows that children benefit academically when parents and
educators work together, participants will learn how Family Tech Nights help
every student develop a joy for learning. Students will be empowered to do
their best by teaching parents how to use computers. See how easy it is to post
student projects online. Attendees will receive a one-year subscription to eBoard to help them encourage online
positive parent technology involvement.
Presenters: Joseph
Mazzarella, Scott T. McCue, Agnes Zaorski
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
Action Labs
Members earn .5 Board Member
Academy credit for each
Action Lab attended.
9:00 – 10:30 a.m.
AX South Jersey Academy: 21st
Century Learning Community (Limit: 42)
Learn how the “Academy Model” can build a learning community of
teachers, administrators and technology professionals to help all educators.
Discover how to replicate the model in your district/county/region at no cost
to any participating district. Participants will have immediate access to all
innovative practices and resources through a Web site, at no cost. Receive an
invitation to join the academy, also at no cost. Work in small groups to
discover how to incorporate all stakeholders in your community.
Presenter: Diane Viehweg
AY Reinventing Retirement: Planning
Your Second Act (Limit: 36)
If you’re struggling with the decision to retire, or even thinking about
it, this session will give you a fresh perspective on the endless possibilities
that are open to you in your next stage of life. Engage in activities that
explore the “New Retirement” and come away with tools that will help you
develop a personal portfolio of options to use in creating your second act.
This is not a financial workshop, but a session designed to open your mind to
“bonus years” unimaginable to our parents’ generation.
Presenter: Dr. Charles
Kuzminski
AZ Understanding the Role of the
Board President (Limit: 48)
Being board president can be a challenging position. Using scenarios from
both the presenters and those in attendance, participants will be given legal
and practical information to help navigate the challenges presidents face. The
roles and responsibilities of the president, before, during and after the board
meeting will be examined, as will the board president’s relationship with
fellow board members and administration. Develop leadership skills that will
improve your effectiveness.
Presenters: Mary Ann
Friedman, Diane Morris, Mark H. Zitomer,
Esq.
BA Analyzing Salary Guides – Part I
(Limit: 36)
NOTE: This is part one of two consecutive labs; the second (BI) is offered
at 11:00 a.m. Part I is a pre-requisite for Part II. This session, the first of
two, will cover salary guide costs, setting up scatter grams, calculating
longevity pay, guide structure problems, and legal principles governing salary
guides. Participants will assess the effect of the guide trouble spots, such as
“balloons” or “bubble steps,“ non-competitive junior salaries and hidden costs,
and will learn to establish goals for successful salary guides.
Presenter: Rosemary Valeo
BB Superintendent Evaluation (Limit 48)
Develop a clear understanding
of the board’s legal authority and responsibility to evaluate the CSA. Distinguish
among district goals, board goals and CSA personal goals. Practice the skills
needed by working as a fictional board and using its evaluation process.
Additionally, participants will review the format of the new evaluation document
and develop a calendar for the process.
Presenters: Joanne Borin, Cathie Sousa
BC RTI: A Real Life Model for
Student Success (Limit: 36)
Response to Intervention – what is it, and how do we do it? Discover how
the Linwood School District applied components of
this model long before RTI became the latest buzz word. ASPIRE (All Students
Progressing Individually for Reading Excellence) is the recipient of the 2007
International Reading Association Exemplary Program Award for the state of New Jersey. Develop the
tools necessary to implement a comprehensive RTI reading program model designed
to meet the needs of all learners and facilitate high student achievement in
your district.
Presenters: Thomas
Baruffi, Susan Speirs, Jill Yochim
BD Sustaining Leadership through
Embedded Planning and Improvement Process (Limit: 30)
Practice a detailed cyclical annual strategic planning
process, which connects strongly with a long-range strategic mission and
vision. Address the critical components of the role of the Superintendent, the
Board of Education, community involvement, administrative responsibility and
accountability, and more. Participants
will receive an action-planning template and will have an opportunity to “try
it on” through projects and problems.
Presenters: Dr. Richard
Lynch, Dr. Christopher M. Manno
11:00 a.m. –
12:30 p.m.
BE An Effective Communication Plan
… Priceless! (Limit: 36)
Effective communication is an on-going challenge in every walk of life;
when it comes to boards of education, it is especially crucial. This lab will
provide you with the opportunity to develop the outline of a communication plan
that meets the needs of your district--from clarifying messages to identifying
markets. Activities will include
surveying methods of implementation and assessing the effectiveness of those
methods. Learn to identify your target audience and the type of information
that you need to convey to that group.
Presenter: Cathie Sousa
BF Strategic Planning for School
Districts (Limit 48)
Understand strategic planning
as a unique opportunity to set your district’s course to meet identified needs,
while remaining cognizant of the interests and demands of your local district,
its future possibilities and the internal and external forces your schools are
subject to. Dive into an activity that recognizes the strength of an organized
process, brainstorm the elements of excellence, and examine educational beliefs.
Presenters: Joanne Borin, Diane Morris
BG Primary Singapore Mathematics: A
Revolutionary Program to Improve Math Achievement (Limit: 48) Participants in
this activities-based, highly focused lab will be engaged in an energizing
immersion in the principles and strategies of the Primary Singapore Mathematics
program. Beginning with a brief background, examine the why, what and how of
this innovative approach. This highly interactive lab will feature content,
teaching strategies and applications. Leave with fun and exciting plans for
helping students understand math.
Presenters: Sandra Chen,
Nicole Logan, Joel Nowicki
BH The Board’s Role in the Budget
Process (Limit: 42)
Understanding the board’s
role in budget development and passage is critical to the success of every
school district. Learn to delineate the steps in the budget development
process, become familiar with the calendar requirements, and discover the
importance of a board’s proactive role in communicating budget information to the
community. Develop potential strategies for an individual district budget
communication plan.
Presenters: Gwen H.
Thornton, Nancy Stern
BI Analyzing Salary Guides – Part
II (Limit: 36)
NOTE: This is part two of two
consecutive labs. Part I, Action Lab BA, is a pre-requisite for Part II. This
session, the second of two, will cover salary guide costs, setting up scatter
grams, calculating longevity pay, guide structure problems, and legal principles
governing salary guides. Participants will assess the effect of the guide
trouble spots, such as “balloons” or “bubble steps,“ non-competitive junior
salaries and hidden costs, and will learn to establish goals for successful
guides.
Presenter: Rosemary Valeo
BJ A World In Motion: Designing Toy
Cars, Gliders Skimmers, and Jet Toys (Limit: 24)
Developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers, a
World In Motion brings math and science principles to life through highly
interactive and innovative learning experiences that incorporate the laws of
physics, motion, flight and electronics. This session engages participants in
problem-solving activities for which they must design, build and test their
solutions. Participants will learn how to obtain free materials for these
projects.
Presenter: Greg Bartus
BK Building Healthy Communities: A
Template for Change (Limit: 48)
Presented in cooperation with the International Center for Leading
Learning Communities (ICLLC), this program will explore issues including substance
abuse, sexually transmitted disease and teen pregnancy, eating disorders, and
violence prevention. Special focus will be paid to understanding the components
of an effective crisis management plan. Work with a template to customize the
plan for your local team.
Presenter: Dr. Donna Van
Horn
1:15 – 2:45
p.m.
BL Leadership Teams: Tools for
Creating a Shared Vision (Limit: 36)
Through a combination of PowerPoint driven lectures, small group
activities, and large group discussions, participants will work collaboratively
to analyze the role and importance of a shared vision when problem solving. Use
the visioning tool/activity Game Board of Change to help you identify the steps
necessary to create a viable action plan to be used by your leadership team
when problem solving.
Presenters: Susan A.
Collins, Lillian C. Montalbano
BM Fruitful Negotiations (Limit: 36)
Discover the factors that
facilitate, or impede, reaching a mutual agreement. Explore the art of
negotiations, and develop skills in conducting effective and productive
negotiations. Learn to get past the “No's” to reach bargaining goals in a
non-combative way. Foray into the art of bargaining and practice how to reach a
collaborative and cooperative resolution.
Presenter: Esther Strassman
BN Putting It All Together: Good
Instruction, Staff Evaluation & Staff Development (Limit: 48)
Through consulting trios,
participants will ponder the link among evaluation, professional development
and effective teaching. Explore questions such as “What comes first?" and
"What is the best 'connection'?" Through pair and share and
large-group debriefing, examine the “Top 10” characteristics of good
instruction, and develop a framework for your district.
Presenters: Dr. Kathleen
Fuchs, Joseph Kraemer, Dr. Mary Thornton
BO. Superintendent Evaluation (Limit 48)
Develop a clear understanding
of the board’s legal authority and responsibility to evaluate the CSA. Distinguish
among district goals, board goals and CSA personal goals. Practice the skills
needed by working as a fictional board and using its evaluation process.
Additionally, participants will review the format of the new evaluation document
and develop a calendar for the process.
Presenters: Cathie Sousa
BP Creating Meaningful Home School
Partnerships (Limit: 48)
This workshop will introduce home-school-community programs that
encourage parents and teachers to develop meaningful home-school partnerships.
Participants will take part in activities they can bring back to their districts,
along with a comprehensive partnership plan. As a bonus, receive information on
arranging a free parenting skills workshop to their districts through the N.J.
Parent and Resource Center Grant, awarded by the federal Department of
Education.
Presenter: Carol O’Brien
BQ Brain Spa 90 for School Leaders:
An Hour and a Half to a More Balanced Life (Limit: 48)
How would you like to be the
board member or the administrator who always displays “grace under pressure?”
Do you want to learn to remember names, faces, agendas and facts so effortlessly
that you don’t even need note cards? Learn to schedule your day so it takes
advantage of your brain/mind’s normal rhythms. An expert on brain function and
a trained school psychologist will lead you through a nine-minute mind spa.
Leave knowing that “brain science” can be fun.
Presenters: Kathleen
Brennan, Dr. Tim Brennan
BR Communicating-Collaborating With
Students in Japan:
“Real” Problem-Based Learning in Action! (Limit: 30)
How do you develop a “real” problem-based learning
communication/collaboration international project? How do you discover what U.S. students really want to know about their
counterparts in Japan?
Learn about the challenges of working with international students and teachers.
Enable your students to design their own projects. Brainstorm problems and solutions,
while developing an international distance learning project.
Presenters: Suzanne
Peterson, Michelle Yanstick, Agnes Zaorski
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