The fifth annual New Jersey Convening on Diversifying the Teacher Workforce will be hosted by the Department of Urban Education at Rutgers University-Newark in coordination with the New Jersey Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the New Jersey Department of Education to highlight the state’s efforts in diversifying the teaching force.
The conference, which has a theme of “C.A.R.E.” – community building and radical empathy – aims to be a space where educators throughout the state can come together to share ideas and best practices. It will also serve as an action-oriented platform to generate new ideas and policy initiatives.
This year’s conference will take place virtually on Oct. 4 and 11 and in-person Oct. 18th.
Tanisha Davis, director of the office of recruitment, preparation and certification at the New Jersey Department of Education, will speak Oct. 4, from 4 to 5:15 p.m. Her work focuses on various aspects of the educator pipeline.
Mark Comesañas, executive director of My Brothers Keeper Newark and a founding board member of Lead Charter School, has been an educational leader in Newark Public Schools for 13 years, including four years as founding principal of UPLIFT Academy. He will speak Oct. 11 from 4 to 5:15 p.m.
Dr. Lynn M. Gangone, president and CEO of American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, heads the leading higher education association representing colleges of education and programs of teacher education. She will speak at the in-person session, Oct. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.