A D V I S O R Y
EVENT: Workshop 2019
DATE: October 21-24, 2019
LOCATION: Atlantic City Convention Center
SPONSORS: New Jersey School Boards Association, New Jersey Association of School Administrators, New Jersey Association of School Business Officials
CONTACT: Frank Belluscio or Janet Bamford, (609) 306-5371
More than 8,500 local school officials will gather October 21-24 for Workshop 2019, “Imagine. Create. Lead,” the major training conference for New Jersey’s public school leaders.
Workshop 2019 will offer more than 300 training and information sessions on topics of critical importance to the state’s public school districts. The sessions will focus on topics including student testing, mental health services and social-emotional learning, school security, equity, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics) education, the career-focused student, cybersecurity, labor relations, school law, sustainability, educational technology, and many other topics.
Most sessions will offer professional development credit to school board members, superintendents, school business administrators, and other school officials. All programs will take place at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Credentialed representatives of the news media are encouraged to cover Workshop 2019. Major programs of interest to the news media are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 22 and Wednesday, Oct. 23.
To obtain further information about Workshop programming, contact Ann Marie Smith at amsmith@njsba.org or (609)278-5209.
Highlights
Keynote Address: Ian Hockley, Founder of “Dylan’s Wings of Change” Ian Hockley’s 6-year-old son Dylan was among the 20 young children and six staff members killed in the tragic 2012 school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Ian has channeled his unspeakable grief into the formation of a foundation, Dylan’s Wings of Change, in his son’s memory. The foundation has created the “Wingman” program, which empowers empathic and courageous children to create strong, inclusive communities. Ian will speak about the epidemic of social isolation and exclusion today, the importance of social and emotional programming in our schools, and the need for students to learn the value of empathy and understanding. 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, Exhibit Hall Theater
Mental Health Services in the Schools The NJSBA Task Force on Mental Health in the Public Schools has released a major report, Building a Foundation for Hope, that calls for expanded efforts to address the emotional well-being of the state’s young people. The report contains more than 70 recommendations addressing subjects including social-emotional learning, timely response to students at risk, school climate, curriculum, community outreach, professional development and equity. 9:30-10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 23, Room 304
Keynote Address: New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education Dr. Lamont Repollet, New Jersey Commissioner of Education, will speak on “Equity in Action” and address how equity informs the state Department of Education’s initiatives and programs to strengthen teaching, leading and learning. 2-3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 22, Exhibit Hall Theater
New Jersey State Legislative Update Co-sponsored by the NJSBA and the Garden State Coalition of Schools, this panel discussion draws prominent members of the Senate and Assembly to discuss issues of importance to school districts, such as school funding, standards and assessment, and the achievement gap. Legislators scheduled to attend include Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, Senator Declan J. O’Scanlon, a member of the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee and the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso, a member of the Assembly Education Committee, and Assemblywoman Carol A. Murphy, a member of the Assembly Budget Committee.12:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 23, Exhibit Hall Theater
STEAM Tank Finals Young inventors will display their creativity, problem-solving skills and innovative ideas in the STEAM Tank Challenge finals. (STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.) Students will be judged by a panel of experts and entrepreneurs. The STEAM Tank is sponsored by NJSBA and the U.S. Army. This popular program engaged approximately 2,000 students from across New Jersey this year. Watch the 98 finalists compete live on Tuesday Oct. 22, 9:15 a.m.- 3 p.m., and Wednesday Oct. 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the I-STEAM Green Command Center, Exhibit Floor
Student Film Showcase The New Jersey School Boards Association teamed up with Artists Alike Studios, the Garden State Film Festival, and Steven Van Zandt’s TeachRock initiative and Rock and Roll Forever Foundation to present the Workshop 2019 Film Showcase. Award-winning student films from 10 schools will be screened; students participating in the film showcase will participate in a live, moderated question-and-answer session following the showing of their films. Screenings will take place on both Tuesday, Oct. 22 and Wednesday, Oct. 23 in the Film Festival Theater on the Exhibit Floor
Panel Discussion with the State Board of Education Kathy Goldenberg, State Board of Education president, and Ronald K. Butcher, long-term member, will participate in a moderated discussion on current educational issues facing New Jersey’s public schools.11 a.m. – 12 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 22, Room 304
300+ Training and Information Sessions
Below is a sampling of other sessions taking place at Workshop. To see the full list of session and program descriptions, visit the Workshop 2019 online schedule at www.njsba.org/workshop2019-schedule.
Tuesday, October 22
- Fall 2019 NJ Statewide Assessment Update, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Room 308
- Educational Opportunities for the Non-College Bound Learner, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Room 310
- Building Partnerships to Prevent Opioid Abuse, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Room 414
- Building a Diverse Teacher Workforce, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Room 417
- Schools and Municipalities: Building Public-Private Partnerships, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Room 308
- First Amendment Issues in Schools, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Room 322
- Enhancing School Safety Through Policies and Procedures, 11 a.m.- 12 p.m., Room 417
- NJ Counts! The Importance of the 2020 Census, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Room 418
- Future Ready Schools-NJ 2019 Awards Ceremony, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Exhibit Floor Theater
- Adult Bullying, 3-4 p.m., Room 313
Wednesday, October 23
- Energize Your Middle School Students Through Career and Technical Education, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Room 301
- Ten Leadership Secrets from the “Philly Special,” 9:30-10:30 a.m., Room 305/306
- Fostering Social-Emotional Learning Through the Arts, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Room 419
- Current Issues in School Law, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Room 310
- The Mercury Vapor Hazard in Gym Floors, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Room 304
- Engaging Your Local Senior Citizens to Share, Lead and Help, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Room 310
- Creating High Quality In-District Special Education Programs, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Room 408
- NJSBA Equity Council, 3-4 p.m., Room 421
- The Politics of Social Media, 3- 3:30 p.m., Learning Lab, Exhibit Floor
For further information about Workshop 2019, contact Ann Marie Smith at amsith@njsba.org or (609) 278-5209.
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The New Jersey School Boards Association is a federation of the state’s local boards of education and includes the majority of New Jersey’s charter schools as associate members. NJSBA provides training, advocacy and support to advance public education and promote the achievement of all students through effective governance.
The New Jersey School Boards Association has conducted Workshop since 1953. It was joined in sponsorship of the annual conference by the New Jersey Association of School Administrators in 1978 and by the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials the following year.