State Principals Conference

Thursday, December 4, 2014 (All day) to Friday, December 5, 2014 (All day)

December 4-5, 2014
Younes Conference Center, Kearney, NE
Registration will be available on site.

Thursday, December 4, 2014
12:30pm       Registration & Exhibition Opens
1:30 pm         Welcome - Rod Engel, NAESP
                       Keynote Speaker: Kim Ratz - "Success is Liking What You Do"
                                  Kim Ratz will provide you with "Attitudes, Aptitudes, and Actions" to help increase your personal congruence, especially in times of change, challenge, and conflict. A good leader knows how to take good care of themselves first, and then strive to be as congruent as possible so that they are at their strongest, have a positive influence on others, and set a lead others are willing to follow. Through story, song, and an occasional sense of the silly, we'll review several skills and strategies to help you make even better choices in your many important relationships and responsibilities as a school principal, and as a person.

2:45 pm         Break & Exhibitor Visit
3:15 pm         Concurrent NSASSP and NAESP Sessions

School Law for Elementary Principals
Karen Haase and Steve Williams, Harding Schultz - Crystal 3
In this session, Karen Haase and Steve Williams will discuss recent legal developments, issues, and provide practical guidance on matters of interest to elementary principals.  Topics will include state wards, custodial issues, discipline issues, and more.

School Law for Secondary Principals
Josh Schauer and Greg Perry, Perry Law Firm - Diamond 5
Student, personnel, and technology issues are three areas that encompass many of the questions
secondary principals face on a daily basis.  In this session, Greg Perry and Josh Schauer will discuss matters such as cloud computing, cell phones, free speech, "opt outs," and recent guidance from the EEOC.

4:30 pm         Awards Reception
6:00 pm         Dinner on your own

Friday, December 5, 2014
8:00 am         Continental Breakfast & Exhibits Open
8:45 am         Welcome - Ryan Ricenbaw, NSASSP, and G.A. Buie, NASSP
9:00 am         Keynote Speaker: Amanda Karhuse, NASSP - "Update on Federal Education Policy: How Does Washington Affect Your School?"
                                  Amanda Karhuse, Director of Advocacy for the National Association of Secondary School Principals, will provide the latest information on federal education policy and updates from Washington, DC, including the current status of the annual budget and appropriations process and reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). As part of the discussion on ESEA, you will learn how NASSP collaborates with NAESP and other key education stakeholders.

9:45 am         Break
10:15 am       Select-a-Session I
11:00 am        Break
11:15 am        Select-a-Session II
12:00 pm        Lunch
1:00 pm          Select-a-Session III

Any cancellation request must be received no later than Monday, December 1, 2014

*A 48 hour (2 business day) cancellation policy is in place for all events. To avoid being charged the full registration fee, please submit any requests to cancel your registration before the cancellation deadline. Please contact Michelle, michelle@ncsa.org, with all cancellation requests and inquiries.

Sessions

10:15 a.m.        Select-a-Session I
The Power of Grassroots Advocacy: Make Your Voice Heard in Washington!Diamond 1
Amanda Karhuse – National Association of Secondary School Principals
This session will provide attendees with the skills and resources to become more involved in influencing education policy at the federal level. You will have an opportunity to explore all the advocacy resources NASSP has to offer school leaders. In this hands-on session, you will learn how to conduct research on federal legislation and effectively communicate with your members of Congress through the Principal’s Legislative Action Center. Please bring your electronic devices.

Elementary Principal Roundtable Session #1: Early Childhood/PreschoolDiamond 2
Cathy Cafferty - Hastings Public Schools, Rod Engel - Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schools, and Mark Johnson - Kearney Public Schools
Join us in conversations about early childhood and how your district teamed up with other community resources (local preschools, Head Start, daycares, etc.) to support the needs of your students. How are you managing time and staffing as you work through assessment requirements and reporting?
Other possible discussion topics: Continuous calendar, placement of new/mobile students in your district, and assessment and screening tools for placement.

NDE Teacher and Principal Evaluation Pilot Project Ruby 6 (Handout)
Brad Jacobsen – Ashland-Greenwood Schools
Ashland-Greenwood is a Marzano model district.  Common Instructional Framework/Common Instructional Language/Common Expectations = Richer, more focused conversations about instruction between evaluators and teachers as part of the evaluation process but also between staff members as part of professional collaboration.

A Glimpse into Finland's Education System from a Principal’s Perspective Diamond 6
G.A. Buie –National Association of Secondary School Principals
NASSP President G. A. Buie recently led a delegation of principals to study Finland’s education system.  G. A. will provide session attendees with a glimpse into Finland’s school structures, teacher and leader preparation programs, student engagement, and insight gained from the experience.

Living in Perpetual Puberty: It’s Not All About the Academics Diamond 7
David Essink, Brooke O’Neill, Kristen Slechta, Tiffany Opperman, Jayson Stoddard, Michele Kimle – Hastings Public Schools
2014 Metlife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough School! Working with middle schoolers every day requires authentic creativity, unending patience, and a quirky personality. For adolescents, school is not all about the academics - it’s about culture, good cafeteria food, friendships, and out-of-the-box fun. This session will outline how National Breakthrough Schools, Hastings Middle School, has used culture, relationships, engagement, and community connections to positively impact the lives of kids in Hastings, Nebraska. Participants will learn how to put specific strategies in place that create a positive school experience for every student, and in turn, carry over to all areas of student growth.

11:15 a.m.    Select-a-Session II
Using Social Media to Expand Your Reach Diamond 1
Amanda Karhuse – National Association of Secondary School Principals
This session will focus on Twitter and its ability to help principals build their professional learning communities, connect in real time, and advocate for a cause. Novice twitter users will learn how to create a profile, send tweets and photos, use hashtags, and participate in Twitter chats. Please bring your electronic devices.

Elementary Principal Roundtable Session #2: Common Language of Instruction & Evaluation ModelsDiamond 2
Cathy Cafferty - Hastings Public Schools, Rod Engel - Doniphan-Trumbull Public Schools, and
Mark Johnson - Kearney Public Schools
Is it time to revamp your evaluation model in your district or are you in the early stages of a new evaluation model? Have you created a common language of instruction? What is working in your district? What successes and challenges have you seen throughout this process?  Come and discuss how your district is addressing this movement in teaching and learning.
Other possible discussion topics: Continuous calendar, placement of new/mobile students in your district, and assessment and screening tools for placement.

NDE re-Vision Process and Small Learning CommunitiesRuby 6
Jay Dostal – Kearney Public Schools
In September of 2013, the Kearney Public Schools passed a bond issue to build a new high school. As part of the process, Kearney High went through the NDE re-Vision process and is designing the new school around Small Learning Communities that will engage students in college, career, and life readiness skills.

Flipped Staff MeetingDiamond 6
Brent Cudly, Jason Chicoine – Fremont Public Schools
Johnson Crossing used a flipped staff meeting model to push out information through videos to teachers before the school year. This allowed teachers to get the information needed to begin the school year at their own convenience. This also allowed for a shorter and more informative meeting when we met in person during pre-service work days.

Assistant Principals Round TableDiamond 7
Cameron Soester – Milford Public Schools, Charlie Hutzler – Norris School Dist 160
Join us in conversations about topics and issues that pertain to assistant principals.

1:00 p.m.    Select-a-Session III
Utilizing Schoology As Our Learning Management SystemDiamond 1
Colin Bargen, Amy Hottovy, Jen Bargen, Megan Hammer – Centennial Public Schools
Centennial adopted Schoology as their Learning Management System (LMS) at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year. Learn about why Centennial chose Schoology and see how their staff members are utilizing it on a daily basis to improve communication and learning in the classroom.

Mission Monday – A Plan to Make Your School A Better Place, One Week At  A TimeDiamond 2
Mark Johnson – Kearney Public Schools, Sam Stecher – East Butler Schools
Do you want to change the culture of your school? Are you looking for specific and intentional ideas to build a positive climate in your school community? Mission Monday provides a plan to enhance school communities one week at a time with intentional interventions that focus on building positive relationships between students, teachers, parents, and the community.

Systemic Approach to Improving Graduation RatesRuby 6
Jay Dostal – Kearney Public Schools
For the past two years, Kearney Public Schools has had a laser focus on the high school graduation rate. The expectation is to see all Kearney High School students graduate. With a combination of staff collaboration, the rate of graduation at KHS is increasing. A comprehensive Pyramid of Interventions that enable all students to be successful has been developed. Weekly HUDDLE meetings are held with high school counselors, administration, and the superintendent, where everyone makes commitments to one another for the upcoming week. We meet each individual at-risk student and focus on the relationship building process to re-engage them in school. Learn what is happening to increase the graduation rate at KHS and see the places they’ll go.

Selecting and Developing the Staff You and Your School NeedDiamond 6
Derek Ippensen – Shickley Public School
In this session, Derek Ippensen will discuss how principals can select and develop the staff a principal and his/her school needs through individual professional development, whole staff professional development, and targeted hiring.

 
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