Full Conference Schedule

 

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

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Continental Breakfast: 8:00 - 9:00 am

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Opening Session: 9:00 - 10:30 am

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Welcome: Dr. Martinrex Kedziora - National Schools to Watch Board President and California League of Educators Board Chairman

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Systems for Improving School Climate
Anthony Gogos, Laura Abarca, Elsa Canales, Jenilee Plunket - March Middle School
For many schools, the barrier to improving overall school climate and student performance is a lack of manageable systems and procedures. In this session, participants will see how the systems implemented at March Middle School have improved the overall school climate over the last four years.  Implementation of these systems has dramatically decreased their office referral rate, suspension rate, and D/F rate.  As a result, surveys indicate a significant increase in students’ sense of school connectedness and belonging.  Participants will walk away with tools such as our Intervention Flowchart, Online Incident Report System, and Intervention Referral form that they can implement immediately at their sites.

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Breakout Sessions

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Session 1: 10:45 - 11:30 am

 

Understanding the Schools to Watch Model and Rubric
Scott Steele - California Schools to Watch
An overview of the Schools to Watch model will be provided with an in-depth look at how the Schools to Watch program can benefit all schools serving young adolescents. Learn how to use the FREE Schools to Watch Self-Study & Rating Rubric, designed to assist schools on their path of continuous school improvement.
Strand: Schools to Watch

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The Schools to Watch Network
Dr. LaFaye Platter - Leaders to Watch Academy
Meet with other leaders from Schools to Watch sites and districts. Share your replicable successes and ask for ideas on your pain points. This is your time to share, vent, laugh, and be part of your Schools to Watch leadership community!
Strand: Leadership

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Lunch: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

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Session 2: 1:00 - 1:45 pm

 

How to Become a School to Watch
Scott Steele - California Schools to Watch
Join the director of the California Schools to Watch program for a look at the Schools to Watch application process. You’ll learn useful tips about setting your timeline, recruiting your writing team, completing the application, hosting the validation visit, and hopefully, sharing the news with your community and state about becoming a School to Watch!
Strand: Schools to Watch

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Paying it Forward
Dr. LaFaye Platter - Leaders to Watch Academy
Leadership Retreat and Institute attendees are invited to join the 2023-24 Leaders to Watch Academy cohort as they explore the importance of giving back and paying it forward within their sphere of influence.
Strand: Leadership

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Hope Happens Here: Taking Schools from Mediocrity to Excellence
Wayne Basinger - Cleveland High School
What is the secret ingredient for schools, teachers, and students to go from average to exceptional?  They must have hope, a belief that they can go from where they are to where they want to be.  Without hope, all district, school, and classroom initiatives fall short and eventually fall apart.  Luckily, this workshop doesn't just talk about hope; it provides scientifically proven strategies to build and sustain hope, providing an overview of how to build a culture of hope at your school.
Strand: Site Strategies

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Session 3: 2:00 - 2:45 pm

 

STW Q&A and Panel Discussion
STW Panel
Our panel of new and veteran Schools to Watch educators are ready to answer any questions you have about the STW process as well as share the many benefits and supports available through the STW network.
Strand: Schools to Watch

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Burned Out To Fired Up: Taming Teacher Burnout Together
Wayne Basinger - Cleveland High School
Why do administrators, teachers, and students struggle to make it to the end of the school year?  The school environment can be draining, and without strategies to recharge throughout the year, you will be completely drained and still have to struggle to make it to the last day of school.  This workshop is not just about individual strategies; it's about us, as a community, learning to use teacher-tested strategies to connect with your motivation and apply them throughout the year to continually recharge your batteries.
Strand: Site Strategies

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Refreshment Break: 2:45 - 3:00 pm

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Closing Session: 3:00 - 4:00 pm

 

Building Belonging and Cultivating Connection to Empower Individuals and Organizations to THRIVE

Joelle Hood - Thriving YOUniversity

After the last few years of a pandemic, remote work, and social distancing, our social connections at work are more important than ever! Research shows that strong social connections and a sense of belonging strengthen our immune system, lower anxiety and depression, and even help us live longer. Additionally, people who feel connected are more empathetic, trusting, and cooperative. This engaging and interactive session will provide participants with strategies and structures that they can use right now to continue to cultivate and sustain connection with peers, work colleagues, friends, and family.

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Reception: 4:00 - 5:00 pm

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Wednesday, July 17, 2024

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Continental Breakfast: 8:00 - 9:00 am

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Leaders to Watch Academy (all attendees welcome): 9:00 - 9:45 am

 

Supporting Multi-Lingual Learning Success
Sandra Alley - Jefferson Middle School
Leaders to Watch Academy Capstone Presentation.

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Presentation of Certification
Dr. LaFaye Platter - Leaders to Watch Academy
Join us for the Leaders to Watch Academy's Presentation of Certification ceremony as we celebrate the achievements and dedication of our graduates.

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Session 4: 10:00 - 10:45 am

 

Middle School: The Untapped Frontier
Dr. Rosalind Henderson, Kassandra Garcia, William Johnson, Paula Navarro - March Middle School
How do we know our middle school students are ready for high school?  What systems and supports are in place to prepare students to be ready for high school?  How do we ensure all students have equitable access?  What do we do when students don’t meet the metrics?  Join us as we blaze a trail into unchartered territory, middle school, the untapped frontier.  We will detail our journey towards advancing the vision. Learn how we used vertical articulation to identify quantitative data points to ensure that our students are prepared for high school and beyond.   In our engaging and interactive session, we will provide resources and tools to use with your team in strategic planning to align your school-wide systems and supports to national, state, county, and district metrics.
Strand: Schools to Watch

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LASER-focused AI for Educators: Moving from Apprehension To Ability
Wayne Basinger - Cleveland High School
The biggest obstacles to teachers and administrators embracing artificial intelligence are fear and the need for specific training on using the technology quickly and effectively. This session is the first step to removing both of those obstacles. Building upon the ideas in Matt Miller's book AI for Educators, the workshop provides hands-on, classroom-based examples of how teachers and administrators can use AI to make their lives easier.
Strand: Site Strategies

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Closing Conversations: 11:00 - 11:45 am

 

Roundtable Discussions with STW Mentors and Featured Speakers
Scott Steele - California Schools to Watch
In this open format session, attendees are encouraged to begin the Schools to Watch application process with the help of a STW mentor, join small group discussions with workshop presenters and guest speakers, and network with peers.

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