Participants will learn how Fresno Unified has used rapid innovation techniques to advance active student voice in career readiness. They will also learn how the work has evolved to other district teams and departments, such as campus culture and how synthesis of the work is progressing to prevent silos. Student solutions will be highlighted with first-person accounts from students on how cultivation of their voice has increased their agency.
Audience: Elementary Teacher, Middle Teacher, High School Teacher, Elementary Counselor, Middle School Counselor, High School Counselor, Elementary Administrators, Middle School Administrators, High School Administrators, Superintendent, District Office Leaders
Learn how to apply research-based, instructional writing practices in K-12 disciplinary language and literacy contexts. Participants will discuss how to improve content learning through integrating purposeful reading, writing, and academic oral language.
Audience: Elementary Teacher, Middle Teacher, High School Teacher, Elementary Administrators, Middle School Administrators, High School Administrators, Superintendent, District Office Leaders
In teaching an interdisciplinary unit with a theme that is centered on the world of the student (social justice), teachers create a bridge between the world of academia and the reality of the student. Students can embark on an experience that provides an opportunity for them to engage in a more relevant and less fragmented experience where they begin to understand that all disciplines intertwine to create knowledge that serves them in their world. A true interdisciplinary unit goes beyond a mere humanities class. Multiple disciplines (math, English, history, science, art, and technology) are needed to create a curriculum that identifies the correlations between disciplines, but reveals how it is not possible to fully understand one’s world without recognizing all disciplines as equally important.
Audience: Middle Teacher, High School Teacher, Middle School Administrators, High School Administrators
Despite the fact that research clearly shows that access to books and voracious pleasure reading are the only way to become proficient and advanced readers, many schools actually spend little to nothing on these components when compared to other expenses in their literacy budget. This presentation will combine telling statistics, personal anecdotes, and provocative questions to challenge the audience to re-examine their literacy priorities and budget their financial resources accordingly.
Audience: Elementary Teacher, Middle Teacher, High School Teacher, Elementary Counselor, Middle School Counselor, High School Counselor, Elementary Administrators, Middle School Administrators, High School Administrators, Superintendent, District Office Leaders
This discussion will center on an historical look at the educational experiences of Black and Latino males, review constructs and theories of social and cultural capital and show how implementing targeted interventions, such as conferences and symposiums, can improve the engagement and educational outcomes of these historically underserved groups.
Audience: Middle Teacher, High School Teacher, Middle School Counselor, High School Counselor, Middle School Administrators, High School Administrators
Participants will learn about San Marcos High School's Quest Academy, an innovative cohort model program for incoming 9th-grade students that focuses on increasing academic achievement, student agency, and student voice. Participants will learn about the history of the program, recruitment efforts, curriculum, and sustainability efforts.
Audience: Middle Teacher, High School Teacher, Middle School Counselor, High School Counselor, Middle School Administrators, High School Administrators, Superintendent, District Office Leaders
Leaders are inundated with a constant stream of information about new initiatives, new networks, new programs, new organizations to connect with, new ideas about the school experience – the list is endless. Leadership in education is complex and more important than ever. Leaders must narrow the focus and lead for radical change to dramatically impact the school experience for children.
Audience: Elementary, Middle, and High School Administrators, Superintendents, and District Office
Special Services at Sweetwater Union High School District offers student and parent outreach meetings regarding topics such as self-advocacy, communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making as students develop independence and gain a sense of agency. The most well-attended and successful meetings include a student panel with firsthand experience in a specific topic, such as employment or college. In addition, parent panels have provided guidance to others going through challenging phases with their own students. Participants will see a video, hear a panel, and receive specific steps on how to incorporate peer panels as an effective outreach to build relationships with their surrounding community and to influence positive change.
Audience: High School Administrators, District Office Leaders
