Connecting the Dots | Atlanta, GA | April 28, 2011

Today’s education landscape is constantly evolving.  To positively affect student achievement, educators must adapt to challenges and plan strategically. 

Connecting the Dots allows attendees to learn from each other and investigate some of the hot issues in education.  Attendees will rotate through 35 minute discussions and share challenges, information, ideas and best practices with their peers from around the region.

This event will also feature a special keynote that will help you to better understand the demographics of your region and how that information will shape the needs of the area education organizations in the months and years to come.

More than just a briefing, this fast paced planning session will convene K-12 district and Department of Education staff to discuss, reflect, and prepare for what is to come. 

You are invited to participate in roundtable group discussions on topics such as:
 

•   Classroom Technologies
•   Campus Infrastructure
•   Funding Challenges and Opportunities
•   Professional Development
•   Social Media
•   Online Learning and Digital Content

This completely interactive event will further examine these issues and explore new ways to align educational strategic planning, technology, and available funding resources.

What previous attendees liked best about Connecting the Dots:

• Speaking with other districts
• Opportunity to meet and talk with others in my field and in supporting fields. Share and receive ideas
• Liked intimacy of roundtables and opportunity for every voice to be heard.
• Liked the roundtable format. I thought the table leaders and sponsors provided helpful information
• Conversations with professionals like myself
  

"I liked the pace of the conversation and quality of ideas best about this event."
Staff, NERIC

"Very Worthwhile Day!"
Teacher/Webmaster, Pollock Pines ESD

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Featured Speakers

Ron Crouch, Principal Consultant
Crouch and Associates

On his own time Ron Crouch operates Crouch and Associates providing data analysis, data mining, consultation, publications, and presentations across the United States and also to international groups on a variety of issues and trends.

Ron currently serves as Director of Research and Statistics, Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet overseeing the development of databases on demographic, social, educational, workforce, and economic issues and trends relating to the state of Kentucky, October, 2009 to present.  Research and Statistics is developing tables, spreadsheets, and ARCGIS maps looking at national, regional, and Kentucky realities.   

Ron has developed a national database analyzing trends by both Census regions and states.  He also has developed Census profiles for all 50 states including population pyramids by race and Hispanic origin, a population chart showing population trends by age by race and Hispanic origin, and tables indicating trends on demographic, social and economic variables.

John Halpin, Vice President, Strategy and Programs
Center for Digital Education

John Halpin serves as the Vice President for the Center for Digital Education. He has worked in the public sector and information technology market for over 35 years. As a veteran K-12 teacher, curriculum coordinator and college professor, Halpin has consulted with industry and the public sector to help promote the use of technology in education. He has also led sales and marketing efforts for some of the largest technology companies. In addition, Halpin has contributed to industry and professional publications as a writer and speaker. He has written for various outlets, including the national Business Journal Group, the McClatchy Newspapers chain and various corporate industry publications. He speaks often on public sector technology issues before national professional associations, various state leadership councils and technology companies.

Agenda

8:30 a.m. – Registration

9:00 a.m. – Welcome
John Halpin, Vice President of Strategy and Programs, Center for Digital Education

9:05 a.m. – Morning Keynote

Demographics: A Guide to the Future
How will Georgia’s demographics affect its schools? How can educators leverage population data to improve student success?

A fresh conversation about student achievement, featuring nationally-recognized speaker Ron Crouch. Crouch will use data on population, education and other social indicators to provide an understanding of what the future holds for students, specifically in Washington, and how to help prepare them for success.

Crouch, an expert in enhancing the public’s understanding of statistical information, will discuss U.S. trends and similar demographic shifts occurring in other countries, and address the possible implications for U.S. schools.  Change is a reality! Do we understand it? Are we ready to embrace its consequences and its opportunities?

Ron Crouch, Principal Consultant, Crouch and Associates

9:55 a.m. – Roundtable Discussion Rotation Begins

Table 1:    10:05 to 10:40 a.m.
Table 2:    10:40 to 11:15 a.m.

11:15 a.m. – Break

11:25 a.m. – Roundtable Discussion Rotation Continues

Table 3:    11:25 a.m. to Noon
Table 4:    Noon to 12:35 p.m.

12:35 p.m. – Lunch

1:10 p.m. – Roundtable Discussion Rotation Continues

Table 5:    1:10 to 1:45 p.m.
Table 6:    1:45 to 2:20 p.m.
 
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TOPICS

ROUNDTABLE 1: Staying Up to Date – Professional Development Strategies for Educators
Teachers have the responsibility of preparing students for tomorrow’s careers. A large and vital aspect of that preparedness is a workable knowledge of current and emerging technology. Educators need to continue to learn and grow throughout their careers, not only to pass this information on, but to better relate to the students. This table will explore methods to inform, train, support and retain teachers on an ongoing basis. It will also explore the barriers to realize this goal and models to track teacher’s performance and milestones throughout the process.

Barbara Jacobi, National Business Development Director, U.S. Public Sector Services, Microsoft
Bill Kilcullen, Education Solutions, U.S. Public Sector Services, Microsoft Corporation

ROUNDTABLE 2: Technology Planning and Governance in Georgia
How do we continue to provide quality educational experiences that will stimulate students, encourage teachers and increase parent interactions? In the face of less money and higher expectations, it is more important than ever to utilize technology and plan strategically to positively impact student achievement. The Georgia School Boards Association and the Georgia School Superintendents Association have joined forces to create a new vision for public education. This discussion will explore this vision; policy and funding; and how to create a culture of collaboration, accountability, leadership and transparency on both the state and local levels.

Diane Sandifer, eBOARDsolutions Account Executive, Georgia School Boards Association

ROUNDTABLE 3: Education within the Talent Development Ecosystem
This session will explore how educators can deploy new tools and expand regional relationships to better prepare students for post-secondary education and in-demand career paths. As stakeholders in the talent development ecosystem, effective schools are key to our students’ lifelong success. By providing greater connectivity to career options, we create a stronger desire for learning and a strong sense of purpose among students. We will discuss newly-available data and technologies to align curriculum and other learning resources – both online and in-person – with the needs of a changing marketplace, and how students can leverage their knowledge of the working world to achieve greater academic success.

Bill Davies, Account Executive, Monster
Andy Vaughan, Director, Strategic Programs, Monster

ROUNDTABLE 4: How Are Digital Content and Technology Driving Your Online Learning Programs?
It has been argued that some of the greatest short-term traction we can make in school transformation is through the effective use of technology and online learning programs. The foundation has been set and the early results have proven that students can succeed with online learning programs – whether through stand-alone courses or through the combined power of a virtual school. This table will discuss the relationships between online learning courses, digital content and the effective use of technology as it relates to the many stakeholders in education: students, teachers, administrators and the educational community at large.

Dr. Michael Maslayak, Vice President of Marketing, K12 Inc.

ROUNDTABLE 5: Making the Most of Your Data – Best Practices to Impact Achievement
With modern information systems, districts are now often inundated with data. Student performance on standardized tests, course grades, attendance, conduct and demographic information is all tracked longitudinally. Data analysis tools readily offer visualizations of test scores disaggregated by NCLB indicators, but does this tell us anything we don’t already know? How can we use data to actually help make decisions about practices that are effective and programs that are working? This discussion will consider different data management models and best practices for utilizing data to support student achievement and meaningful decision-making.

Stephen Lyle, Senior Product Manager, Follett Software Company

ROUNDTABLE 6: Overcoming Barriers to Digital Learning – Student Devices, Instructional Tools, Flexible Settings
The transition to digital teaching is upon us. As districts adopt a wider variety of digital assets, they must also provide tools to make this content useful for students and teachers. This discussion is about how schools are addressing the issue of student devices, instructional tools and support technologies to help students continue their learning outside the classroom. In short, it discusses tools to enable effective digital teaching.

Diane Ashby, National Education Business Development Manager, Samsung Electronics America, Inc.

2:20 p.m. – Roundtable Recap

2:35 p.m. – Closing Keynote

Connecting the Dots – How Today’s Hot Issues Impact Schools and What to Do About It
The closing keynote will “connect the dots” between the headlines and their impact on today’s students. With changes in the political landscape, ever improving technology advances and districts placing greater emphasis on more impactful curricula, there are many dots to connect. Topical issues could include: Where are the new funding sources? How can you prepare students for more promising career opportunities? How are the newest E-Rate rules impacting the program? How are districts ‘going digital’ and surviving? What is the evolving role of state initiatives to embrace Core Standards? The closing keynote will also address the latest timely issues facing schools and discuss ways to maximize on opportunities.

John Halpin, Vice President, Strategy and Programs, Center for Digital Education

View Presentation Slides

3:00 p.m. – Adjourn
 

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