Monday, January 25
2:00 PM
Unconscious Bias Overview
William Blackford IV, Senior Consultant, Franklin Covey
Scott Anderson, Client Partner – Minnesota, Franklin Covey
If you are human, you are biased – it is part of who we are. Unconscious Biases are not good or bad; they are just preferences developed through our experiences. Some biases are good – safety some may cloud our judgement – stigmas/people. We will explore how bias affects us personally and those we interact with every day.
MASSP Leadership And Advocacy
Mark Mischke, Principal, Buffalo High School
Jason Mix, Principal, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted High School
NASSP Advocacy Panel
Advocacy experts, from the National Association Secondary School Principals along with members of the MASSP Executive Committee, will discuss the important of advocacy in Minnesota and at the national level.
3:00 PM
The Innocent Classroom: Dismantling Racial Bias in Our Schools
Jaimee Wolcott, M.Ed., Assistant Vice-President
Matthew Brandt, Ph.D., Vice-President
Innocent Technologies, LLC
Every student should know what it is like to feel innocent, to believe that this world is open to them. Society’s racist stereotypes stand in the way. Learn how you can dismantle racism in your school by helping educators construct relationships connecting each child to their unlimited potential.
Participants will explore strategies that interrupt patterns where implicit racial bias rests. Patterns that interfere with a teacher’s greatest efforts to reach their students.
Minnesota State High School League Update During the Pandemic
Erich Martens, Executive Director
Laura Mackenthun, Director, Technology and. Communications
Bob Madison, Associate Director
Minnesota State High School League
Leadership from the MSHSL will provide a comprehensive update related to the progression of decisions throughout the developing Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, specific school guidance will also be offered in offering activities and athletics and keeping students safe throughout their experiences. Time will be spent discussing some of the accommodations and exceptions that have been provided by League leadership as well as answering of questions and concerns posed by our membership.
“You’re Doing What?” Synchronous Learning for All
Tom Brenner, Principal
Nicole Vegar, Instructional Coach
Cloquet Middle School
In this interactive session, you will experience a "synchronous learning model" that provides instruction to in-person, hybrid, and distance learners simultaneously used by the Cloquet Middle School. You will learn how to implement best practices using interactive technology to promote interaction and engagement between teachers and learners in all settings. You will learn how this model allows the seamless transition between all three learning scenarios and allows quarantined students and staff to engage in and provide daily instruction. Expect to leave with an overview of this model's benefits, new ideas to implement, and solutions for some of the barriers that this model presents.
4:00 PM
Embracing the Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning Now and Moving Forward
George Couros, Speaker and Author
Although teaching face-to-face is different than in a remote learning situation, the core values of what is important should stay the same. George Couros will focus on the “Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning” and provide examples of how we can create a “new and better normal" in education from all that we have learned from our current situation.
Tuesday, January 26
10:00 AM
A Tiered Approach to Student SEL Support that is Transformative and Outcomes
Katie Dorn, CEO. EmpowerU
Presenting with Rothsay Public Schools Driven
Students and educators are struggling with anxiety, depression, motivation and focus at alarming rates, negatively impacting outcomes – like grades and attendance. Learn how a tiered approach top mental health support for students can help students overcome mental health obstacles, build resilience and thrive – improving grades and attendance.
Straight Talk from Student Leaders
Doug Erickson, MASSP Coordinator of Student Activities
Members of MAHS/MASC Executive Committees
A panel made up of the MAHS/MAHS Executive committee will discuss the impact of distant learning on students' academic, social, and extra-curricular lives. Students will discuss the transition they now face as the state moves toward hybrid and full time learning in their schools. Students' mental health will be a component of this discussion.
Fostering Student Agency During Distant Learning: A Roundtable Discussion
Gina Gamnis, Associate Area Director, Midwest Region
Brett Bowers, Associate Senior Director, Central Region
AVID Center
This collaborative conversation will build off of the following prompts, using the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework as a resource:
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- What elements of instruction, culture, leadership and systems need to be in place to foster student agency, defined as: Students believe in and activate their own potential, build relationships, persist through obstacles, and exercise their academic, social, emotional, and professional knowledge and skills.?
- How will fostering student agency improve student engagement and success this year and beyond?
- How will we, as leaders, ensure that the conditions are created for every student to develop Agency in both the face to face and virtual settings?
2:00 PM
Strategies to Motivate Disengaged Students (& Get Results) – Even During COVID
John Baylor, Founder, OnToCollege
Students have lost their routines and much of their motivation. Anxiety and isolation have undermined their focus. We need creative, persuasive strategies to motivate students, whether in person or online. Join John Baylor as he shares practical, easy-to-implement ideas to build motivation and engagement this school year.
Critical Legal Updates
Roger Aronson, MASSP Attorney/Lobbyist
Panel Discussion on Virtual Learning
Jon Baietto, Administrator
Angela Specketer, Administrator
Laura Yehlik, Administrator
Minnesota Virtual Academy, Houston
Josef Haas, Hastings Middle School
This panel of experienced virtual learning administrators was put together to be a vital resource for principals around the state to ask questions related to virtual learning. During the unprecedented times we are in, most of us have moved to a virtual (distance) learning space for our students and staff we are unaccustomed to dealing with challenges that type of learning presents, The panel of expert administrators from Minnesota Virtual Academy are here to share their experiences with being an administrators of a virtual learning school and answer questions from their colleagues to help brick and mortar principals be more successful in the virtual learning space.
3:00 PM
“Good Trouble: How Principals Can Move the Work”
Emily Palmer, Mary Pat Cumming, Moderators, Panel of 6 Principals
Join us for a panel discussion on the Minneapolis/St. Paul principals Good Trouble Principals, a coalition of leaders who are committed and dedicated to anti-racist, student-centered educational realities that may not already exist; or in the worlds of Dr. Bettina Love: Abolitionist Education.
Unconscious Bias Overview
William Blackford IV, Senior Consultant, Franklin Covey
Scott Anderson, Client Partner – Minnesota, Franklin Covey
If you are human, you are biased – it is part of who we are. Unconscious Biases are not good or bad; they are just preferences developed through our experiences. Some biases are good – safety some may cloud our judgement – stigmas/people. We will explore how bias affects us personally and those we interact with every day.
Providing Seamless Education In and Out of Learning Models During a Pandemic
Ehren Zimmerman, Principal
Jeff Morris, Instructor
Kasey Wacker, Instructor
Perham High School
Deanna Kovash, Instructor, Prairie Wind Middle School, Perham
Over the past 10 years, Ehren has been able to work with a District Staff and Community that see the value in continuously moving students forward in an ever changing world. During this time, his District Staff has been able to commit to clear learning ideals for all types of learners and then supported those ideals with the use of technology. This has allowed his staff the opportunity to grow as a team and in grade level/departments to best support education in their instructional areas.
The key to success has been to not only commit to the technology to support students and staff, but to provide timely and meaning training at each educators’ pace to meet overarching goals of the District and Community, By committing to this type of teaming and planning, District 549 has built a seamless education plans for the mobility of education the COVID-19 Pandemic.
4:00 PM
Leadership Lessons from the Pandemic World
Dr. Douglas Reeves, National Presenter and Educational Researcher
Principals face the greatest challenges of their careers, with stress and anxiety of administrators and educators at extreme levels. How can principals cope psychologically while still helping schools serve students in their academic, social, and emotional needs? Dr. Douglas Reeves will lead an interactive presentation with the latest evidence on how leaders promote academic excellence while also insuring the physical and emotional care of staff and students.
Wednesday, January 27
10:00 AM
Engaging All Stakeholders During a Pandemic
Jesús Sandoval, Assistant Principal
Cynthia Patten, Assistant Principal
Technical High School, St. Cloud
Over the past six months, the administrative team at Tech High School has been working diligently to guarantee opportunities for student, family and staff engagement. The team will walk you through the various methods they have employed to provide windows for all stakeholders to share valuable feedback and input. You will learn how they have used both quantitative and qualitative data to improve the way a school can learn and teach during a pandemic.
Help Students Create a Future Founded on Facts!
Shaelynn Farnsworth, National Director of Education Outreach and Success
Ebonee Rice, Vice-President, Educator Network
The News Literacy Project
Young people today are dealing with the most challenging information landscape in human history. Digital tools, combined with social media, make it easy for anyone to create and spread misinformation and disinformation. Truth, evidence and facts compete for attention alongside rumors, conspiracy theories and false information. The News Literacy Project believes that education is the most effective method to address these challenges. Join us as we share NLP’s free resources and programs to help create a future founded on facts!
Community Helping Panthers (CHP)
Nick Jacobs, Principal, Cass Lake-Bena Middle School
Nick has started a Community Helping Panthers (CHP) Initiative. The goal of CHP is to inform parents/guardians with school updates and to highlight how the school has progressed in distance learning from last spring to this school year. Additionally, this will be an excellent opportunity where parents/guardians are able to share some positive experiences as well as address some questions.
“Benefit of the Future”
Richard McLeod, Retirement Services Supervisor, Teacher Retirement Association
This presentation is designed for younger or mid-career educators. We will discuss how the TRA defined benefit plan works. We will explain how we calculate service credit and salary and how a member’s age factors into the calculation. Other topics include beneficiary coverage, leaves of absence and disability coverage.
2:00 PM
Mindfulness: Trauma-Responsiveness, SEL & Equity
William Drew, Owner/Consultant, Mindful i Consulting LLC
Far from just silent stillness, mindfulness can be that missing tool for linking SEL to Trauma-Responsiveness and Equity while reducing feelings of guilt, shame and anger that may often arise when dealing with these matters. Participants will be taken through evidence-based practices and reminded of the latest research on why and how mindfulness, when properly introduced and integrated, can help us manage current day changes and help us all stay ready to learn.
Developing an Equity Leadership Identity
Dr. Lanise Block, Founder/CEO and Adjunct Professor, Sankore Consulting
The Equity Leadership Identity centers around the idea that in order to do the hard work of equitable leadership, it must be part of your identity. We believe that when equitable outcomes are achieved due to an Equity Leadership Identity. Cultivating this Identity takes intentional targeted self-development and a willingness to work toward your goals.
This session will provide an overview of the Equity Leadership Identity Progression and the 5 Critical Lenses of Developing An Equity Leadership Identity.
“Planning for Retirement”
Richard McLeod, Retirement Services Supervisor, Teacher Retirement Association
This session is geared toward members who are within 7 to 10 years of retirement. This presentation gives more specific information on TRA’s six Life Plans for beneficiaries, as well as Acceleration, taxes, and working after retirement. We will also cover the application process and the timing involved.
Legal/Legislative Updates
Roger Aronson, MASSP Attorney/Lobbyist
3:00 PM
Running a 100% Flex Schedule
Aaron Nelson, Principal, Pequot Lakes High School
In response to the limitations of COVID, PLHS adopted a 100% flexible schedule for students and teachers as a way to increase face to face instruction and support for students in the areas they needed the most help in. The schedule allows teachers to create a weekly schedule of courses, and students select which classes they need to attend while on campus. The system is managed by a software program called Adaptive Scheduler which monitors attendance and schedules as well as allowing teachers to request students who are in greatest need.
Attendees will learn about the struggles of a short-planned rollout, the successes and failures of the first semester and lessons learned. Pequot Lakes High School is a school of 600 students with 37 full or part time staff.
Leading Virtually and Hybrid – Practical Strategies for Leading Learning While Virtual or in a Hybrid Model of Learning
Bill Ziegler, School Leader, Author, Consultant & Founder
Are you leading in a Virtual or Hybrid Learning environment? If so, this session is for you as it will provide practical, easily implementable, and proven strategies for leading in virtual or hybrid learning models. Dr. Ziegler will share how to lead in a way that empowers your students, staff, parents, and community. You will walk away with practical tips, tools, and ideas to implement in your school. Plus, Dr. Ziegler will share with you how leaders need to change and adapt to thrive in these new learning models.
Dream Big, Live Colorfully, Lead Boldly: Developing Your Best Self at School and Home
Jessica Cabeen, Principal, Ellis Middle School, Austin
Today’s school leaders have pressures that can become barriers to maintaining wellness in all aspects of life. In this session, we will explore ways in work and life to set your own goals and priorities in the different quadrants of balance (positional, personal, professional, and passion). We will learn ways to manage processes more effectively so you can be present at the moment, diffuse difficult situations with families, staff and parents so you can leave at school, and rekindle your own passions so your students and staff can see the real you.
Today’s leaders need to find ways to thrive, not just survive in the busy pace of leading, learning, and living life. As a principal, wife, mom, daughter, student, and teacher, Jessica has a passion to learn and share ideas that will provide educators with strategies to lead at home and at school. Come prepared to make a commitment to change and find ways to make it happen.
4:00 PM
Required: Self-Reflection, Courage & Truth Telling
Dr. Macarre Traynham, Founder and Lead Consultant of Elizabeth Mackenzie Consulting, LLC
2020 ushered us into a year of grappling with a duel pandemic—COVID-19 and racism. We knew inequities were disproportionately ravaging our educational system prior to the pandemic; but now, we’ve seen these inequities exasperated. Along the way, we’ve heard ourselves say, “This is not who we are.” And yet, pause for a moment and consider, what if this is exactly who we are? The murder of George Floyd and the impact of distance learning on our students, families and educators have moved us towards a calling to lead in ways we’ve never led before and centering race as central to addressing the inequities we see. Leading for racial equity requires us to be self-reflective, a truth teller and courageous. It requires us to interrogate and critically analyze the stories we’ve been told. We must be willing to be vulnerable, acknowledge our own mis-education and bias, and actively seek to advance and amplify narratives that have been silenced and purposefully hidden. As Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. says, “Leading for racial equity means you”.
Thursday, January 28
10:00 AM
Leading A Culture of Unity: An Authentic Discussion on Race, Unity, and Leadership
Bill Ziegler, School Leader, Author, Consultant & Founder
In this powerful, practical, and inspiring session, Dr. Ziegler will lead a discussion on race, unity, and leadership with three award winning school leaders. We will address common biases, how to become an anti-racist leader, and ways you can transform your school into a true place of unity for everyone. This session will challenge your thinking, cause you to reflect, and inspire you to make real and sustainable change in your school/district.
Building Resilience and Self-Care for Your Educators – A Key Strategy to Help Support Teachers
Katie Dorn, CEO. EmpowerU
Jill Tessman, Director of Student Support, White Bear Lake Area High School
The mental health crisis in our schools and country are growing at an alarming rate.
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- 1 in 3 students struggle with anxiety or depression, according to the latest report from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
- Most mental health disorders will be diagnosed before age 24, according to the Academy of Psychiatry.
- With numbers rising quickly, schools do not have adequate resources to help students, leaving thousands of young people without the skills, strategies and resources they need to navigate emotional well-being.
- Teaching students, the skills and strategies that build resilience in the face of social and emotional setbacks is critical. In fact, research by McKinsey cites resilience as the most important predictor of post high school success.
This session will review the research that shows how a credit-bearing daily social-emotional course with embedded daily online coaching is helping students improve mental health, build resilience and meet goals.
2:00 PM
Straight Talk from Student Leaders
Doug Erickson, MASSP Coordinator of Student Activities
Panel of Students
A panel of students from urban, suburban, and greater Minnesota will discuss the issue of racial equity. Students will cover what is working in their schools and what needs to be improved. This will be a continuation of the racial equity discussion by students leaders that was held at the MASSP Summer Conference.
Why the ACT Still Matters in a “Test Optional” World
John Baylor, Founder, OnToCollege
John Baylor, founder of OnToCollege, discusses how admissions and scholarships now work in a test-optional world. With some merit scholarships awarded without an ACT or SAT score, many students and families believe doing well on an ACT matters less-a belief that may prove costly. Learn how students’ scores can still significantly help students.
Facilitating Meaningful Feedback
Renae Nesburg Busse, Principal Leadership Support
Kip Lynk, Principal Leadership Support
Minnesota Regional Centers of Excellence
Providing effective feedback to teachers and staff is one of the most impactful aspects of a school leader’s job. In this session, we will look at the conditions necessary for meaningful feedback and begin to explore how to make our interactions culturally responsive and effective within a virtual environment. You will be introduced to a reflective rubric and process that any leader can use to grow in their feedback practice.
3:00 PM
Danger of a Single Story
Mary Pat Cumming, Principal, The FAIR School, Minneapolis
Kandace Logan, Director of Equity & Integration, Minneapolis Public Schools
The session will focus on the single stories that we create and believe when we have limited experience with people who have a different lived experience than us. Participants will take time to reflect on their community and experiences with the people in the community. They will reflect on the single story narratives that may exist about them as well as the narratives they tell about others. When we think of equity as only having to do with race and/or the challenges of the “urban school experience” then we limit the equitable educational opportunities of the students in other communities that appear to be homogenous.
“Flexible Resilient Pedagogy” in Hybrid & Distance Learning Model
Mindy Chevalier, Principal
Margot Hansen, Director of Teaching & Learning
Belle Plaine Jr/Sr High School
With all of the challenges schools are facing with the 3 learning models, we are presenting our Hybrid learning model (AABBC) and our transition to the distance learning format. We will discuss our synchronous learning process based off of Angela Wilson’s research and podcast - “How to Plan For Flexible Resilient Pedagogy”. We will also discuss our student intervention process and SEL implementation of Move This World in these environments.
Supporting Teachers in Learner Centered Distance Learning
Ann Mitchell, Principal Leadership Support, Minnesota Department of Education
Kari Ross, Principal Leadership Support, Regional Center of Excellence-Northern Sky
What does culturally responsive, learner-centered instruction look like in distance learning environments? How can school leaders best support teachers to ensure distance learning success for every student? Participants in this session will be guided through current challenges and ways to support teachers in learner-centered distance learning strategies. Together, we will share learner-centered approaches leaders can model and teachers can develop to support student’s sense of belonging, purpose, engagement, learning, and efficacy.
4:00 PM
Being Fearless in the Face of Adversity with the Courage to Lead. (Including Navigating the Coronavirus Crisis)
Dr. Stephen Sroka, President, Health Education Consultants
The Coronavirus pandemic and panicdemic have made Steve think about how everyone has to make life threatening decisions every day, just like principals who work with the responsibility of keeping students safe and healthy in schools.
His presentation will bring you up-to-date with the Coronavirus including the science and practical strategies to manage the COVID-19 threat in your professional and personal life. He will offer lessons learned about life and death and how to develop your own personal warrior aura to be fearless in the face of adversity with the courage to lead whether it be with the Coronavirus, death, or making sure students are safe and healthy tomorrow morning wherever they may be.
The goal is to encourage principals to help educators keep students stay safe and healthy so they can learn more and live better. Educator fatigue will be addressed and encouraging & inspiring recommendations will be suggested. Researched-driven and reality-based, Steve offers honesty, humor and hope.
Click here to download the Virtual Conference Schedule