2019 Nevada Department of Education

MEGA CONFERENCE
The New Nevada – Expanding Equitable Opportunities for ALL

Program
May 3 – 5, 2019
Harvey’s Lake Tahoe
Stateline, Nevada
Offered in collaboration with the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities
and the International Center for Leadership in Education
 Steve Sisolak Southern Nevada Office
Governor 9890 S. Maryland Parkway,
Suite 221
Jhone M. Ebert Las Vegas, Nevada 89183
Superintendent of (702) 486-6458
Public Instruction Fax: (702) 486-6450
STATE OF NEVADA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
700 E. Fifth Street │ Carson City, Nevada 89701-5096
Phone: (775) 687-9200 │ www.doe.nv.gov │ Fax: (775) 687-9101

May 3, 2019

Dear Mega Conference Participants:

Welcome to the Nevada Department of Education’s 2019 Mega Conference: The New Nevada -
Expanding Equitable Opportunities for ALL.

This year’s conference will bring us wonderful examples of Nevada schools providing effective
programs and practices that support student success. The Conference will feature nationally
recognized keynote speakers, national expert presenters, respected local educators, and Nevada
Department of Education staff. The keynote and breakout sessions will focus on Enhancing
Technological and Education Innovations and Supports; Recognizing Diversity and Providing
Equitable Programs and Supports for All Learners; and Ensuring Successful Outcomes for All
Students.

In his inaugural address, Governor Sisolak emphasized that the future of Nevada is in the hands
of our educators who should have the resources they need and respect they deserve. As
Superintendent of Public Instruction, I fully support this ideal and am dedicated to ensuring that
our educators receive quality professional development featuring effective educational practices
that promote success for ALL students.

Thank you for your commitment to Nevada’s students; I look forward to working closely with all
of you!

Respectfully Yours,

Jhone M. Ebert
Superintendent of Public Instruction

JE/kb
 About the Conference
The Mega Conference is offered in collaboration with the following organizations:

Nevada Department Nevada Center for Excellence

of Education in Disabilities
The Nevada Center for Excellence in Dis-
abilities (NCED) creates a bridge between
Vision: science and practice by sharing research-based best
All Nevadans ready for success in a global 21st Cen- practice evidence with communities. The NCED’s mis-
tury. sion is to work cooperatively with consumers (people
with disabilities, family members, etc.), agencies and
Mission: programs to assist Nevadans of all ages with disabili-
To improve student achievement and educator effec- ties to be independent and productive citizens, fully
tiveness by ensuring opportunities, facilitating integrated into their communities.
learning, and promoting excellence.

State Educational Goals 2020: International Center for

1. All students are proficient in reading by the end of Leadership in Education
3rd grade.
While there is no single path to system-
2. All students enter high school with the skills nec-
ic school reform, certain components
essary to succeed.
are essential in order for progress to be
3. All students graduate college and career ready.
made. The International Center for Leadership in Ed-
4. All students served by effective educators.
ucation provides services to schools, school districts
5. Efficient and effective use of public funds to
and states to help them improve their education sys-
achieve the highest return on educational invest-
tems by focusing on the following essential compo-
ment.
nents necessary for progress to be made: the creation
6. All students learn in an environment that is physi-
of a shared vision, building leadership, obtaining and
cally, emotionally, and intellectually safe.
using data for decision-making and providing sup-
port to staff.
Strategic Priorities:
• Implement standards, programs, and assessments
that prepare all students for college and careers.
• Facilitate high-impact instruction and leadership
through measurement and support of educator
effectiveness and family engagement.
• Evaluate and publicize school, district, and state
performance and assign rewards, technical assis-
tance, and interventions.
• Continually improve Departmental leadership
and collaboration with all stakeholders.

1
 Conference Information
Welcome to the 2019 Mega Conference!

Continuing Education Credit Internet

The Mega Conference will offer Continuing Educa- Wireless internet is available in the Conference Cen-
tion Credits from the Nevada Department of Educa- ter. Please select the Harveys network and use the
tion (NDE). Participants may receive either .5 or 1 CEU password P2M94 (case sensitive) Please log on only
depending upon the number of hours attended. one device.

Please be sure to have your Agenda-at-a-Glance Evaluations

stamped at every session you attend, and turn it in at
the end of the conference in order to receive credit.
There are no waived sessions (this includes the
Share Fair and the Superintendent's Luncheon),
so please be sure to have a staff member stamp all
sessions in order to receive credit.
Evaluation forms for each session and the overall con-
ference are available electronically through our web-
site or on paper. Please take time to complete each
form, as your feedback is important to us and helps us
plan future professional development opportunities.

Meals Share Fair and Vendors

A continental breakfast will be provided on Saturday Please take a moment to visit with our non-profit and
and a full breakfast will be provided Sunday for your for profit organizations and learn about what they
convenience. Additionally, there will be a reception have to offer. Have our vendors sign your cards for
on Friday evening and a plated luncheon and refresh- an opportunity to win a prize! Please be sure to put
ment break provided on Saturday afternoon. You will your name and number on your sheet.
be on your own for dinner on Friday and Saturday
nights. Use hashtag #NVMega2019 during the conference
and be entered to win prizes!
Room Locations
All sessions and keynotes will be held in the Harvey's Photographs/Videos
Conference Center on the third floor and the Zephyr By registering for the Mega Conference, you have
and Tallac Rooms on the 12th floor of the Mountain agreed to allow the Nevada Department of Education
Tower. Please refer to your Agenda-at-a-Glance for and/or Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities to
session locations. A map of the conference center use your photograph in related publications, website,
can be found on the back cover of the program and or other agency materials.
on conference app for further location details.
Book Purchases/Book Signing
Conference App Several of our speaker authors will have books avail-
Once again, the Mega Conference is accessible via able for purchase and signing. Please visit them in
our app on your mobile device or our web-based ver- the Emerald Bay Foyer during our breaks.
sion on your laptop. Directions are on our website at
www.nevadateach.com and on the flyer provided in
your bag.

2
 Share Fair Participants
Share Fair Location: Emerald Bay Foyer & 123 Communities In Schools of Nevada
Exhibit Hours: Las Vegas Office
8350 West Sahara Avenue, Suite #110
Friday, May 3 Las Vegas, NV 89117

7:15 PM – 8:30 PM (Following the Opening Key- Contact: Jennifer Courrier

note Address) Phone: (702) 550-3799
Email: jenniferc@cisnevada.org
Website: http://cisnevada.org
On Friday night, non-profit organizations will be on-
site to share the materials and support they offer edu-
Reno Office
cators, students and parents. Please take a moment
1301 Cordone Avenue, Suite #195
to visit with our non-profit organizations and learn
Reno, NV 89502
about what they have to offer. Have our Share Fair
vendors sign your Share Fair Card for an opportunity
Contact: Auburn Harrison
to win a prize! Please be sure to put your name and
Phone: (775) 686-0758
number on your sheet. Please note, participation in
Email: auburn@cisnevada.org
the Share Fair is REQUIRED for credit. Stamps will
Website: www.cisnevada.org
not be give until after 8:15 PM.
The mission of Communities in Schools of Nevada is
Share Fair Participants to surround students with a community of support,
empowering them to stay in school and achieve in
life.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada

1300 Foster Drive, Suite #210 Discovery Museum
Reno, NV 89509 490 S. Center Street
Reno, NV 89501
Contact: Kenny Goranson
Phone: (775) 544-1776 Contact: Nicolas Orr
Email: kgoranson@bbbsnn.org Phone: (775) 786-1000
Website: http://bbbsnn.org Email: nick@nevada.unr.edu
Website: https://nvdm.org

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing ad-
versity with strong and enduring, professionally sup-
ported one-to-one relationships that change their
lives for the better, forever.
The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum and
University of Nevada, Reno have partnered to provide
internship opportunities for students in the Nevada
Teach program. Nevada Teach interns have a unique
opportunity to practice educational practices in a
non-classroom setting.

3
 Share Fair Participants
For Kids Foundation Infinite Campus, Inc. Help Desk
834 Willow Street 84321 109th Avenue NE
Reno, NV 89502 Blaine, MN 55449

Contact: Annie Goni-Stewart Contact: Denise Salyers

Phone: (775) 741-5231 Phone: (800) 850-2335
Email: annie@forkidsfoundation.com Email: denise.salyers@infinitecampus.com
Website: https://forkidsfoundation.org Website: http://infinitecampus.com

For Kids Foundation provides financial aid to children The Nevada Department of Education ADAM IT & Ac-
(birth through age 20) living in Northern Nevada. We countability Teams and Infinite Campus will be pro-
offer children who “fall through the cracks” of other viding a help desk during the Mega Conference for
organizations/programs funding for urgent medical, any districts that may have questions.
dental, psychological, and educational products/ser-
vices when there is no other resource. Basically, we
help the kids no one else will. JUSTin HOPE Foundation
83870 Steneri Way, Suite #101
Sparks, NV 89431
Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada
605 Washington Street Contact: Maricela Gutierrez
Reno, NV 89503 Phone: (775) 453-9262
Email: info@justinhope.org
Contact: Jessica Mahon Website: http://justinhope.org
Phone: (775) 322-0642
Email: jmahon@gssn.org The JUSTin Hope Foundation is building a commu-
Website: http://www.gssn.org nity of support and engagement for individuals and
families who have a child with special needs.
We’re the Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada. We’re
over 6,600 members strong in northern Nevada and
northeastern California, and we believe every girl Mindful SEAD
can change the world. We are building girls of cour- 111 W. Proctor Street
age, confidence and character who make the world Carson City, NV 89703
a better place by helping them discover their inner
strength, passions, and talents. With incredible pro- Contact: Molly Dahl
grams and great friends, there’s a chance for every girl Phone: (775) 313-7493
to do something amazing. Email: mdahl@mindfulsead.org
Website: http://www.mindfulsead.org

Mindful SEAD inspires innovative teaching and learn-

ing through mindful practices by fostering communi-
ty, personalized learning, developing leadership and
embracing each individual’s unique genius. We are a
not-for-profit organization whose mission is to teach
4 youth and adults to become mindful as they manage
 Share Fair Participants
their emotions, gain perspective and have an under- Nevada Department of Education
standing of those around them.
National Federation of the Blind of Nevada
999 Pyramid Way
Reno, NV 89431
Contact: Mark Tadder
Phone: (775) 225-6881
Email: mtadder@gmail.com
Website: http://www.nfbnevada.org
Every day we raise expectations of blind people
because low expectations create obstacles between
blind people and our dreams. You can live the life
you want; blindness does not hold us back.
Office of Early Learning and Development
7700 E. 5th Street
Carson City, NV 89701
Contact: Anna Severens
Phone: (775) 687-5950
Email: aseverens@doe.nv.gov
Website: http://nvecac.com
The Nevada Department of Education Office of Early
Learning and Development (OELD) and the Nevada
State Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) are
partnering together to improve access and quality
of early learning environments and services for chil-
dren and their families, birth through third grade (B-
3rd). They will be sharing great family engagement
resources available for educators and administrators
across the state.

Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities

University of Nevada, Reno Nevada Department of Education
College of Education Office of Educator Licensure
Mail Stop 285 700 E. Fifth Street
Reno, NV 89557 Carson City, NV 89701

Contact: Diana Rovetti, Program Coordinator Contact: Joyce Hilley

Phone: (775) 784-4921
Email: nced@unr.edu
Website: www.nced.info
The Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities
(NCED) creates a bridge between science and prac-
tice by sharing research-based best practice evidence
with communities. The NCED’s mission is to work co-
operatively with consumers (people with disabilities,
family members, etc.), agencies and programs to as-
sist Nevadans of all ages with disabilities to be inde-
pendent and productive citizens, fully integrated into
their communities.
Phone: (775) 687-5979
Email: jhilley@doe.nv.gov
Website:http://www.doe.nv.gov/Educator_Licen-
sure/
The mission of the Nevada Department of Education
Office of Educator Licensure is to provide top-quality
customer service and to effectively & efficiently eval-
uate educator license applications in an expeditious
manner, while ensuring that only those fully-qualified
are licensed.

5
 Share Fair Participants
Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center vision and hearing impairments. The project provides
(NDALC)
2820 W. Charleston Boulevard, #B-11
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Contact: Yasodara Cabrera
Phone: (702) 257-8150
Email: yasodara@ndalc.org
Website: www.ndalc.org
statewide technical assistance to support parents,
service providers, and other service agencies in meet-
ing the educational needs of children who have dual
sensory impairments.
Nevada Housing Division
1830 College Parkway, Suite #200
Carson City, NV 89706

Nevada Disability Advocacy & Law Center (NDALC) is Contact: Elizabeth Fadali
a private, statewide, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization Phone: (775) 687-2238
that serves as Nevada’s federally-mandated protec- Email: efadali@housing.nv.gov
tion and advocacy system for human, legal, and ser- Website: http://housing.nv.gov/
vice rights for individuals with disabilities.
NVHousingSearch.org is a rental housing locator and
Services provided by NDALC include, but are not lim- call center provided as a public service by the Nevada
ited to: information and referral services, education, Housing Division.
training, negotiation, mediation, investigation of re-
ported or suspected abuse/neglect, legal counsel, Nevada PEP (Parents Encouraging Parents)
technical assistance, and public policy work.
7211 West Charleston Avenue
NDALC has offices in Las Vegas, Reno, and Elko with Las Vegas, NV 89149
services provided statewide. All services are offered
at no cost to eligible individuals in accordance with Contact: Robin Kinkaid, Educational Services Director
NDALC’s available resources and service priorities. Phone: (702) 388-8899
Email: rkincaid@nvpep.org
Website: www.nvpep.org
Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment Project
University of Nevada Reno Nevada PEP is a nonprofit organization that provides
College of Education information, services and training to Nevada families
Mail Stop 278 of children with disabilities, including those who are
Reno, NV 89557 at risk or who have serious emotional disturbances
and their service providers.
Contact: MaryAnn Demchak
Phone: (775) 784-6471
Email: mad@unr.edu
Website: www.unr.edu/educ/ndsip/

The purpose of the Nevada Dual Sensory Impairment

Project is to enhance the educational services provid-
ed to children and youth, birth through 21 years, with

6
 Share Fair Participants
Nevada Special Education Technology Newton Learning Center
Assistance Project (NSETAP) 4895 Village Green Parkway
P.O. Box 603 Reno, NV 89519
Carson City, NV 89703
Contact: Rebecca Larrieu
Contact: Liz Isaacs Phone: (775) 358-0808
Phone: (775) 283-2315 Email: rebeccaj@secondstart.org
Fax: (775) 283-2392 Website: http://www.secondstart.org
Email: nsetap@aol.com
Website: www.nsetap.com Licensed as a Private School with the Nevada De-
partment of Education, our school functions as a
Explore how assistive technology can support our social-cognitive school for students needing a more
students. The Nevada Special Education Technology individualized approach. The need for individualized
Assistance Project (NSETAP) is funded by the Nevada attention in the areas of academics and social think-
Department of Education. The project works to en- ing is critical to our students.
hance the capacity of school districts to provide as-
sistive technology services and devices. It provides Many of our students have been diagnosed on the
free services to school district teams for making in- Autism Spectrum or similar disorders and find it dif-
formed decisions regarding assistive technology de- ficult to concentrate for long periods of time in large
vices and/or services which meet state and federal mainstream school classrooms. Our school has a low
mandates. Services include consideration of assistive student to classroom staff ratio of 8:1. Our program is
technology, assistance with assessment, training, and intensive and produces results.
an equipment loan library.

Northern Nevada Center for Independent

Nevada State Library Talking Book Services Living
100 North Stewart Street 999 Pyramid Way
Carson City, NV 89701 Sparks, NV 89431

Contact: Elizabeth Williams Contact: Deb Maijala

Phone: (775) 684-3381 Email: deb@nncil.org
Email: hwilliams@admin.nv.gov Phone: (775) 997-4294
Website: http://nsla.nv.gov Website: http://www.nncil.org

Nevada Talking Book Services (NTBS) is a free library
service for Nevadans who are unable to use standard
print materials due to a visual or physical disability.
Books and players are mailed to and from our patrons
postage free. The library's collection includes fiction
and nonfiction audio books and magazines for all
ages.
Learn about government programs that help low-in-
come people find affordable rental housing. Each of
the programs - subsidized housing, public housing,
and housing choice vouchers - is different. Get the
details on how they work, who is eligible, and how
to apply.

7
 Share Fair Participants
NSHA Coalition Opportunity Alliance Nevada
3040 Camill Drive 639 Isbell Road, Suite #460
Reno, NV 89509 Reno, NV 89509

Contact: Nancy Kuhles Contact: Tracy Sherwood

Phone: (775) 772-4831 Phone: (775) 219-3789
Email: nkuhles119@gmail.com Email: OpportunityAllianceNV@gmail.com
Website: http://www.nvcoalition.com Website: http://OpportunityAllianceNV.org

NSHA Coalition to Address Personnel Shortage in
Special Education and Related services address re-
cruitment, retention and training issues.
NWEA
121 NW Everett Street
Portland, OR 97209
Contact: Kimm Rombardo
Phone: (949) 235-6362
Email: MAPSupportNV@nwea.org
Website: http://NWEA.org
NWEA is a research-based, not-for-profit organization
that supports students and educators worldwide by
creating assessment solutions that precisely measure
growth and proficiency—and provide insights to help
tailor instruction. For 40 years, NWEA has developed
Pre-K–12 assessments and professional learning of-
ferings to help advance all students along their opti-
mal learning paths. Our tools are trusted by educators
in more than 9,500 schools, districts, and education
agencies in 145 countries.
Opportunity Alliance Nevada supports the financial
capability of all Nevadans by providing financial lit-
eracy resources, training for financial coaches, advo-
cating for financial capability policies, and educating
Nevadans about financial skills needed to become
financial capable.
The Opportunity Foundation of America
1943 E. Severn Circle
Holladay, UT 84124
Contact: Ron Williams
Phone: (801) 759-4500
Email: ronwilliams@ofoa.net
Website: http://www.ofoa.net/
The Opportunity Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization with a mission to improve the
quality of life for children and adults with profound
physical challenges, and their families, through the
use of the EagleEyes and Camera Mouse Technolo-
gies. EagleEyes and Camera Mouse are innovative eye
and head controlled technologies that act as a mouse
replacement system for the computer and help chil-
dren and adults with physical disabilities interact and
learn by using the computer.

8
 Share Fair Participants
Think Kindness Western Nevada College
316 California Avenue 2201 West College Parkway
Reno, NV 89502 Carson City, NV 89703

Contact: Brian Williams Contact: Susan Trist

Phone: (775) 636-8026 Email: susan.trist@wnc.edu
Email: brian@thinkkindness.org Phone: (775) 445-4459
Website: www.thinkkindness.org Website: http://wnc.edu/dss

Think Kindness provides programs and resources to
create massive kindness movements within schools
across the country. With assembly and year-round
kindness leadership programs, they are able to posi-
tively impact school cultures by inspiring kindness.
Truckee Meadows Community College
Career Connect
7000 Dandini Blvd.
RDMT 115
Reno, NV 89512
Contact: Olga Mesina
Phone: (775) 673-7286
Email: omesina@tmcc.edu
Website: http://www.tmcc.edu/career-connect/
To meet the educational needs of Nevadans living
throughout the college’s five-county, 8,049-square-
mile area, Western Nevada College operates three
campus locations and several rural instructional cen-
ters. With the increased delivery of video and web
education, students living in any part of our service
area should be able to complete a degree program in
their own community.
The Disability Support Services office offers a transi-
tion program for students preparing to enter college.
College Readiness for Students in Transition or CREST
is a program designed to ease students from high
school to college by providing them with the tools
necessary to succeed as well as supports throughout
their first year.

CareerConnect is a grant-funded program dedicated

to assisting qualifying students in completing a cer-
tificate or degree program at Truckee Meadows Com-
munity College, and then finding employment after-
wards.

9
 Vendors
Vendor Location: Emerald Bay Foyer
Exhibit Hours:
Saturday, May 4th
7:00 AM – 6:15 PM
Sunday, May 5th
7:00 AM – 11:45 AM
You will find an Exhibitor Sheet in your registration
packet. Please take a moment to visit the vendor
exhibits and learn about the latest curriculum sup-
port materials and products they have to offer. Have
all of the vendors sign your Exhibitor Sheet and turn
it in to the registration desk on Sunday morning
before the closing keynote for an opportunity to win
a prize! Please be sure to put your name and phone
number on your sheet. Winners will be posted Sun-
day at the registration desk.
Vendors
Curriculum Associates
153 Rangeway Road
North Billerica, MA 01862
Contact: Carrie Hartland, Educational Consultant
Phone: (800) 225-0248
Email: dorefice@cainc.com
Website: http://curriculumassociates.com
For 50 years, Curriculum Associates (CA) has been
united around one common purpose: to make class-
rooms better places for teachers and students. In the
years since, we've remained driven by this mission,
introducing and then constantly improving innova-
tive and exciting products that give every student
the chance to succeed. We believe teachers are the
essential glue between our programs and classroom
success, so we strive to empower them with the tools
10
and resources to accelerate student growth. Together
with educators we're making equitable learning pro-
grams a reality—raising the bar and making it reach-
able for all.
Discovery Education
8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1200
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Contact: Scott Burns
Phone: (720) 476-2250
Email: sburns@discoveryed.com
Website: http://www.discoveryeducation.com
As the global leader in standards-based digital con-
tent for K-12 classrooms worldwide, Discovery Edu-
cation is transforming teaching and learning with
award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia con-
tent, professional learning, and the largest profes-
sional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5
million educators and over 50 million students, Dis-
covery Education’s services are available in approxi-
mately half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all pri-
mary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries
around the globe. Inspired by the global media com-
pany Discovery Inc., Discovery Education partners
with districts, states, and like-minded organizations
to captivate students, empower teachers, and trans-
form classrooms with customized solutions that in-
crease academic achievement. Explore the future of
education at DiscoveryEducation.com.
Infinite Campus, Inc.
4321 109th Avenue NE
Blaine, MN 55449
Contact: Denise Salyers
Phone: (800) 850-2335
Email: denise.salyers@infinitecampus.com
Website: http://infinitecampus.com
Infinite Campus is a comprehensive, Web-based K-12
student information system (SIS) with real-time ac-
 Vendors
cess to administration, instruction, communication,
curriculum, reporting and analysis, data warehousing
functionality and more. For more than 25 years, Infi-
nite Campus has successfully implemented its solu-
tions for customers of all sizes.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

2700 La Frontera Blvd.
Round Rock, TX 78681

Contact: Anna Ishihara

Phone: (626) 710-7383
Email: Anna.Ishihara@hmhco.com
Website: https://hmhco.com

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) is a global learning

company committed to delivering integrated solu-
tions that engage learners, empower educators and
improve student outcomes.

11
 Conference Sessions
Friday, May 3, 2019 Saturday, May 4, 2019

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Welcome
Keynote Address – Emerald Bay A/B
Go Forth and Be Bold: Educating for the Future
Weston Kieschnick, International
Center for Leadership in Education
Continental Breakfast – Emerald Bay Foyer
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Keynote Address – Emerald Bay A/B
Diversity: Every Brain is Wired Differently

Wisdom informs innovation; the John Medina, Developmental

latter simply cannot exist without
the former. In the push for schools
of the future, we need to take an
honest look at the strategies and
practices of our past. Which need
to accompany us on the path for-
ward, and which need to go the way of the floppy
disk? The world’s best educators operate in the space
where wisdom and innovation coalesce, rather than
compete for time. The elite skills of our predecessors
need a place in classrooms of the future. Weston Ki-
eschnick will share his findings after spending more
than 15 years coaching some of the most talented
educators from all 50 states and more than 30 coun-
tries around the world. He will explore how these
masters of pedagogy and technology try early, fail
often, and pursue excellence with joy to create bold,
blended learning experiences that work.
Molecular Biologist and Author
There are as many unique learn-
ing styles as there are people,
and this is due to their indi-
vidually wired brain. How can
educators effectively teach their
students, given this diversity? In
this talk, designed for the non-specialist, we will dis-
cuss how this wiring affects learning and what educa-
tors can do to improve their teaching skills in today’s
challenging classrooms.

7:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Share Fair – Emerald Bay 123 & Foyer
Non-Profit Educational Providers of Nevada

Please join us for this networking session designed

to provide opportunities to learn about various non-
profit organizations who offer materials and support
to educators and parents. For a complete list of Share
Fair participants, please see pages 3-9 of the program.

Please note, participation is REQUIRED for credit.

12
 Conference Sessions
9:45 AM – 11:15 AM veloping adolescent. The talk focuses on a suite of be-
haviors termed “executive function”, how it works in
Breakout Sessions
the adolescent mind and how it affects their learning.
We end by describing how you can boost executive
Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing
function in adolescents, and how that improvement
Tomorrow’s Schools, Today- Emerald Bay 123
leads to increased academic performance.
Tom Murray, The International Center for Leadership in
Education
Excellent Elementary Schools: Policy and Prac-
tice Levers for Change - Garden 1
Having no historical precedent, the current speed of
technological breakthroughs has lead to the coming
Anna Severens, Nevada Department of Education,
age of workplace automation, dramatically altering
Melissa M. Burnham & Sherry Waugh, University of
the world of work that our students will enter upon
Nevada, Reno and Sharon Ritchie, FirstSchool NC
graduation. With the vast disparities of inequity that
have existed for centuries, all that is known about
Achievement gaps do not start at Third Grade. Come
how students learn, and the predictions regarding
join us for an interactive presentation and discus-
the world that our students will face tomorrow, utiliz-
sion about how Nevada is working towards Birth-3rd
ing a traditional, one-size-fits-all approach to teach-
Grade (B-3) alignment to provide education innova-
ing and learning is educational malpractice.
tions and supports to ensure successful outcomes for
ALL of our youngest students. This work over the last
Built upon the foundation of leadership and school
couple years has included NDE and higher education
culture, a redesigned learning experience fundamen-
leaders, national partners (National P-3 Center and
tally shifts the teaching and learning paradigm to one
First School NC), and Nevada pilot sites and statewide
that is personal, while altering the use of authentic as-
focus groups including 0-5 and K-3 teachers and ad-
sessments, how technology is leveraged, the spaces
ministrators from across the state, and will be inform-
in which the learning occurs, the way educators grow
ing an exciting NDE/NSHE Partnership to develop a
professionally, how schools collaborate with the com-
B-3 professional leadership program and policy rec-
munity, and ultimately, the sustainability of the sys-
ommendations to further lead this work in the state.
tem as a whole. In this session, Murray will dissect
Nevada has been working on B-3 alignment for sev-
these eight keys, which each serve as a puzzle piece
eral years, with the most recent efforts funded by
for redesigning the learning experience, to unlock
the federal Preschool Development Grant in partner-
tomorrow’s schools so that today’s modern learners
ship with TPI. Come hear more about the past, pres-
leave ready to create new industries, find new cures,
ent, and future of this work and how it continues to
and solve world problems. We must create tomor-
move forward in Nevada. B-3 is a national reform ap-
row’s schools today and you are part of the solution.
proach to improve the quality and coherence of chil-
dren’s learning opportunities before formal entry into
school and extending through elementary school.
Attack of the Teenage Brain - Emerald Bay 456
It is about creating alignment of two very different
worlds by “taking the best of 0-5, and the best of K-3”
John Medina, Developmental Molecular Biologist and
when looking at things like curriculum, assessment
Author
and instructional practices across this continuum.
In this session, we will discuss the biology and behav-
ior of the world’s most challenging student: the de-

13
 Conference Sessions
Curriculum Design Cycle: Designing for a Bet- Literacy Learning & Engagement Through Arts
ter Tomorrow- Garden 2 Integration Teaching Strategies - Tallac
(Mountain Tower 12th Floor)
Gregg McGough, Columbia Borough School District
Maryjane Dorofachuk, Nevada Arts Council, Tia Flores,
It is time to end the cycle of implementing a one- Caitlin McCarty, Sierra Arts Foundation and
size-fits-all curriculum model. Borrowing from the Debe Rougeau, Washoe County School District
design thinking process, participants will engage in
hands-on/minds-on activities that will push think- Research has shown that using arts integration teach-
ing and facilitate academic creativity. This session will ing strategies, students are more engaged in the
help teachers implement a personalized curriculum learning process and retain information at a deeper
design cycle that will lead to actual changes in class- level. Arts integration strategies use the creative pro-
room instruction and assessment. This session was cess as pedagogy to connect to core subjects. In this
designed with both administrators and teachers in session, the presenters will demonstrate effective arts
mind. Please bring a laptop/digital device so that you integration teaching strategies that can be easily in-
can access the FREE resources. corporated into any classroom setting.

Arts integration is an approach to teaching in which

Nevada's Need for SEAD: Social-Emotional students construct and demonstrate understanding
Academic Development - Zephyr (Mountain through an art form. Students engage in a creative
Tower 12th Floor) process which connects an art form and another sub-
ject area and meets evolving objectives in both. (The
Tara Madden-Dent and Miki Trujillo, Nevada Kennedy Center’s definition of Arts Integration)
Department of Education
Currently in Nevada, only 45 percent of 3rd grade
To meet all students’ whole-child needs, the Nevada students are proficient in literacy. Which means 55
Department of Education has initiated innovative and percent are not. Being proficient in literacy is a vital
effective statewide practices that reinforce child and component to students' academic success. Tia Flores,
adult social-emotional skills using a multi-tiered sys- Arts Education Program Director at Sierra Arts Foun-
tems of support (MTSS) framework. By incorporating dation, and Caitlin McCarty Dance Teaching Artist,
social-emotional practices (e.g., Reflective Opening are aligning the Nevada Department of Education’s
and Closing Circles) speakers will introduce examples Read by Three initiative with a literacy focused arts in-
of these new social-emotional practices being inte- tegration program in the Washoe County School Dis-
grated into topics such as early childhood academ- trict. Flores will explain what arts integration is and
ics, educator preparation and in-service training, and McCarty, a lead arts integration specialist with Sierra
mental health services. Throughout this interactive Arts Foundation, will demonstrate how to integrate
session, attendees will exchange experiences, con- creative movement with literacy learning.
cerns, best practices, and suggestions to mastermind
social-emotional integration ideas to integrate across Debe Rougeau, an Adaptive Physical Education Spe-
classrooms, schools, districts, the state, and out-of- cialist, will discuss how to adapt this program for stu-
school-time contexts. Attendees will also have the dents with disabilities.
opportunity to make new connections with other
participants to encourage future collaboration. Maryjane Dorofachuk, Arts Learning Specialist for
the Nevada Arts Council, will introduce the Artists in
Schools + Communities Roster, an online resource
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 Conference Sessions
for schools, organizations and communities seeking Brain-Based Learning: Teaching Distracted
to engage teaching artists. Roster artists are experi- Learner - Emerald Bay B
enced in collaborating with schools and communities
to conduct arts learning and cultural experiences in, Lin Kuzmich, Kuzmich Consulting Services
through or/about the arts.
Our digital learners are different. Spending time so-
cializing, playing and learning online creates new
opportunities and challenges with today’s learners.
11:30 AM – 12:45 PM One of the issues is the level of distraction. Explore
Luncheon the issues and impact on young brains. Learn about
Sand Harbor Ballrooms – Harrah’s Conference the impact of online living on the brain and learning.
Center (Lunch provided) Explore five key strategies for dealing with distracted
learners effectively as we fight for their attention in
Superintendent’s our classrooms around the world!
Recognition Luncheon

Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Tech Tools for Student Engagement and

Public Instruction, The Nevada Teacher Effectiveness - Emerald Bay 123
Department of Education
Tom Murray, International Center for Leadership in
This special luncheon will recog- Education
nize Nevada schools and individuals who have dem-
onstrated innovative practices in order to help stu- Join this hands-on session to explore a myriad of digi-
dents succeed. tal tools that will empower you to further engage the
students in your classroom. From dynamic open digi-
Please note, participation in the Superintendent's tal content, to tools for formative assessment, to ways
to communicate effectively and efficiently and teach-
Luncheon is REQUIRED for credit.
er time savers, this session will be learner-centered
and collaborative. Various tools will be modeled and
participant ideas explored. Bring your devices and
come ready to share your favorite digital tools!
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Breakout Sessions
Build it and They Will Come: The Blue Print of
Examining Positive Discipline Practices and a Multi-Tiered System of Support for Mental
Building Relationships - Emerald Bay A and Behavioral Health - Emerald Bay 456
Maisah Howard, International Center for Leadership in Shauna Bake & Sarah Hannonen, Pershing County
Education School District

This session examines traditional methods of school
discipline, and introduces restorative approaches as
an alternative. This session offers restorative prac-
tices, restorative language, and relationship building
that practitioners and school leaders can utilize in
creating a school family culture.
The workload for a school counselor in a traditional
role can be overwhelming, and the number of stu-
dents with mental or behavioral health concerns con-
tinues to increase. This workshop will describe Persh-
15
 Conference Sessions
ing County School District’s shift from a traditional
counseling approach to a Multi-Tiered System of Sup-
port (MTSS) for mental and behavioral health, how to
use data to identify students in need of support, and
how to expand the services that can be offered. Par-
ticipants will also learn strategies that every educator
can use in the classroom to promote positive men-
tal health and a positive classroom environment, and
walk away with an energized approach to providing
mental health supports in the school setting!
learning blast into hyperspace! Join educators from
Clark County (urban) and Carson City (rural) School
Districts to explore a variety of tools and strategies
that will transform access, equity, effectiveness of
teaching and learning, with a focus on Universal De-
sign for Learning (UDL) in the least restrictive environ-
ment. A variety of resources, many free and low cost,
will be provided. Bring a device for this interactive
session.

Implementing a High Quality Intervention

Building Blocks of Achievement: Creating the and Enrichment Block to Ensure Student Suc-
Foundation of Success - Garden 1 cess - Zephyr (Mountain Tower 12th Floor)

Holli Ratliff & Amy White, Josh Stevens Elementary Barry Bosacker, Albert Rodriguez & Nicole Spittell, C.P.
School Squires Elementary School

Josh Stevens Elementary opened in August 2017 as a Over the past two years, C.P. Squires Elementary fo-
franchise partner school to C.T. Sewell Elementary. As cused on improving systems and processes so all
a new school, the immediate focus was on building students' needs were met in Tier 2 and Tier 3 literacy
community, while creating a school culture uniting all instruction. Through quality teacher collaboration,
stakeholders together for children and holding high effective use of data, and a unified focus on student
expectations for staff and students. In this session, progress, the team at C.P. Squires has quickly found
participants will explore meaningful approaches for major success in helping all students become profi-
creating and strengthening school culture, building cient readers.
and maintaining positive relationships with all stake-
holders, and utilizing educator strengths and talents In this session, we will focus on the development, im-
to promote school-wide instructional capacity and plementation, and outcomes of the reading interven-
increase student achievement. tion and enrichment system at C.P. Squires Elemen-
tary School. The presentation will focus on our overall
goals of creating a systematic approach to improving
Bridging the Gap Through Innovation & Digi- the reading skills of all learners while creating a col-
tal Tools - Garden 2 laborative community of teachers that feel a collec-
tive responsibility for all students. During the session,
Jared Baer & Natalie Jones, Clark County School District participants will learn how we use data to create in-
WINGS Initiative and Kyle Anderson, Andrea Callaghan, structional groups, set specific success criteria for stu-
Liz Isaacs, LeAnn Morris, Marjorie Rispin & Sarah Santos, dents in each instructional group, and adjust group-
Carson City School District Technology Integration ings using collected data. Additionally, we will share
processes we have created to systematically monitor
How do we increase academic achievement and stu- progress of students and create a professional learn-
dent engagement for our high-need student popula- ing community where teachers focus on student
tions? By implementing innovative digital apps and learning and improvement.
extensions, then watching student engagement and
Participants will walk away from the session with new
16
 Conference Sessions
ideas on how to design and implement an effective
intervention and enrichment block in an elementary
school setting. Additionally, participants will have op-
portunities to collaborate with the presenters and
others in the session on current practices and how to
implement new ideas at their respective school sites.
Join us for a rich conversation about moving the nee-
dle for all readers.
A Seat at the Table for Everyone: Flexible Seat- of students of color and low-income students com-
ing & Teaching - Tallac (Mountain Tower 12th pared to their counterparts. The session examines
Floor) underlying explanations for the persistent gaps, and
Michael Patterson & Kristen Taylor, Advanced
Technologies Academy
After 40+ years of collective teaching experience, we
have made dramatic changes to our classroom en-
vironment and our teaching practices to meet the
needs of ALL of our students. We have changed the
classroom environment to include flexible seating
options -- desks and chairs have been replaced with
restaurant booths, bean bags, bar tables and couch-
es. We are transitioning our classrooms from the stat-
ic, boring, unwelcoming model that has been used
for the last century to a more engaging and inviting
place. While environment is important to this rede-
sign, we have found the pedagogical changes to be
an even more important component. Some of those
redesign elements include: a reduction in whole
group instruction, greater emphasis on peer-to-peer
discussions, open seating with a variety of seating
choices for enhanced grouping options, the use of
technology to provide immediate formative informa-
tion to both the teacher and the student, an online
course structure to aide in tracking student progress,
the ability to differentiate for each student, flexible
pacing that accommodates a wide range of abilities
and learning styles. Come learn how we moved from
the antiquated teacher-centered classroom to a STU-
DENT-CENTERED classroom full of vibrancy, flexibility,
learning and success.
2:45 PM – 4:15 PM
Breakout Sessions
Closing the Achievement Gap: Research,
Theory, & Practice - Emerald Bay A
Tyrone Howard, International Center for Leadership in
Education
This session examines the chronic underperformance
viable interventions to reduce academic disparities.
Want Rapid Literacy Growth? Teach
Vocabulary in Context - Emerald Bay B
Lin Kuzmich, Kuzmich Consulting Services
The National Reading Panel and several of the world’s
experts in literacy have excellent research to show the
benefits in terms of literacy and assessment when we
teach vocabulary in context. Isolated word lists, drill
and kill and dictionary look-ups do not produce the
same results. Learn these five key actions that com-
petent readers take with vocabulary in the context
of text and other sources. Teach these actions and all
readers improve not only in comprehension but also
in speaking and writing.
Moving from One Star to Three and BEYOND!
- Emerald Bay 123
Joanna AuCoin & Michon Pincolini, Lemelson STEM
Academy
In this session you will hear from administrators on
how their school went from being identified in the
bottom 3% in the state of NV to making the second
highest growth in the state. You will learn from their
mistakes, gain insight on the must do's, and leave
17
with resources to use immediately.
 Conference Sessions
Live Your Excellence Starting Today! -
Emerald Bay 456
Jimmy Casas, J Casas and Associates
As educators, we must regularly ask ourselves: Have
we grown complacent? Have we settled for the sta-
tus quo? It’s our job not to let average become the
standard. When a classroom or school is in need of
transformation, leadership is at its most critical and
the fate of a school rests on its teachers and leader’s
ability to gain support. If you’re the type of educa-
tor who wants to inspire greatness in everyone who
passes through your classroom and school’s halls,
this presentation is a can’t miss. You will learn what it
takes to raise expectations for all students and staff,
foster the belief in one’s ability to achieve, and create
an environment where everyone takes pride in sup-
porting each other toward excellence!
Such exercises include:
• How to conduct an evaluation of a school’s
school climate, current practices, and
capacity
• How to form a mental and behavioral health
team
• What key components are necessary for
successful implementation
• What data to consider
• How to organize, prioritize, and record data
• What data-based decision making looks like
Building Teacher Capacity Through Engage-
ment Strategies - Garden 2
Sarah Dlouhy, Robert Hinchliffe, Jessica Garcia & Abbie
Peterson, Helen Smith Elementary School

Helen Marie Smith Elementary School teachers will be

Healthy Minds, Safe Schools: A Multi-Tiered presenting simple engagement strategies that teach-
System of Support for Mental and Behavioral ers can use throughout their instructional lesson.
Health - Garden 1 These simple ideas get students excited to learn and
make learning fun at all elementary levels. Having
Alison Clark & Katherine Dockweiler, Lucille Rogers hosted the "Ignite Your Passion for Teaching" confer-
Elementary School ence at their school in February, these educators look
to take the ideas from that day and continue to build
Last year, Healthy Minds, Safe Schools was a high- teacher capacity throughout the state and country.
lighted program under a phased roll out and this year, All strategies shared can be utilized the next day in
the presenters will share the substantial growth and the classroom and promise to get students ready to
positive impact of the program in full-scale roll out learn. Teachers will be able to take away simple plans
and offer tips for educators to use on their campuses. and will also be involved in making items that can
The six foundational components of Healthy Minds, ramp up the engagement in the classroom.
Safe Schools will be reviewed and aligned with the
prevailing theory of LIQUID, and will walk participants
through how the mental and behavioral model fits
into existing tiered support frameworks. The present-
ers will discuss how to build a program from within
using existing resources and will engage participants
in exercises to promote positive and caring classroom
communities that will improve student-teacher rela-
tionships and classroom culture.

18
 Conference Sessions
College and Career Readiness through 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
EnvisionIT - Zephyr (Mountain Tower 12th Refreshment Break – Emerald Bay Foyer
Floor)
4:45 PM – 6:15 PM
Linda Acciari & Dana Fenili, Yerington High School Breakout Sessions
EnvisionIT has provided a foundation of curriculum Race & Culture in the Classroom -
that is free. At Yerington High School, we have creat- Emerald Bay A
ed an elective course titled College and Career Readi-
ness that uses this platform to help ALL students to ac- Tyrone Howard, International Center for Leadership in
cess levels of independently paced learning modules Education
in order to be better prepared for college or a career.
The program at YHS focuses on an inclusion setting In this session, school personnel will be introduced
with students with cognitive impairments accessing to the important role that race and culture have on
the same curriculum as their general education peers.teaching and learning. School personnel will be intro-
Our presentation will focus on the implementation of duced to important data, concepts, and knowledge
the program, the successes and hurdles, and time for that is designed to increase racial awareness and im-
attendees to walk through a module on their own. prove cultural competence. Participants will be ex-
posed to strategies, resources, skills, and approaches
that can create inclusive classrooms for all learners.
Comprehension Strategies to Ensure Success This session is conducted by Tyrone Howard who is
for All Students, Specifically Targeting Stu- a professor of education in the Graduate School of
dents in Special Education Settings - Tallac Education & Information Studies at UCLA. His work
(Mountain Tower 12th Floor) for the last 20 years has focused on culturally relevant
pedagogy, the role of race and culture in the class-
Laurie Barkemeyer, Vanderburg Elementary, Tracie
room, and creating cultural democracies to enhance
Bolin, Galloway Elementary, and Jennifer Doran, Jean
learning. A former classroom teacher in the Compton
Mizell & Jana Pleggenkuhle, Clark County School
Unified School District, his work focuses specifically
District
on schools with culturally diverse students.
This session focuses on administering and analyzing
formative assessments, to create appropriate instruc- Intelligent Lives- Including Students with In-
tional groupings, and drive the planning of targeted tellectual Disabilities - Emerald Bay B
reading instruction. During this session, participants
will explore, examine, and practice with data talk Julie Bowers & CJ Fields, the Nevada Department of
samples. Participants will use samples to plan for ex- Education
plicit and effective instruction. Presenters will cover
various teaching strategies and instructional materi- This presentation will feature a screening of Dan
als. Through discussion and activities, participants Habib’s movie, Intelligent Lives. The Intelligent Lives
will leave with a data talk template/spreadsheet and website describes the movie in the following way:
comprehension improvement strategies to support INTELLIGENT LIVES stars three pioneering young
student academic success. American adults with intellectual disabilities – Micah,
Naieer, and Naomie – who challenge perceptions of
intelligence as they navigate high school, college,

19
 Conference Sessions
and the workforce. Academy Award-winning actor Stop. Right. Now. – The 39 Stops to Making
and narrator Chris Cooper contextualizes the lives of Schools Better - Emerald Bay 456
these central characters through the emotional per-
sonal story of his son Jesse, as the film unpacks the Jimmy Casas, J Casas and Associates
shameful and ongoing track record of intelligence
testing in the U.S. School can be amazing. But for far too long, many
practices have continued simply because “that is the
INTELLIGENT LIVES challenges what it means to be way we have always done it. ” The status quo and av-
intelligent, and points to a future in which people of erage results are no longer acceptable!
all abilities can fully participate in higher education,
meaningful employment, and intimate relationships. Authors and education leaders Jimmy Casas and Jef-
This presentation will follow-up the screening of the frey Zoul identity 39 practices, programs, processes,
film with a look at Nevada’s inclusion data for indi- philosophies, and people problems that schools
viduals with intellectual and multiple disabilities and must eliminate in order to improve education for all
provide an opportunity for discussion related to the involved. Schools are inspiring and joyous places, but
inclusion of these students. they can be so much better. In this session, Jimmy in-
vites you to join a campaign to do less by. . .

Ensuring Effective PLCs: The Data Teams Pro-
cess - Emerald Bay 123
Lissa Pijanowski, International Center for Leadership in
Education
Are your PLCs effective? Are you seeing the student
gains you desire? A significant amount of research
and evidence repeatedly demonstrates that collabo-
ration is key to school improvement. In this session,
Lissa will share with you the meaning of "Disciplined
Collaboration" through the lens of the definitive
5-step Data Teams™ process—a means to achieve rig-
orous learning for all students. You will gain insight
into creative problem solving, instructional innova-
tion, and systemic implementation and monitoring
of curriculum that will lead to positive results.
• Putting an end to more solely for the sake of
more
• Not doing things merely because they have
always been done
• Saying no to what doesn’t work
• Finding better ways to serve students—and
the entire school community
Fun, Fast, Formative Assessments Using
Technology - Garden 1
Nancy Bleuer & Serdar Yuksekkaya, Coral Academy of
Science Las Vegas, Centennial Hills Campus
Assessments can be daunting. How can you get the
formative data you need in a quick and easy way?
Why with technology, of course! Learn some fabulous
tools that can get that data quickly and allow you to
focus on your teaching.

Learn to define the difference between formative and

summative assessment, as well as great technological
tools to collect that data! Presenters in this session will
be using various free to premium technological tools
to not only present the information but to “assess”
participants as hands-on activities. This will allow you
20
 Conference Sessions
to see the formative assessment in action and allow Language and Foundational Skill Acquisition
you to take this information and use it immediately in through STEAM - Tallac (Mountain Tower 12th
your own classrooms. Floor)

Technology tools presented will vary in many ways. Wendy Thorn & Tammy Villarreal-Crabb, Doris French
The format of the tools will accommodate those Elementary School
classrooms with limited technology, as well as those
blessed with one to one technology. No matter what Implementing STEAM and project-based learn-
technology you have access to, whether it be tablets,
ing in the classroom setting helps increase English
Chromebooks, or PCs, you will find something you Language Learner and Special Education student
are looking for. Technology tools will be varied from
engagement, participation, and proficiency. Ideas,
rubrics to exit tickets, and will incorporate all grade
lesson plans, student work samples, and hands-on ac-
levels. tivities will demonstrate the connection to core sub-
jects and STEAM activities. Learn how to use the ac-
As this presentation is about technology, you would tivities to build language for EL students and engage
benefit from bringing your own form of technology: Special Education students in higher levels of learn-
laptops and/or tablets are encouraged. ing. STEAM allows students to demonstrate compre-
hension and application through alternate forms of
assessment. Participants will explore STEAM activities
From Phonics to Fluency-Move Your Students and resources and learn how to make content con-
From Phonics to Fluency - Zephyr (Mountain nections.
Tower 12th Floor)

Lisa Calvert & Katie Lombardo, Wallin Elementary

School

Join two amazing classroom teachers that know how

to maximize time on task with engaging strategies for
students. By using varied, fun activities, this session
will dig into strategies that are useful for teaching
phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, and flu-
ency.

The strategies will be modeled and participants will

walk away with hands on tools to improve instruction
immediately. Get ready to use music to create an en-
gaging environment where all students can be suc-
cessful readers. Join us for a fun-filled session where
you will not be disappointed.

Several free online resources will be suggested to aid

with the implementation of the standards.

21
 Conference Sessions
Sunday, May 5, 2019
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Full Breakfast – Emerald Bay Foyer
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Breakout Sessions
Creating Trauma Sensitive Classrooms -
Emerald Bay AB
Maisah Howard, International Center for Leadership in
Education
In this interactive session school personnel will be
introduced to the importance of understanding
trauma and how it affects children. This session high-
lights how trauma can profoundly affect students
academically, socio-emotionally, psychologically, and
physiologically. School personnel will be exposed to
strategies, classroom arrangements, and instruction-
al approaches that can be used to create supportive
and trauma sensitive classrooms. Maisah Howard is a
former classroom teacher. She is currently a Children’s
Social Worker with the Los Angeles County Depart-
ment of Children and Family Services. She has over
20 years of experience in child welfare. She has exten-
sive experience working with children and families to
keep children safe, identify necessary resources, and
help to remediate the need for child welfare interven-
tions. Maisah has provided professional development
for teachers and principals throughout the county fo-
cusing on ways teachers and administrators can help
to identify and support the needs of children and
families dealing with social emotional trauma.
22
Five to Thrive: Instructional Strategies That
Impact Learning - Emerald Bay 123
Lissa Pijanowski, International Center for Leadership in
Education
Standards will NOT improve achievement . . . IN-
STRUCTION will! Are there some instructional strate-
gies that have a greater impact than others? Which
strategies should become part of our Teachers' Tool-
box? How can we be more intentional with our lesson
design? It is imperative that we ensure teachers have
the knowledge and skills to implement strategies that
foster active and engaging learning environments.
The quality of instruction is the game changer and
where we need to ensure all teachers are consciously
competent. Join me for this interactive session and
walk away with five categories of strategies that work!
Inclusive Practices for Equal Access -
Emerald Bay 456
CJ Fields & Will Jensen, Nevada Department of
Education
This presentation will provide an overview of the na-
tional historic conditions faced by people with dis-
abilities leading up to deinstitutionalization and the
passage of the Education for All Handicapped Chil-
dren Act of 1975. The presenters will then discuss Ne-
vada’s history for students with disabilities and future
directions for providing them with more equitable
education and life outcomes. Central to this discus-
sion will be the inequities caused by the segregation
and exclusion of students with disabilities that inform
Nevada’s current push toward more inclusive oppor-
tunities for these students.
 Conference Sessions
Guerilla PD: Strategic & Tactical Strikes for K.I.D.S. Read, in supporting both sides. You will have
Instructional Improvement - Garden 1 the opportunity to hear from WCSD personnel on
how they have collaborated with teacher leaders to
Gregg McGough, Columbia Borough School District implement their own 4-week Literacy Clubs, ending
with a trip to a local Washoe County Library. You will
The era of large group professional development pro- also hear reflections from both families and teachers
grams is coming to an end. Guerilla PD was designed on how their practices have grown through this sup-
to meet a small team of teachers in their space and port and collaborative learning community.
provide them short PD sessions focused on a topic
of their choice. Districts looking to improve instruc-
tional quality can use this simple model to empower Teaching Reading Like a True Detective: Iden-
and support their teaching staff. Please bring digital tifying Clues, Following Their Trail and Solving
devices to this highly interactive session. the Case - Tallac (Mountain Tower 12th Floor)

Kevin Marie Laxalt, Nevada Department of Education

Improving Student Outcomes: Linking Family
Engagement Best Practices to Student Learn- This presentation has been designed to enhance K-3
ing - Garden 2 educators' prowess in teaching reading. Taking cues
from the world of detectives, participants will learn
Alberto Quintero, Nevada Department of Education critical strategies for identifying student clues, for fol-
and Jenny Peterson, Washoe County School District lowing where these clues lead them, and for ultimate-
ly solving each case. This will be a hands-on workshop
Over 50 years of research confirms that family en- that will include real-world video scenarios. A packet
gagement in a child’s education matters. Numer- of classroom-ready materials will be provided.
ous studies have found that family engagement in
a child’s education, regardless of income or back-
ground, leads to higher grades and test scores; enroll-
ment in advanced programs; improvement in school
attendance; better social-emotional skills; increased
graduation rates; and higher college persistence
rates. In fact, most experts note that family engage-
ment efforts are most effective when they are a part
of a comprehensive student support strategy that is
linked to learning and builds the capacity of those
involved (Effective Family and Community Engage-
ment Strategies, 2014).

The federal Dual Capacity-Building Framework for

Family-School Partnerships guides schools and dis-
tricts to think about capacity-building on both sides
of the partnership; families and educators. Please join
us to learn about the Washoe County School District’s
(WCSD) new practices in early literacy, tied to Nevada

23
 Conference Sessions
9:45 AM – 11:45 AM
Keynote Address - Emerald Bay A/B

The Truths All Educators Need to Know To Over-

come Their Fears and Experience Success

Jimmy Casas, J Casas & Associates

and
Tom Murry, International Center
for Leadership in Education

Remember what we said when

we sat in that interview chair?
Remember how we talked about
wanting to help all kids and how
we wanted to make a difference?
Do you still walk into school ev-
ery day with that same belief? If
not, what happened? How do we
get it back? Longtime educators
Thomas C. Murray and Jimmy
Casas both know what it's like to
lose your way, and to feel like you
are no longer able to make a difference. In this ses-
sion, Tom and Jimmy will share their personal experi-
ences, while addressing areas such as equity, creating
inspirational learning experiences, leveraging tech-
nology, and the cultures needed where students and
staff can thrive. They will provide practical tips that
will inspire you to want to go back and be the change
that you aspired for and committed to when you sat
in that interview chair so you and more importantly,
your students and staff, can experience the successes Your Opinion
they deserve.
Matters!
Please take a moment to fill out our
evaluation forms either online or on
paper. By doing so, you can help
drive future professional
development offerings.

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 Notes

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