Anti-Bullying Policy Planning and Development: Protecting Your Students and District
8-11 a.m.
Paul Liabenow, executive director, MEMSPA and retired superintendent Cadillac Area Public Schools
This session will demonstrate challenges faced by districts through an interactive exercise, and then review the necessary planning steps that the board of education and school administration must take to develop a thorough anti-bullying policy.

The Not-So Common Core
Noon-3 p.m.
Presented by Wendy Zdeb-Roper executive director, Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP)
Whether you’re currently for or against it, our state and nation are moving toward a set of national standards in the areas of language arts and math. As key communicators and decision-makers, members of local school boards must have a working understanding of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) to support the work being done by their districts and schools. This highly interactive Early Bird session is designed to provide:

• The rationale behind the move to the Common Core State Standards.
• An overview of what this transition will entail.
• Reasons to support this change and the increase in rigor.
• Ways that school boards and the community can support this transition.

Michigan Council of School Attorneys Fall Conference 

In 2011, the Michigan Legislature passed an unprecedented number of laws that resulted in substantial changes to the Teachers’ Tenure Act, the Public Employment Relations Act and the Revised School Code. After one year, school districts are facing unfair labor practice charges, tenure appeals and lawsuits, just as school boards and administrators attempt to comply with the amendments when bargaining, disciplining teachers and making decisions involving layoffs or recalls.

School board members and superintendents can turn to the Michigan Council of School Attorneys (MCSA) for guidance on how the decisions of the courts, Tenure Commission and Michigan Employment Relations Commission will affect their school districts. The 2012 edition of the MCSA Fall Conference is scheduled to include two Early Bird sessions for MASB’s Fall Conference that will focus on recent legal decisions interpreting the 2011 amendments as well as discussions on other legal issues currently confronting school officials.

Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn from the school law experts about the latest updates and details regarding complying with the Teachers’ Tenure Act, the Public Employment Relations Act, the Revised School Code and other school related laws.

Education in the Age of Disruptive Innovation
8:15-9:30 a.m.
Presented by Ian Jukes, founder, 21st Century Fluency Project
In today’s digital world, we’re witnessing the evolution of an incredible and turbulent new age. It’s the age of disruptive innovation — an age where every part of society is experiencing a complete upheaval due to the chronic and pervasive nature of change. The Age of Disruptive Innovation examines disruptive innovation, the changing nature of the workforce and identifies the critical 21st century skills that aren’t being addressed by our current educational model. This presentation, based on Jukes new book, Living on the Future Edge: Windows on Tomorrow from the 21st Century Fluency Project, provides a sense of how education can come to realize the longterm benefits of adapting to the current state of societal progress, and how students will ultimately benefit. Book signing during Exhibit Show.

Media Panel — A Different Perspective on the Way Public Education News is Delivered
3-4 p.m.
Featuring: John Bebow, executive director, Bridge Magazine; Julie Mack, K-12 reporter, Kalamazoo Gazette; Don Wyatt, senior regional editor/midwest, Patch.com, AOL Inc.
This is your opportunity to turn the tables on the media and ask your questions. Three media professionals will present a different perspective to view the way public education is covered in the media. How does the changing media landscape change the way relationships are built with media? What challenges and opportunities does this present? How can we make the most of it and still foster an understanding of public education? The majority of school districts no longer have in-house PR/communications professionals, so what can schools, board members and leaders do to help get the recognition and support that public education deserves?

Adaptive Leadership, Moving Education Forward
9:15-9:45 a.m.
Presentation of NSBA Award by C. Ed Massey, board member, Boone County Board of Education (Hebron, Ky.) and president, National School Boards Association (NSBA).

Leadership Through Troubling Times: What They See is What They’ll Get
10:05-11:15 a.m.
Jim Bearden, CSP, Bearden Resource Group
Regardless of how it sometimes seems, school district success isn’t really a “moving target.” Not only is student performance the primary measure of that success, it’s also the school district’s purpose for being. Processes for achieving and sustaining district success are different matters. Faced with ever tightening fiscal constraints and declining enrollment, some districts may be just hoping to survive. Others, however, continue to look for ways to win — to achieve even greater district success — regardless of the hands they’re dealt. According to Bearden, the key difference between those two approaches to troubling times is the quality of district leadership. Troubling times are ones in which heroic behavior is most needed. Troubling times are also those in which making heroic choices are most difficult. While there are plenty of people in every district who are able and willing to make such choices, there are also cultural barriers — real and perceived — that preclude their doing so. In this powerful keynote presentation, Bearden will describe the six things board members and administrators can do to eliminate those barriers and consciously create cultures that “unleash the heroes” in their midst. Book signing following presentation.


Districts Beating the Odds — Despite Risk Factors
3:30-4:15 p.m.
In this session you’ll hear from districts the Michigan Department of Education has identified as working smarter and harder despite their risk factors. These districts have risk factors such as a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, students learning the English language and minority students. You’ll be inspired and encouraged by their success stories.