FADSS 2021 Virtual Spring Conference Special Edition Enewsletter |
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The FADSS 2021 Virtual Spring Conference kicks-off next Wednesday, March 24 at 8:30 a.m. ET via FADSS Event Owl virtual platform. FADSS staff, along with a superintendent Design Team headed by FADSS President Mike Grego, have been working diligently to plan a robust 2-day virtual conference that will provide you with high-quality professional development, sharing of best practices, and substantive networking opportunities.
The Event Owl virtual format affords every superintendent the opportunity to participate regardless of location or other obligations, without having to leave their district. Another positive benefit is the inclusion of district leadership teams, district staff and school-based administrators in the FADSS Spring Conference.
In addition – we are launching the FADSS Event Owl App in conjunction with the Spring Conference which allows for easy access to, and participation in, the conference from any mobile device (see the article below for more details).
Enjoy this Special Edition Spring Conference Issue chock full of session highlights and information and we look forward to seeing you Wednesday, March 24 for the Spring Conference Kick-off!
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It is not too late to Register for FADSS 2021 Virtual Spring Leadership Conference...
If you have not already registered,
If you have any questions about registration contact Renae Wallace.
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Event Owl User Access Information |
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Event Owl User Access Emails will go out on
Monday, March 22 to all Registered Participants.
(Registration link above)
The email will include your unique auto-generated password which you will need to access the Event Owl platform.
To access the FADSS Virtual Spring Conference:
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Go to Event Owl platform
- Enter your email and the auto-generated password
You can access the platform from your desktop or from any mobile device with the Event Owl app.
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FADSS 2021 Virtual Spring Conference Session Sneak Peek |
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Wednesday, March 24 | Day 1, Track 1 | 9:15 a.m. EST
A Systemic Approach to the Challenges of Equity:
One District's Journey
By Impact Florida
In Palm Beach County, providing high-quality ELA materials to all students means more than just assessing the rigor of texts. It encompasses a broader set of activities, including selecting culturally-responsive curricular materials that resonate with their student populations, opening up advanced and accelerated course enrollment to make them more demographically representative, and supporting teachers in differentiating instruction for diverse learners without lowering expectations.
During next week’s 2021 FADSS Virtual Spring Conference, Impact Florida and the School District of Palm Beach County (SDPBC) will dive into the district’s vision for equity and the processes they use to further their vision during Wednesday’s interactive session: A Systemic Approach to the Challenges of Equity: One District’s Journey.
Dr. Diana Fedderman, SDPBC’s Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning and John I. Leonard Principal Melissa Patterson, will share how Palm Beach County has prioritized equity in its work, outlined in its school board’s equity policy and evident in the curriculum adoption rubric it used for ELA materials. The equity policy calls for the district to “eliminate implicit and explicit biases and create truly inclusive, culturally responsive school environments” for its staff and students, while the curriculum adoption rubric is used to hold publishers accountable to the district’s goals for culturally responsive materials.
In addition to the district’s vision for equity, during the session we will also examine Palm Beach’s “Masterboard” process that takes place at the school level. SDPBC uses the process to track its progress towards actively dismantling systemic barriers that exist as a result of long-held beliefs about specific groups of students. It provides an “equity check” of course enrollment data against school enrollment data — a more relevant comparison for schools than district or state comparisons.
The session will include Q&A so please bring your questions.
Homework to Maximize This Session
In preparation for this session, we encourage you to read Impact Florida’s Case for Impact about Palm Beach County and reflect on the following questions with your district team.
- Does your district have an Equity Policy? If so, is it comprehensive, or would you add/change portions of it? If not, how would it change your system’s work if you did?
- What systemic barriers exist within your schools or district that create inequitable access to high-quality instructional materials?
- If equity is a key piece of your district’s vision, what has grappling with the challenges of COVID-19 shown you about your students’ access to key instructional resources and opportunities? If equity is not a key strategic driver of your district’s shared vision, what has this pandemic made you realize about the need to include a focus on equity?
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Wednesday, March 24 | Day 1, Track 3 | 1:00 p.m. EST
Innovative Strategies to Address the COVID Learning Loss
Session Description
Addressing the significant learning loss caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic is a top priority for all superintendents in Florida as well as nationally. School districts throughout Florida are developing and implementing innovative strategies to tackle these unprecedented challenges. There is so much to learn from fellow superintendents as you all address these issues. Four Florida superintendents will share innovative strategies that have been successful for their district to address the COVID Learning Loss challenge.
Panelists:
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Dr. David Moore, Indian River County School District
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Supt. Cathy Mittelstadt, Flagler County School District
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Supt. Ken Kenworthy, Okeechobee County School District
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Supt. Russell Hughes, Walton County School Districts
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New Teacher Center
Desmond Blackburn
Executive Director
Atyani Howard
Chief Program Officer
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Thursday, March 25 | Day 2, Track 2 | 11:00 a.m. EST
Florida B.E.S.T. Standards:
5-Year Strategic Planning with the End in Mind
Session Description:
NTC believes that the B.E.S.T. Standards provide a path — increasing in complexity — that moves students toward college, career, and life readiness. We also believe that successfully navigating the intersection between standards, curriculum, and sound instructional practice is critical for students. During this session, we will discuss how to develop a long-term vision for B.E.S.T Standards implementation that is anchored in a deep understanding of who your students are and that ensures that all students have access to high quality, grade level instruction every day.
Pre-Conference Activities:
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Wednesday, March 24 | Day 1, Track 4 | 2:45 p.m. ET
Current Issues and Challenges of the Superintendency
This session is an opportunity to learn more about the current issues facing Florida school districts. FADSS CEO Senator Bill Montford, Associate Executive Officer David Sikes and General Counsel Brian Moore will provide an update on the current legislative session and discuss proposed legislation that could impact Florida school districts.
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Thursday, March 25 | Day 2, Track 1 | 9:15 a.m. EST
Florida's Focus on Early Literacy & Early Learning
Session Description:
Early Literacy and Early Learning are the foundation of educational success for all children. Educators across the nation recognize the importance of early learning experiences and are focusing attention to these first critical years of a child’s education. This session focuses on recent and future efforts to enhance early literacy and learning opportunities for all Florida students.
Presenters:
Shan Goff, Executive Director, Office of Early Learning
Cari Miller, Vice Chancellor, Literacy Achievement, Florida Department of Education
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Thursday, March 25 | Day 2, Track 3 | 1:00 p.m. EST
Conversations with the Florida Department of Education
Session Description
FADSS and Florida superintendents value their working relationships with the Florida Department of Education (DOE). This session is always an important part of every FADSS conference. It is a great opportunity to talk with our DOE partners on a wide variety of topics impacting your school district including academics, assessment, accountability, safety, funding and other high priority issues of Florida school districts.
Jacob Oliva, K-12 Public Schools Chancellor, Florida Department of Education will lead this discussion along with participation from members of FDOE Staff.
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Thursday, March 25 | Day 2, Track 4 | 3:15 p.m. EST
Conversations with FADSS Leadership
The FADSS 2021 Virtual Spring Conference end with a wrap-up session for superintendents to talk about new learnings from the conference, share insights and ideas,and to work with FADSS and fellow superintendents to identify and plan future efforts to meet the challenges ahead.
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FADSS Event Owl App Has Launched!
Beginning with the 2021 Virtual Spring Leadership Conference we will launch our new Event Owl app! Conference participants will be able to attend a FADSS conference using the app and still have access to all the conference features you would access from your desktop.
This app -- available for both iOS and Android -- will allow you to engage with fellow participants during and after a FADSS conference, connect with FADSS Business Partners, and access a variety of resources associated with the conference.
The FADSS Event Owl app also features a social media “feed” option for discussions and sharing of experiences and you can track your progress on the Leaderboard!
FADSS will again host a “friendly” competition for participants to climb the Leaderboard and earn points by visiting business partner virtual booths, completing session surveys and answering conference-related bonus questions.
And all of this can be accessed in the palm of your hand!
The app can be downloaded from the iPhone app store or Google play store now -- simply search for FADSS. We will be updating material on the app daily so be sure to check back often for the latest information. If you have any questions or issues with the app, contact FADSS tech guru Renae Wallace.
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Thank you to all the FADSS 2021 Spring Conference Business Partners |
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FADSS 2021 Virtual Spring Conference Agenda |
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Wednesday, March 24, 2021 |
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Florida Association of District School Superintendents
208 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850.577.5784
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