The Nevada Association of School Administrators (NASA), in partnership with MIDAS Education, is proud to announce the:

“2021 Learning and Justice for ALL Conference”
HELD VIRTUALLY ON:
Friday, December 3: 4:30 PM - 7:45 PM
Saturday, December 4: 8 AM - 4 PM (30 minute break for lunch)
Monday, December 6: 4:30 - PM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, December 7: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Thursday, December 9: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Friday, December 10: 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 11: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (30 minute break for lunch)
CLICK "VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE" AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS EMAIL
TO VIEW ENTIRE LINEUP

EARN 2 CREDITS TOWARD LICENSE RENEWAL (THAT'S 30 HOURS) & SALARY ADVANCEMENT IN CCSD, WASHOE AND MOST NV COUNTIES!
&
NON-ADMINISTRATIVE LICENSED PERSONNEL IN CCSD ALSO EARN 10 CUS (unlimited CUs in this category)!!!
&
CCSD Administrators earn 7 hours toward salary/step-advancement
(hours limited in this admin category)!
&
Washoe County participants will be required to also register for this course in "MyPGS" in order to receive in-service credit toward salary advancement.

$125 REGISTRATION FEE for NASA MEMBERS!
$150 REGISTRATION for Non-NASA MEMBERS!
ATTEND ALL SESSIONS OR ONLY THOSE YOU WISH
(participants only receive credit for sessions attended)
A portion of these proceeds from this virtual conference will help support the promotion of leadership development, and organizations with advocacy efforts that help ensure equity for students and educators in Nevada.
Friday December 3, 2021
4:30 PM - 7:45 PM
Welcome & Conference Logistics
4:30 PM - 4:45 PM
Dr. Sonya Douglass Horsford
Conference Kickoff Speaker
4:45 PM - 5:45 PM
Dr. Sonya Douglass Horsford
Associate Professor of Education Leadership in the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University

Dr. Sonya Douglass Horsford is Associate Professor of Education Leadership in the Department of Organization and Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she conducts research and teaches courses on the politics of race and inequality in education. She has published more than 20 articles in journals like Educational Administration Quarterly, Education Policy, and Teachers College Record, edited three books on educational equity and leadership, and authored two

Dr. Horsford serves as co-director of TC’s Urban Education Leaders Program (UELP) - Ed.D. program for aspiring district-level education leaders committed to equity, justice, and excellence. In 2017, Dr. Horsford founded the Black Education Research Collective (BERC) to convene scholars devoted to conducting, translating, and disseminating research that leads to improved educational opportunities, experiences, and outcomes for Black children and youth. In 2020, she launched the the SDH Research Collaborative (affectionately known as “the Lab”) to create a generative and supportive research and learning environment for current and former students interested in solving educational problems through research, advocacy, and action.

Dr. Horsford chairs the Leadership for Social Justice SIG and Politics of Education SIG for the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and serves as TC’s Plenum Session Representative to the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA). She also serves on the advisory boards of Columbia Journalism School’s Spencer Fellows Board and Teachers College Press.
"Racial Battle Fatigue and the Center of the School to Prison Pipeline"
5:45 PM - 6:45 PM
Dr. William Smith
Department Chair of the Department of Education, Culture & Society at the University of Utah

William A. Smith is a full professor and department chair in the Department of Education, Culture & Society at the University of Utah. He also holds a joint appointment in the Ethnic Studies Program (African American Studies division) as a full professor.
He has served as the Associate Dean for Diversity, Access, & Equity in the College of Education (2007-2014) and a Special Assistant to the President at the University of Utah & its NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (2007-2013). Dr. Smith is the co-editor (with Philip Altbach & Kofi Lomotey) of the book, The Racial Crisis in American Higher Education: The Continuing Challenges for the 21st Century (2002). In 2018, he received the College of Education’s Faculty Service Award for Outstanding Research & Scholarship. His research primarily focuses on his theoretical contribution of Racial Battle Fatigue which is the cumulative emotional, psychological, physiological, and behavioral effects that racial micro-level aggressions and macro-level aggressions (microaggressions and macroaggressions) have on People of Color. Dr. Smith’s work has appeared in such prestigious journals as The International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Journal of Negro Education, Harvard Educational Review, Educational Administration Quarterly, American Educational Research Journal, and American Behavioral Scientist, to name a few. Dr. Smith is a former postdoctoral fellow for both the Ford Foundation and the Center for Urban Educational Research and Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a former Research Associate with the CHOICES Project at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has worked as an administrator.
Session Description
This presentation is designed to provide participants with essential information needed to evaluate more effectively and holistically how our society functions differently for racialized people, particularly Black boys, and Black men. The critical objection is recognizing how the foundation and history of race and racism reinforce the contemporary social and educational inequalities: 1) Participants will obtain an understanding of the foundation of racial oppression and how it has carried over to modern time; 2) Participants will acquire a deeper understanding of what racial microaggressions are and how they impact Racialized Communities; 3) Participants will learn how events cause biopsychosocial trauma in Racialized Communities which leads to Racial Battle Fatigue.
"Our Choices Matter: Making Social Change in Everyday Life"
6:45 PM - 7:45 PM
Rachel Anderson
Professor of Law at the William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Rachel J. Anderson is a tenured Professor of Law at the William S. Boyd School of Law, UNLV. She teaches Business Organizations, Consumer Law, International Business Transactions, International Law, and Diversity Leadership courses.


Before becoming a member of the full-time faculty at the William S. Boyd School of Law, UNLV in 2007, Professor Anderson worked at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (UK) in London, England, and MVV Consulting GmbH in Berlin, Germany. She has experience in international development projects and general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and securities matters.

Professor Anderson earned her J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, her M.A. in International Policy Studies from Stanford University, and her Zwischenpruefung from the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. While earning her J.D. at U.C. Berkeley, she served as Articles Editor on the California Law Review, Executive Editor on the Berkeley Journal of International Law, and Managing Editor of the Berkeley Journal of African-American Law & Policy. A longtime Nevada resident, Professor Anderson is a graduate of Edward C. Reed High School in Sparks, Nevada.
Session Description
This presentation will discuss how our actions, choices, and advocacy are an essential part of societal change.  Using historical examples in Nevada and the nation, this presentation will demonstrate some of the ways daily choices and persistence have made social change.  Lastly, this presentation will provide participants with some initial tools to allow them to immediately implement some of what they learn in this presentation.
Saturday December 4, 2021
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
"Remedying the Public Health Threat of Jim Crow Disciplinary Practices"
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Dr. Zac Robbins
Cheyenne HS Principal
&
President Elect of the Secondary School Principals Association of Nevada (SSPAN)

Dr. Zachary Scott Robbins is the author of Restorative Justice Tribunal and Ways to Derail Jim Crow Discipline in Schools, published by Routledge Education Press. A high school principal in Las Vegas, Nevada, Dr. Robbins is passionate about mobilizing faculty, families, students, and community
partners to create a school culture that supports and elevates student success. He has “turned around” three secondary schools in Boston and Las Vegas.

Dr. Robbins is the 2021 City of Las Vegas African-American Trailblazer in Education Award Recipient. He has served on the Governor’s School Safety Committee, currently serves on the state superintendent's Principals Advisory Committee, and he is the President-Elect of the Secondary School Principals Association of Nevada. He publishes commentary and news articles for various media outlets, and he makes frequent radio and television appearances to discuss politics and education.
 
Dr. Robbins and his team established the first restorative justice program in Nevada, successfully reducing suspension and expulsion rates. His school functions as a training hub in restorative practices for Nevada educators.
 
Dr. Robbins was educated at Howard University in Washington, DC, and he earned his Ph.D. in Education Administration at the Boston College Lynch School of Education. You can find Dr. Robbins on Twitter at DrZacRobbins and online promoting financial literacy and financial freedom in the Zrazey Social Network for Educators.
Session Description
Disproportionate suspensions expulsions from United States schools impact students of color at staggering rates. It exacerbates the racial battle fatigue that students experience and is a byproduct of systemic disproportionality in school discipline that legislatures across the country seek to remedy through restorative practices legislation. Out-of-school behavior consequences leave students who need the most support out of school, disconnected from academic and emotional supports, and with gaps in their learning. Racism is a public health threat. This includes the racism of low academic expectations and the racism of unaddressed disproportionate suspension and expulsions of students of color from schools. Session participants will learn how to strike a balance between appropriate responses to misbehavior, schoolwide expectations that embrace student diversity as an asset, and providing students with skills to help them navigate situations that may result in out-of-school consequences.
"Schools, Leaders and the Wellness Challenge"
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Dr. Larry Myatt
School Improvement Specialist

Dr. Larry Myatt has been deeply engaged in education leadership development and school redesign and renewal for over three decades. He focuses his time on coaching and supporting a small number of committed schools and leaders in redesign, inquiry learning and building capacity for supporting social emotional needs of students. He also partners regularly with the Partnership in Education and Resilience (PEAR) Program, a McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School affiliate.



Dr. Myatt was the founder of Fenway High School, winner of a number of national and regional awards, and a pioneer in the small schools and school-to-career movements. He was its Headmaster for twenty years before accepting an assignment to advise Boston’s High School Renewal Initiative.
He was a key member of the HSR-Parthenon Group Off-Track Study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led the companion Alternative School Quality Review initiative.

He co-founded Boston’s Center for Collaborative Education and founded and directed the Greater Boston Principal Residency Network at Northeastern University from 2000-2008. He is a former Coalition of Essential Schools National Faculty member at Brown University and a professional development consultant at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, including being a facilitator of the Annenberg Superintendents Study Group.

Dr. Myatt is a recipient of the Harry S. Levitan Prize from his alma mater, Brandeis University, for career accomplishment in education. He is the author of numerous articles on leadership and school restructuring and has led and consulted to school re-design efforts in numerous cities and states. He is a Founding Convener for The Forum for Education and Democracy, and works actively nationwide to support efforts to reduce the high-school drop-out rate. He formerly served as Senior Fellow for Leadership and Education Ventures at Northeastern University, and holds both master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Session Description
Significant and intensifying changes in family dynamics which began occurring in the mid 1990’s, certainly pre-COVID, have dramatically impacted newer generations of young people as learners. Those changes have strongly suggested the need for a re-definition of the home-school partnership. But we have been slow to take that up.

Schools have become the primary locus of mental health and social emotional development. It’s not a fair fight. We are not built that way.  To further complicate our efforts, school architecture minimizes the need for social emotional support (we’re here for academics, and to sort) and we’ve inherited a false dichotomy between “learning” and “growing/ developing”.

Cut to 2021, post-COVID: our entire community must be part of a conversation that thinks bigger about helping our schools be the wellness centers, instead of playing an uncomfortable host.  School leaders at all levels must take on two simultaneous challenges.  We need to lead that conversation from the locus of impact,  and to begin the structural, cultural and programmatic retrofit of their school communities.

What does wellness look like? How does each school become a safe and resilient community that supports the simultaneous social/emotional and intellectual development of all students is contributes to its families and partners? And what immediate key changes can we make? 

Educators, counselors, and community members who work with youth play critical roles, understanding our students, their perceptions and relationships with educators and education, their finding thrill and excitement in learning, and recognizing how much students learn from watching us. 

In this session, we will focus our discussions on how to lead and frame this dual undertaking with an organizational development rubric, a prototype blueprint, to help schools better play the role they have been given.                                                                
"It Starts With Words: Using Lessons from the Holocaust to Combat Hate"
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Sheryl Silver Ochayon
Program Director of Echoes & Reflections
Sheryl Silver Ochayon is the Program Director of Echoes & Reflections for Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, Israel. In this capacity, she empowers educators to teach the Holocaust – an important part of our shared human story with critical lessons for the present and the future. 

Ms. Ochayon earned her law degree from Harvard Law School, and holds a BA in History from the State University of New York at Binghamton, as well as a Certificate in Genocide Studies from Stockton University. She has worked at major law firms both in the US and in Israel. 
 
After a long legal career, she followed her passion for Holocaust education. In her work for Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies, she has written and developed online courses for educators around the world,  created educational videos, and edited and contributed to “Teaching the Legacy”, an e-newsletter for Holocaust educators. Currently, she is Yad Vashem's Program Director for Echoes & Reflections, a program that supports middle and high school educators to confidently teach the Holocaust, with dynamic classroom materials and professional development.  She has represented Yad Vashem around the world at various conferences, and at the United Nations.
Session Description
Studying the Holocaust, the genocide of six million Jews, enables us to tease out vital lessons for contemporary society. The Holocaust was fueled by hatred and racism, yet it began simply with words. How does hatred escalate from words to beliefs to actions, and how can we interrupt this escalation?

This presentation will explore these questions using, as a mirror, the escalation of antisemitism and Nazi racial ideology in Germany in the 1930s that ultimately led to genocide. Participants will examine Nazi propaganda from German media and even  children’s books and games, and will watch visual history testimonies from Holocaust survivors who were marginalized and ultimately pushed out of German society. The insights gained will allow participants to explore connections to contemporary issues of racism, discrimination and prejudice. 
Lunch
11:30 PM - 12:00 PM
"Educational Policy Reform Can't Do It Alone: A discussion of educational equity, justice, and community engagement"

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Dr. R. Anthony Rolle
Dean, Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies

Dr. Anthony Rolle is Dean of the Alan Shawn Feinstein College of Education and Professional Studies. Dr. Rolle believes that his mission is to empower life-long learners that maximize academic and professional development opportunities.
Dr. Rolle comes to URI from the University of Houston, where he served as department chair and professor of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, focused on developing strategy to guide education in America. From his work at Houston and in earlier positions at Texas A&M University and the University of South Florida, Rolle is recognized for his K-12 education finance and policy research, leading to new models to measure effectiveness and efficiency in public school systems. He has conducted and managed education finance and policy research projects for various government and non-profit organizations that have been recognized nationally and internationally.

Rolle is the 2017 president of the National Education Finance Academy, an organization providing national leadership on dynamically integrating educational research and policy to address critical issues in education. He also holds an appointment as a Distinguished Research Fellow at Shanghai Academy of Education Sciences that supports the development of comparative and internationally focused K-20 educational leadership and policy initiatives. He serves on editorial and advisory boards for national journals, including Educational Considerations, Journal for Effective Schools, National Education Finance Conference, Journal of Education Finance. He is a research fellow for the Education and Public Interest Center & Education Policy Research Unit.
Session Description
Educational policy reforms alone are not sufficient to improve the complex connections between educational productivity, academic achievement, and student motivations – an interdisciplinary research approach is needed. Through the utilization of an interdisciplinary approach, a research design that incorporates multiple data sources (i.e., both large-scale secondary databases and primary surveys, focus groups, and interviews) and levels of data (i.e., district, school, student, caregiver, and teacher), this presentation will discuss how educational expenditure and student academic outcome productivity relationships are influenced by variations in levels of student motivation. This presentation will also stimulate debate and collaboration between policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to investigate cost-effective pursuits of research-based improvements in student outcomes. By investigating the heterogeneity of student motivation and factors that influence student motivation, future investigations of educational productivity should improve models and have implications for educator professional development and policy reform strategies.
"Stacking Communities of Influence to Ensure Equitable Outcomes"
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Mrs. Ramona Esparza
Senior Leadership Fellow, The Public Education Foundation
&
NVALAS, CO-Vice President

Ramona Esparza joined The Public Education Foundation in 2021 and currently serves as a Senior Leadership Fellow. Prior to joining The Public Education Foundation, she worked as a Public Service Intern with a state mental health agency, Children’s Behavioral Services (CBS) for the State of Nevada.  She taught preschool students with emotional and behavioral challenges in a treatment program. She was a servant
leader in the Clark County School District for more than 27 years in various roles as
an English and ELL teacher, project facilitator, and an administrator serving students and families and the greater Las Vegas community. 
Her love of learning and teaching became evident in her transition to teach teachers in CCSD; she was a former part-time instructor (PTI) at Nevada State College.  She is a self-published author of an educational children’s book Joaquin’s Cajon. She enjoys traveling and learning from others. 

Her philosophy of life-long learning is infectious, and she has been an advocate that believes “educating others with empowerment and self-efficacy is an equalizer.”  She is known for her innovative systems thinking, consensus building skills, ability to analyze situational practices, process development, visionary thinking, resource development, facilitating professional development, and coaching leaders.  She co-founded the Nevada Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents’ (NVALAS).  Her education includes a B.S. in Secondary Education, English, and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, and Education Leadership from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.  
Dr. Sylvia Lazos
Justice Myron Leavitt Professor of Law

Making the US legal and political system one that affords equality for everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation, is what drives Professor Sylvia R. Lazos to excel as a law professor. A constitutional law and critical race scholar, Professor Lazos has written exhaustively on how constitutional norms can accommodate a new American reality that is increasingly multicultural, multiracial and multiethnic. These articles have appeared in respected journals such as the Indiana Law Journal, Maryland Law Review, Ohio State Law Journal, Oregon Law Review, and Tulane Law Review.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, where her father served as a missionary, Professor Lazos attended St. Mary’s University, in San Antonio, Texas, graduating magna cum laude with B.A. and M.A. degrees in Economics. She worked for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington D.C. as an economist before attending law school. At the University of Michigan Law School she served as editor of the Michigan Law Review and received various other honors. From 1986 to 1992, she practiced commercial and real estate at the law firm of McConnell Valdes in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as an associate and then partner.
Professor Lazos began her teaching career at Florida State University College of Law in 1992. At Florida State, she studied voter initiatives and legislative attempts to reform constitutional property rights, and served on the states’ advisory committee on property rights. She also developed a comparative law course on Caribbean Legal Systems with faculty from the University of the West Indies.

From 1999 to 2002, Professor Lazos served on the law faculty of the University of Missouri where she taught Constitutional Law, Business Organizations, Legislation, and a seminar on diversity and the law. Her research and service focused on Latina/o immigration. Seeking to facilitate a better understanding of the contributions of Latina/o immigrants, Professor Lazos and faculty from social sciences and University
extension organized the Cambio de Colores conference series. This effort has been influential in helping community and state leaders understand how to best facilitate economic, social and political incorporation of Latina/os, and led to the creation of the Cambio Center at the University of Missouri. Her monograph on Latina/o immigration, Cambio de Colores (Change of Colors): Legal and Policy Challenges, available on the Web, has thousands of copies in print. For her work on immigration in Missouri, she received citations from the University as well as the state.

Professor Lazos’s international background has meant that her interests extend overseas. As Senior Fellow of the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution at the University of Missouri, she collaborated with faculty from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa in conducting constitutional law and teaching seminars. She also worked with faculty from the University of Galway, Ireland in joint interdisciplinary research focusing on how the design of formal and informal legal dispute resolution systems might ameliorate long standing inter ethnic, religious and racial group identity conflicts. She was also awarded a Fulbright to Venezuela.

Professor Lazos’s current research interests focus on the importance of the judiciary being diverse, the impact of rapid immigration growth on intergroup relations, and how to fashion constitutional interpretive norms to promote better cross-racial understanding. She is currently part of a cross-disciplinary faculty effort at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to establish a Center for the Research of Race and Social Justice, which would engage in groundbreaking research efforts across-disciplines on wide ranging subjects related to race and ethnicity class and social justice. The aim of the center is to not only promote research that would be relevant to state of Nevada policy makers, but that would also assist local civic groups to better serve their constituencies.

Professor Lazos is a frequent op-ed contributor, and her expertise is sought by print and broadcast media on a wide range of subjects, including higher education, immigration, race relations, government, voting and initiatives. Since 2004, Professor Lazos has been a member of the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce Education Committee, and is the co-founder of Alliance of Latina/os & Chicana/os in Higher Education. She was also the co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force for UNLV, appointed by President Carol Harter, in 2006.

At the William S. Boyd School of Law, Professor Lazos teaches Constitutional Law, Legislation, and a seminar on race, gender, and sexuality. She genuinely likes her students and hopes that she can contribute to their development as lawyers who can assist all of their clients, no matter their background or their legal problem.
Session Description
Alliances and partnerships are essential for successful social justice work. Equity is the correct investment, and returns on investments in equity can be substantial. To reach equity goals, leverage influence through partnerships, emphasizing changing demography. Working in the shadows of the political power of minority groups, successful alliances emerge. Session participants will learn from real-life examples of how they can build their own alliances and leverage the political influence of political groups to create better learning environments that create equitable student outcomes. 
"Every Student has a Right to Excellent Educational Professionals, Safe Communities, and a Healthy Life:"
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Reverend Dr. Edward Chaney
Founder of Rennaissance Fellowship, Inc. and Education Advocate


Reverend Dr. D. Edward Chaney is the son of the late Reverend Dr. William E. Chaney and Dr. Florence Williams Chaney. He is a 1987 graduate of Sumter High School in Sumter, South Carolina. After graduation, he entered the United States Navy, where he served actively for four years. After being honorably discharged, he matriculated to Limestone College in Gaffney, SC, where he received the Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Responding to the call by God into the gospel ministry, Doctor Chaney graduated from Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, SC, with a Master of Divinity degree. In May of 2014, Doctor Chaney received the Doctor of Ministry degree focusing on Collaborative Leadership in the 21st Century from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is the Founder and Senior Pastor of The Renaissance Fellowship, Inc of Las Vegas.
Session Description
Every student has a right to excellent educational professionals, safe communities, and a healthy life. Educators with diverse experiences, thorough planning, and a dedication to their students' success. And before the current global pandemic, more than half of children in public schools in the United States qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, the highest number since the National Center for Education Statistics started keeping track of this statistic.  Sadly, children in poverty in the United States have a far poorer safety net than children in other developed nations, where universal health care, housing incentives, and high-quality, freely accessible childcare are the standard. As we map the course forward, we must learn from these experiences. Our mutual duty, including that of the government, schools, churches, and stakeholders is to ensure that all young people have equal access to a high-quality, “just” education. This target has never been more critical than in today's rapidly growing information economy, which is accompanied by the poverty rates as more and more families are left behind. All of us should learn from how to advance equity and promote healthy educational environments for all youth.  We must create a society with equitable access for all.
"Synthesis of the Learning"
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Monday December 6, 2021
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
"The Power in Identity Affirming Classrooms and Schools"
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera

Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera has served in education for nearly 14 years as a teacher, principal, diversity trainer, director of curriculum, and adjunct professor. She is currently the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer in a K-12 school district in IndianaShe attended school at Butler University, where she received her
Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Master’s in School Administration. As a principal, she served in an international magnet school where she was recognized as an Administrator of the Year recipient.

Dr. Buchanan-Rivera’s research centers on identity-affirming environments, and she completed a doctoral degree from Indiana State University in 2017. In April 2020, she was recognized as the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Education at Butler University due to her contributions to the field on a local and national level.

Dr. Buchanan-Rivera is passionate about mobilizing communities to elevate racial equity. She developed Racial Dialogue Circles (RDCs) within her community, designed to ignite conversations about race and justice among people of various racial backgrounds. After the implementation of several circles, community members created a Racial Equity Community Network (RECN). This organization is a network that provides an entry point for people of all backgrounds to work towards rebuilding a just society. Feel free to follow RECN on Facebook.
Session Description
To “see” all students as the same is to dehumanize and discount the richness of students' experiences, perspectives, and identities. Even within the same communities, the experiences of diverse students of color can be vastly different. For students of color to feel seen and heard in schools, they need educators and leaders that will affirm the narratives of their personal stories. They need educators in their lives who are intentional about being race-conscious, champions of equity, and deeply committed to learning and justice for all. 

"Learning and Justice for ALL Students"

Dr. Robert L. Green, Former Education Director to Martin Luther King Jr.
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Dr. Robert L. Green
Former Education Director to MLK
&
Dean & Professor Emeritus/Distinguished Alumni, Michigan State University

Robert L. Green, who holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from Michigan State University (MSU) and B.A. and M.A. from San Francisco State College, is a former President of the University of the District of Columbia and a former Dean of the College of Urban Development at Michigan State University. With the support of Ambassador Young, Dr. Green worked for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as the education director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1965-1967. Dr. Green has successfully related his writing and research to solve society's most pressing social, political, economic, and racial issues. His research and practice have focused on the impact of poverty and discrimination on urban
minority populations. He is a national and international expert on expectations and how it affects student achievement. He wrote the book, Expect the most--provide the best: How high expectations, outstanding instruction, & curricular innovations help all students succeed.

At Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s request, Dr. Green and the late Hosea Williams provided leadership for the 1966 March against Fear in the state of Mississippi. The shooting of James Meredith initiated this march. After the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Green and his wife, Lettie as well as his three sons Vince, Kurt, and Kevin, spent a significant amount of time with Dr. King's widow, Coretta Scott King, and their children, Bernice, Dexter, Martin, III, and the late Yolanda King. The Greens made every effort to help Mrs. Coretta Scott King and her children adjust to the loss of their Dad.

Dr. Green's latest book, The Crossroad of Fear and Freedom: The Fight for Educational and Social Justice, focuses on his academic work nationally and Internationally and his involvement with the Civil Rights Movement with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Green has dedicated his life to helping others deal with fear, a lesson he learned personally from Martin Luther King Jr. Recently, Dr. Green received the King Center's 2018 "Christine King Farris Legacy of Service" Award. He was honored with this award to recognize his dedication, faithful service, and support of The King Legacy and The King Center.

Currently, Dr. Green is Dean and Professor Emeritus and Distinguished Alumni of Michigan State University. He and his wife, Lettie, currently reside in Virginia, in the DMV area.
Session Description
During his session, Dr. Green will address the topics of Social Justice and the need to support ALL children and their parents academically, with a special focus on low-income students. In addition, Dr. Green will also be open to discussing how high expectations, outstanding instruction, and curricular innovations help ALL students succeed. He is looking forward to your questions.
"Creating Empowering Spaces for Communities of Color"
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Dr. Danielle Stewart

Dr. Danielle Stewart, president of iChange Collaborative, has conducted hundreds of conversations with thousands of students, parents, and educators about the importance of diversity, equity, and
inclusion best practices in education. She consults with schools, coaches leaders, conducts professional development workshops, and facilitates iChange’s long- standing Educators of Color Affinity Group. She is the co-author of Facilitating Conversations about Race in the Classroom (Routledge, 2022).  

She is a dynamic presenter who brings passion and purpose for community engagement and education advocacy into every conversation she leads. She founded The Community Empowerment Foundation, College Prep and Connect Clinic, and In School Spirit. Through collaborative partnerships, she designs programs that ignite the school spirit and positive academic experiences of students of color.
Session Description
Schools and school districts must create spaces for communities of color that their excellence and empower students and their families. It is time to move beyond believing that one conversation about race and membership is enough to create and sustain change. All stakeholders in schools must recognize their role in creating spaces that represent the “why” in which they are doing this work. The “why” is what unites us in this work. 
Tuesday December 7, 2021
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
"If we want to change the way that teachers TEACH, we need to change the way teachers LEARN"
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM
 Patrick Leonard
Co-Founder; Chief Operating Officer
Megan Harney
Co-Founder; CEO
Session Description

Please join Megan Harney, Co-Founder/CEO; and Patrick Leonard, Co-Founder/COO of MIDAS Education in a session focused on how to move towards a mastery-based learning system via Microcredentials. 

You’ll hear how both Utah and Wyoming are using mastery-based micro credentials that go beyond a simple badging system to enhance professional development and learning for teachers and administrators in their states. You’ll also hear how they plan to expand upon this work to offer rigorous microcredentials for students, targeting coursework and credit recovery, acceleration, and alignment with workforce development needs. 

As Nevada moves to join others in this work, it is imperative that we include microcredential opportunities around Restorative Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and also Social-Emotional Learning. 
"THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM:
A Social Bias Conversation"
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Dr. Greta Peay
Chief Executive Officer & founder of Infinity: Diversity Matters
Greta Peay joined the Clark County School District (CCSD) in 1987, following eight
awesome years of service within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System, Charlotte, North Carolina. She has dedicated thirty-nine years of service to the education profession. Her career is best described as a change agent and an advocate for equity, diversity, social justice, and equitable opportunities. Greta Peay is locally and nationally known for her professional development skills to educate others about best practices in the areas of literacy, language acquisition, differentiated instruction, and the cultural competency continuum. She retired from the Clark County School District as the Chief Instructional Services Officer.

Currently, Greta is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of her own consultant company, Infinity: Diversity Matters. She is listed in the Marquis Who Who’s 2020-2021 directory as an expert in her field. Greta also received the Outstanding Educator award, Public Education Foundation, September 2020.
Session Description
When discussing inequality, it is tempting to focus on external factors like socioeconomic status or educational tools; it is more uncomfortable to tackle a topic like social bias. A new study finds that social bias occurs as early as Preschool. In recognition of this research, this session will focus on culturally responsive practices to address social bias in the learning environment setting for student learners, inclusive of early childhood and Pre-K learners.
"The Media's Influence on Fairness and Justice For All"
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Mike Lyle
News Anchor and Host for WSHU Public Radio

Mike Lyle is a 24-year veteran of the journalism industry, having worked for several outlets in New England, the
Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Currently, he is a News Anchor and Host for WSHU Public Radio in Fairfield, Connecticut. He serves in the same capacity for New England Public Media in Springfield, Massachusetts and WTIC-AM 1080 in Hartford, Connecticut. 
 
Mike is a journalist with the National Press Club, a four-time recipient of the Connecticut AP Broadcasters Association award and a two-time recipient of the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists Award.
 
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C., and a Master's degree in Journalism from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He is also currently serving as an adjunct professor at Quinnipiac University. Mike currently resides in Hartford, Connecticut. 
Session Description
The media’s treatment of crime, violence, and social issues shapes how the public sees the world. Even how entertainment media covers events influence what people view as important and what media consumers decide is fair and just. Journalism can skew public opinion, which is why it is important for media outlets to report information responsibly and for media consumers to be mindful that all reporting is at times not balanced. This presentation will explore the media’s role in promoting justice for all people.
Thursday December 9, 2021
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM
"Staff Relation Tips:
ENHANCE TEAMWORK - Learn a new and different plan for developing peopleideas, and actions"
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Ms. Carol Lommen
Communications and Theatre Teacher
Carol Lommen opened her own company, Take Action Seminars, to help people better understand others by appreciating four main personality types and their strengths.   

Carol has presented True Colors® Teaching and Learning at various Las Vegas schools, UNLV, and UN-Reno.  
Carol, an award-winning theatre and communications teacher, was Nevada's first Thespian State Director. She also established Nevada Thespian Conferences and Thespian Student Leadership Training.  
Carol is an Educational Theatre Association Past President and Leadership Coach.  

Carol was awarded the District Outstanding Educator Award for Bonanza High School's One Act Program. Carol was honored by Bonanza High School in Las Vegas choosing to name their theatre in her honor. 
Session Description
NEW COMMUNICATION APPROACH - By looking at four personality styles and their varying strengths and needs you will learn to use this colorful system to help organizeanalyzeharmonize, and activate your team's goals.

"A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF; CANNOT STAND!!!
Building Educational Programs for “Equity and Justice For All”
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Dr. Linda E. Young
Former CCSD School Board President/Trustee
&
President, The Village Foundation, LJP

Dr. Linda E. Young is currently the President of the Village Foundation, LJP.  She served 12 years on the Clark County School District Board of Trustees representing District C.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Spanish, Speech, English, and Master of Science in School Psychology from the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio.  She has educational certificates in special education, secondary education, school administration, school psychology and received her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.  
Dr. Young was an employee of the Clark County School District for 32 ½ years.  She served as a high school teacher, school psychologist, coordinator for special education programs, elementary special education teacher, high school dean and assistant principal, sixth grade center principal, and director of district-wide special education and diversity education programs. Dr. Young has also been an adjunct professor in special education at Nova University and has taught part-time in the undergraduate and graduate programs in Multicultural Education in the Curriculum and Instruction Department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is a passionate voice and fervent advocate for equity, diversity, inclusion, special needs, and access in education, STEM, STEAM, and other at-promise programs for underserved and underrepresented students of color, parents, families, and communities.  

Some of Dr. Young's awards and recognitions include 2021 Desert Rose High School “Black Lives Matter” Advocacy Awards; 2021 My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Awards; 2021 National Association School Psychologist Outstanding Advocate Award; the Clark County School District Board of Trustees, Dr. Linda E. Young Trustee, District C 2009-2020;  “Spirit of a Leader” Award Sedway Middle School 2008-2020 Clark County Board of Trustees, District C; 2020 “Lawrence Weekly and Power 88’s Superwoman Saturday: Honoring Superwomen of Achievement.”
Session Description
Participants in this session will discuss the characteristics of a divided house and what problems destroy a unified house. However, from the perspective of “Equity and Justice for All” discussions will include what rebuilds a divided house and how students, schools, families, organizations, and communities can determine how to make important, enlightened, and positive changes. These reformative and reflective ideas will be explored and implemented through strategic communication with sustainable and positive action plans. Participants will learn the basics of the: Five C’s; Five R’s; Five T’s; Five P’s; and development of the “STARS” Program. Discussions incorporating the theories of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Blooms Taxonomy, and Howard Garner’s Multiple Intelligence will be included in this presentation.
Friday, December 10, 2021
4:30 PM - 7:30 PM

"How African-American Greek Letter Organizations Can Partner with Schools to Uplift Communities"
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Belinda Marentic
Principal, Legacy High School
Clark County School District
Belinda Marentic serves as the proud principal of Legacy High School. She has been working in education in the Clark County School District for 21 years. She is a product of CCSD as an alumni of Cimarron-Memorial High School. Mrs. Marentic holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in Secondary Education with an emphasis in mathematics and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration and Leadership from the University of Phoenix. She is currently completing her Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an emphasis on Organizational Development at Grand Canyon University. 
 
Mrs. Marentic is a loving and supportive wife and mother. She was born in Phoenix, Arizona on Luke Air Force Base but has lived all over the United States growing up. She is involved at Mountaintop Faith Ministries, working with the youth department in several facets and singing on the praise team.
 
She makes sure to remind and encourage her students daily by saying a quote from Bil Keane, “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present."
Session Description
African-American Greek Letter organizations provide support to communities throughout the world. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated engages in social action programming, which includes educational development programs for children and their families. This session will show participants how the Las Vegas Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated works with students throughout the Las Vegas community to promote community service, help children set goals and plans for the future, and grow academically. This session will also show participants how schools can partner with Greek letter organizations and their youth groups to uplift families and create a college culture on school campuses. 
Maximizing Opportunities to Ignite Learning for Diverse Learners
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Livia Chan
Livia Chan is a Head Teacher, author, and speaker passionate about leading with heart and positivity, seeing things as gifts, and daily lifelong learning. She truly believes in the power of connections and thoroughly enjoys building relationships by reaching out to uplift others with kindness and gratitude. She desires to make an imprint on people’s hearts and an impact on their lives. For over 20 years, Livia has continued to experience the pure joy of teaching in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She is also honored to be a member of the Teach Better Team as the Digital Content Coordinator. Previously, Livia served on the District Staff Development Team in Learning Technologies supporting K-12 educators. Her motto is “Working together to better ourselves, each other, and the world around us.”
Session Description
Opportunities are infinite, available all the time, and exist in every interaction we have with students. Every opportunity is a gift, and diverse learners need educators to relentlessly maximize every opportunity available to ensure learners grow academically. This presentation will share insights from the Teach Better Team and ways teacher leaders and school administrators in the the United States and abroad are ensuring all students benefit from powerful instruction.
"Creating School Communities Of Excellence by Focusing on the Heads and Hearts of Students, Staff, and Families"
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Milton Collins
Principal Lincoln Elementary School

Milton Collins was born in Charleston, Mississippi. He graduated from Charleston High School in 1983 and attended Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi on a 4-year basketball scholarship. He currently ranks number nine on the Rust College scoring list. He graduated with a degree in Education in 1987. He moved to Kankakee, Illinois, where he started his teaching career as a 3rd-grade teacher at Lorenzo Smith School in Hopkins Park, Illinois.

In 1993, Milton moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to coach basketball and teach Health at James Madison High School. In 1995, he went back to school and received a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from National Louis University
in Evanston, Illinois. In 1996, he became an Assistant Principal at Kosciuszko Middle School on the south side of Milwaukee, where he stayed for 11 years.

Due to a death in the family in 2007, he relocated to Arizona, where he became Principal at Coolidge High School in Coolidge, Arizona. He left Coolidge High School in 2010 to become the principal at Dos Rios Elementary School in Tolleson, Arizona, where he stayed for six years before relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah. He is currently the principal at Lincoln Elementary School in the Granite School District. In 2018 Milton Collins received a leadership award from Mayor Cherie Wood of South Salt Lake for guiding Lincoln out of Turnaround status in his first year. In the 2018-19 school year, he received an award where the Granite School District recognized him as the Elementary Principal of the year in just his second year here in Utah. He was also awarded Instructional Leader of the Year. In the 2020 school year, Milton Collins was awarded the Principal Mentor of the Year award.

Milton is divorced and has three adult kids. Marquita, who attended his Alma Mater Rust College, is a Psychologist for the Shelby County Schools in Tennessee. Alexis, also a graduate of Rust College, has a degree in Biology and nursing and is currently living in Texas. Milton has one son, Milton Jalen Collins Jr., who lives in Arizona working for a Marketing Firm. Milton has two grandkids, Makenzie and Jaylynn.

Milton is currently in his 35th year in Education, serving as Principal of Lincoln Elementary School.
Session Description
To ensure schools serve the needs of all students, educators must commit to providing abundant opportunities for every child to learn. Every adult in a school matters, and every child benefits when adults work together to ensure they learn what they need to pursue their dreams. Participants in this session will learn how to galvanize a community around the idea that every child must achieve regardless of that child’s race, gender, or zip code where they live.
Saturday, December 11, 2021
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
"DEEP LEARNING FOR ALL. NOW IS THE TIME: YES WE CAN! YES WE MUST!"
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Dr. Janice Jackson

Janice Jackson is an independent education consultant with a focus on leadership and organizational change in public schools and districts, anti-racist strategies, teaching and learning, teachers’ and principals’ professional identity.
Before her current role, she was a Senior Associate with the National Equity Project. She was the Executive Director of the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. Dr. Jackson served as the Deputy Superintendent of the Boston Public Schools. She has worked in several academic institutions in a variety of capacities: including the Harvard Graduate School of Education as a lecturer, and a senior associate for the Executive Leadership Program which worked with district and state superintendents and their teams to help bring high quality teaching and learning to scale. Dr. Jackson was an Assistant Professor in Lynch School of Education and an adjunct professor in the Leadership for Change Program in the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. During the first term of the Clinton Administration, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education for the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Jackson has held several positions with the Milwaukee Public Schools in Wisconsin, including Coordinator of School-based Management. Human Relations Coordinator and personnel analyst. She has also worked with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee as the Director of the Office for Black Catholics and an elementary school teacher.
SESSION DESCRIPTION
As the world rights itself after such a tumultuous year it is imperative that we are intentional in creating schools committed to deep learning for all. We can no longer look away or pretend that all is well. If we want to eradicate the cycles of injustice in our schools we need to think in new ways. Classrooms centered in love and justice expand students ‘and teachers’ minds to imagine a world where each and every person is seen and treated with respect. This session will focus on what classrooms and schools that focus on deep learning for all look like.
"The Courage to Live and Lead in the Face of Adversity: It’s all about Relationships"
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Dr. Stephen Stroka

Boy is retarded,” reads the top of Dr. Stephen Sroka’s third-grade report card. In ES, he was mocked for having a crossed eye and a speech impediment. He was crippled in a HS fight. Doctors said, “ Listen to your teachers.” The more he listened, the smarter the teachers became. His HS counselor told him that he didn’t have the IQ to go to college, but he didn’t know that Steve had the I WILL. He learned to live with the gifts of ADHD and dyslexia. His struggles to become a teacher made him a better educator. He went from the “projects” to being inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame.
He was awarded The Walt Disney American Outstanding Teacher of Health and Physical Education, and has been on Oprah and covered in USA TODAY. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, and president of his company, Health Education Consultants.
He received the Outstanding School Health Educator Award and Fellow status from the American School Health Association. Recently, he was named the Person of the Year for The International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention and received the first-ever School Health Leader Award from the American Public Health Association. But his most meaningful “award” was his then six-year-old daughter telling him that he was smarter than the cartoon character, Inspector Gadget. Obviously, his wife does not agree.      

He travels the world striving to reach, elevate and inspire with The Power of One message. After a cardiac arrest, he realized that The Power of One was not enough. He needed The Power of Many. We all do. He always did, he just didn’t know it. He does now. He believes that one person can make a lasting difference with the power of many, and that is his WHY.
Session Description
Relationships, trusted and transparent, may be the most important variable for effective equity and justice for all. Challenges addressed are the 4 C’s: Communication, Collaboration, Cultural Competency and Caring. Relevant issues examined are implicit bias, mental health, SEL (social emotional learning), ACE (adverse childhood experiences), TIC (trauma informed care), and stress management. Dr. Stephen Sroka has spoken worldwide with The Power of One message, how one person can make a difference. Five years ago, Steve died while presenting a school in-service. Two SRO’s, a principal, a superintendent, and others saved his life and changed his message. He now talks about The Power of Many, how it takes a team, to make a lasting difference. He stresses the importance of Resiliency and the 4 P’s: Purpose, Passion, Pride and Persistence. Research-based and reality-driven, this keynote offers honesty, humor, and hope for equity and justice for all. It will warm your heart, stir your soul and ignite your brain. 
Session Description to Follow
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Brione Minor-Mitchell
Principal, Cunningham Elementary School
&
President, Nevada Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (NVAAASA)
Brione Minor-Mitchell serves as the principal of Cunningham Elementary School. Prior to that, she served as an assistant principal in the Clark County School District in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally born and raised in Las Vegas and a proud graduate of Community College High School West in Clark County, Nevada, Brione has had a vested interest in empowering marginalized communities. Brione currently possesses a B.S. in Special Education, M.S. in Special Education Early Childhood, M.A. in Urban Leadership, and is completing an Ed.D. in Urban Educational Leadership. Brione has had a variety of experiences within CCSD. Some of her experiences are in 2002 she started as a support staff employee at O’Callaghan Middle School, 2004 Early childhood Teacher at Sunrise Acres Elementary School, 2008 Kindergarten teacher at William Snyder Elementary, 2014 Project Facilitator for CPD, 2017 Assistant Principal Richard C Priest Elementary School. When Brione has any downtime, she enjoys traveling, wine tasting, home projects, and reading.
Yvette Williams
President, Clark County Black Caucus

Named Las Vegas Magazine’s Top 100 Women of the Year in 2019, Yvette Williams, Chairs and founded the Clark County Black Caucus and is a community
organizer, activist, and an entrepreneur. She is appointed to the NV Dept. of Education Academic Standards Council, ESSA Advisory Committee,
and Multicultural Education State Advisory Taskforce. She was elected as Chair of the Spring Valley Township Advisory Board, where she was recently honored by the Board of Clark County Commissioners during the 2021 Women’s History Month for her many contributions to Clark County.

Ms. Williams serves on the CCSD Bond Oversight Committee and on various education committees and
manages/directs the BSU Network in partnership with CCSD and CCBC as a volunteer. She regularly appears in media, and as a conference guest speaker providing her perspectives about racial justice, education equity, and social justice issues including outlets such as CNN, MSNBC, CBS, New York Times, Washington Post.

Ms. Williams is a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Obama, The National Black Justice Coalition - We Care Award, the Human Rights Campaign – Equality in the Community Award, NAACP—Legacy Builder Award and other local honors and recognitions.
Lunch
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
"Why Engage ALL families, 2021"
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Dr. Beverly Mathis
Lead instructor for The Public Education Foundation's Family and Community Engagement Course
&
Vice President of Teacher Engagement and Early Learning at The Public Education Foundation

Dr. Beverly G. Mathis, who is Vice President of Early Learning, Literacy and Family Engagement, joined The Public Education Foundation in 2011.
In 1976, Beverly relocated to Las Vegas
from Tennessee, where she was an elementary school teacher for two
years. Upon her arrival to Nevada, she taught 17 years in the classroom, three years as assistant principal and, from 1995 to 2011, served as the principal at Kermit Roosevelt Booker Sr. Elementary School, a post she held for 16 years until her retirement.

Among many recognitions of her commitment to excellence, Beverly received The Public Education Foundation’s Lifetime Education Achievement Award in 2015, was selected in 2010 as School Administrator of the Year by the Nevada Association of School Boards, was a recipient of the 2000 Milken Family Foundation Education Award, and has been inducted into CCSD’s Excellence in Education Hall of Fame.

In 2015, Governor Brian Sandoval appointed Beverly to Nevada’s Spending and Government Efficiency Commission for K-12 public education.
Beverly obtained her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of Tennessee, Martin, and she obtained her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Vincent Richardson
Instructor in The Public Education Foundation's Family and Community Engagement Class
&
CCSD Teacher


Dr. Vincent Richardson, a native of North Las Vegas, Nevada and proud graduate of Cheyenne High School, is currently an Education Psychology Professor at the College of
This session is designed to help educators and stakeholders understand the importance of creating and supporting the Wellness Committee at their school to increase student school participation while working remotely.
Southern Nevada, Family Engagement Instructor with Southern Utah University and the Student Success Project facilitator at West Prep K-12 Academy. Prior to being a project facilitator, Dr. Richardson was the former Diversity Initiatives Coordinator at the College of Southern Nevada. While working at the College of Southern Nevada, Dr. Richardson co- created the Nevada
Promise Scholarship and a successful minority male mentoring program called BUMP UP, in which several male students of color completed college with a degree. Since 2004, he has been a highly qualified elementary and middle school teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dr. Richardson has spent much of his career teaching in at-risk schools teaching and serving the underprivileged community. Also, he is a former Kindergarten, 5th, and 6th grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher, Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teacher, and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) teacher. While teaching elementary and secondary school, Dr. Richardson has always been the lead teacher at the schools in which he taught. He has sat on various school committees, such as grade level chair, school lead team member, School Organization Team chair and Student Intervention Team member and Wellness Committee chair. Currently, Dr. Vincent Richardson sits on several community boards that influence students’ welfare and impact community engagement.

Dr. Vincent Richardson cherishes every opportunity to learn new innovative ways to teach and he also cherishes previous ways too. He is always looking for new ideas or opportunities to enhance students’ lives. For the 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 school years, Dr. Richardson received the Teacher of the Year award at his school. Dr. Richardson has also received many RAVE reviews certificates from various colleagues. During his tenure, he assisted his school to receive the 2012 Title I Distinguished School of the Year award for promoting student achievement.
"Developmental, not Incremental: Getting the Sequence Right for Deep Learning About Diversity"
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Dr. Milton J. Bennett
Dr. Milton J. Bennett founded and directs the Intercultural Development Research Institute located in Washington State, USA and Milan, Italy (http://www.idrinstitute.org). He was a tenured professor at Portland State University is now an adjunct professor at the University of Milano-Bicocca, where he teaches intercultural communication in the graduate program of Social Service Management and Political Policy. He has designed and conducted intercultural training for over 150 schools and universities, and he has served on the executive training faculty of eight major business schools and corporate universities. Milton is known for originating the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity that has been used to guide training and research in the field since 1986. His major textbook is the revised edition of Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication: Paradigms, Principles, & Practices (Intercultural Press, 2013). He contributed four major entries to the Sage Encyclopedia Multicultural America (Carlos Cortés, Ed.), wrote the chapter “The Epistemology of Hate” in The Psychology of Hate Crimes as Domestic Terrorism (Ed Dunbar, Ed.), and contributed the chapter “The Value of Cultural Diversity: Rhetoric and Reality” to the Springer series Realizing the Full Potential of Cultural Diversity(David Sam, Ed.). Personally, Milton was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Micronesia and has lived in urban multicultural neighborhoods most of his life. He currently splits time between residences in the Seattle area and Milan, Italy with his Italian wife and bicultural son.
Session Description

The future of all societies will be increasingly multicultural, and those societies that can generate inclusive and equitable conditions for diversity will thrive. For those that can’t or won’t adapt, the alternative is grim. As we watch this divide grow, we see again that it is education that gives us the adaptive potential. When education fails, we revert to primate instincts that are inadequate to the social complexity we have created. So, we need to do it right.
 
All learning is developmental. We don’t start with calculus; we start with simple arithmetic and build numeracy. Similarly, in acquiring multiculturality, we don’t start with complex identity issues; we start with simple acknowledgments of difference and build communicative competence. This presentation will use the Developmental Model of Intercultural Communication to show how educators can sequentially build perceptual and behavioral skills that are necessary to live in diverse societies. In developmental terms, much of the learning will be “a good thing to do, but a bad place to stop.” Diversity education programs that fail to attend to this fundamental perceptual processing sequence risk being both ineffective and possibly even counterproductive.
"Synthesis of the Learning"
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
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