Keynote speakers
Dr. Robert Brooks
Conference attendees will have two opportunities to hear Dr. Brooks, who is on the faculty of Harvard Medical School and is the former Director of the Department of Psychology at McLean Hospital. He has authored or co-authored 16 books, many of which focus on building and nurturing resilience in children and adults.
Preconference attendees (and others who purchase tickets) can put on their parent hats as they attend an evening reception, followed by a special presentation on “Raising a Self-Disciplined Child.” They will also be eligible for a drawing in which we will give away multiple copies of this book.
Friday morning, Bob opens the conference with a keynote presentation on “The Power of Mindsets: Creating a Positive School Climate.” By establishing a framework for school climate allows students to become confident, self-disciplined, resilient, creative and adaptive children, school directors can help set policies that create the environment for 21st century learning to take place.
Dr. Ronald Ferguson
Dr. Ferguson will share how to develop an American strategy for the future which will engage educators and employers in a more collaborative approach to the education and training of the next generation of young people. Pathways to Prosperity Project is based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Ronald Ferguson, senior lecturer at HGSE and the Kennedy School of Government and director of the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University, will showcase how this national initiative has been making progress since 2008.
Jon Kitna
Jon Kitna is best known as a former NFL quarterback whose career included seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys. Less known is the fact that he always wanted to be a math teacher – a dream he realized when he retired from the NFL. Jon, as teacher and football coach, now inspires students at Lincoln High School in Tacoma to excel in academics and athletics.
Distinguished speakers
Tom Genzel
The National School Boards Association is undergoing a strategic and fundamental transformation. The New NSBA encompasses “…an intentional, focused and sustained effort to make the organization a more visible, influential and effective leader in public education.” We are pleased to have their executive director, Tom Genzel, join us to deliver this vision.
Dr. Thomas Alsbury
Dr. Alsbury, Professor of Educational Leadership at Seattle Pacific University, is an advocate of publicly elected school boards. His 2008 book, “The Future of School Board Governance: Relevance and Revelation,” is widely considered the seminal work on current school board research. Tom will share his expertise with attendees during a full-day early bird workshop on highly effective school boards.