WERA Virtual Summit: Full Schedule & Details Below!
As a WERA member, to access the Virtual Summit, you will receive an email with the Zoom Events Link, please follow the steps in the email to sign in to the event. (This information can also be found in your calendar invite. If you are not yet a WERA member, click here to become a member and get full access to the virtual summit.
December 2nd 2021
9:00am Opening with Molly Branson Thayer, WERA President
9:30am Keynote Address, Washington State Superintendent Panel
Moderated by Glenn Malone, Experienced District Leader, Distinguished University Professor, WERA Past President
Featuring, Carla Santorno, Former Superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools & Susan Enfield, Superintendent of Highline Public Schools
10:30-10:45am Break
10:45-11:45am Session 1 (Options Below)
Session 1.1
Re-engaging Students as Assessment Partners
Presented by: Dr. Jeanine Butler, Educational Consultant & Washington State University Faculty, Scott Ramsey, Quincy Middle School Principal, Ashley Goetz, Okanogan Superintendent, Dorinda Belcher, Okanogan Middle School Principal, Shelby Lockhart, Yakima Executive Director, & John Belcher, Mt. Si High School Principal
Session Description: Data regarding students re-engaging in school after Covid indicates high levels of anxiety as well as low grades. Starting with a clear definition of what we mean by student GROWTH in WA State, we share district and school level strategies that re-engage students as our assessment partners that can contribute to their confidence, competence, and sense of self-efficacy as learners. By ensuring student voice and choice in a comprehensive assessment system we help create a culturally responsive culture. Additionally, inviting students to be assessment partners is an important aspect in realizing equity.
Session 1.2
Positive Outlier Schools: Illuminating the Strengths of American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Latino/a, and Students Experiencing Poverty
Presented By: John Steach, CEO of the Center of Educational Effectiveness, Dr. Janet Gordon and Ceni Myles
Session Description: This is a follow up from the presentations last year with the final report and findings. Will briefly review the methodology of the study and then share more detailed findings as well as resources.
Session 1.3
Three Key Insights to Accelerate Learning
Presented By: Dr. Jan Bryan, VP National Education Officer, Renaissance
Session Description: In this presentation, Dr. Jan Bryan will share strategies and best practices to address the impact of school disruptions placed upon students' reading and math achievements.
11:45am-12:45pm Break
12:45-1:45pm Session 2 (Options Below)
Session 2.1
Dual Credit Equity Project: Who is responsible for supporting students’ postsecondary aspirations and preparation in the K-12 system?
Presented By: Min Hwangbo, Washington STEM, Henedina Tavares, University of Washington, Gabe Stotz, Yakima School District, Jenee Myers Twitchell , Washington STEM & University of Washington
Session Description: Dual credit programs allow students to earn high school and college credit simultaneously. We know that enrolling in dual credit courses is beneficial because it often reduces the time (and money) required to complete a 2-year or 4-year degree. It can help students to build a college-going identity and is correlated with a higher likelihood of enrolling in post-secondary education.
Session 2.2
Identifying and Tracking Student Social, Emotional & Academic Needs
Presented by: John Steah, CEO of the Center of Educational Effectiveness & Dr. Randy Russell, Superintendent Freeman School District
Session Description: The Freeman School District has used CEE's Universal Student Screener to target interventions to students in need and track this need over time. CEE will demonstrate how the system collects and reports data and Freeman SD will share how the data is being used to support students.
Session 2.3
Revisiting Assessment and Accountability using a Lens of Instructional Utility
Presented By: Juan D'Brot, Senior Associate at the Center for Assessment
Session Description: Large-scale assessment and accountability systems are typically criticized for their irrelevance, whereas commercially provided assessments are often lauded for their instructional utility. Arguably, both can be equally relevant and irrelevant depending on the degree to which their use is aligned to their design. This session will attempt to help participants understand how instructional utility differs by the type of measurement system and its intended use, and how more comprehensive systems of assessment can potentially meet a greater span of needs for both educators and students, while also addressing the role of socio-emotional learning data in improving student access to equitable learning opportunities.
December 7th 2021
9:00am Opening with Brandon Lagerquist, Director of Assessment and Research, Anacortes School District
9:30am Keynote Address with with Dr. Curtis Acosta, Founder & Executive Director of Acosta Educational Partnership
10:30-10:45am Break
10:45am-11:45am Session 1 (Options Below)
Session 1.1
The COVID-19 Student Survey: Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Presented by: Dr. Jason Kilmer, Associate Professor, University of Washington
Session Description: In March of 2021, the COVID-19 Student Survey was implemented at 330 schools across Washington State, with over 65,000 6th-12th graders providing valid data. In this presentation, we will consider what students told us about their experiences during an unprecedented year, including perceived academic impacts, mental health, and worries related to the pandemic. Implications for the current academic year will be discussed.
Session 1.2
Realigning Washington's Continuous Improvement and Recognition System to the Goals of Basic Education
Presented By: Randy Spaulding and Dr. Andrew Parr, Washington State Board of Education
Session Description: The Washington State Board of Education has begun to explore options for a more equitable and informative continuous improvement and recognition system. We are re-envisioning a continuous improvement and recognition system that will result in information that supports both continuous improvement and meaningful, empowering, relevant learning experiences for each student, every day. This will be a reciprocal system that will more accurately distribute responsibility for the conditions for learning across the many K-12 policymakers and leaders at the state and local levels. Key considerations include a desire to capture more robust metrics that address inputs, outputs, and outcomes aligned to the state goals for basic education.
Session 1.3
Inclusionary and Healing Practices with our LGBTQ+ Students, Staff and Families: Intentional and Purposeful
Presented by: Abigail Chandler & Anthony Corrado, K-6 Principals, Puyallup School District
Session Description: Come share in an interactive exchange of ideas with two K-6 principals in a suburban school district of about 24,000 students in supporting our LGBTQ+ students, staff and families with intentionality and purpose. The interactive session’s presenters will jump-start the session with their efforts in each of their school community to provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive school communities for all students, especially for their LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families. They will share successes and lessons learned in their on-going journey, with hopes that the audience will also join in the sharing.
11:45am-12:45pm Break
12:45-1:45pm Session 2 (Options Below)
Session 2.1
Inclusionary Practices Project: Aligning Efforts to Move Forward
Presented By: Lindsey Stevens, Executive Director, CSTP and Helene Paroff, Inclusionary Practices Project Director, WASA
Session Description: This session will focus on how the Inclusionary Practices Project shifted in response to the realities of the 2020-21 school year. We will highlight how we are moving forward with more aligned and comprehensive efforts to meet the needs of students and families across the state.
Session 2.2
Standards-Based Reform: What It Is, What We Learned From It & What Comes Next?
Presented By: EduDream Co-founders, Michelle Oliva and Monica Martinez
Session Description: During the session, we will explore to what extent Standards-Based Reform (SBR) addressed structural inequities in education, highlight SBR successes, unintended consequences and equity challenges, and identify equitable approaches that districts are implementing to address these challenges. EduDream Co-founders, Michelle Oliva and Monica Martinez, will provide a high-level overview of the SBR movement and its impact on our education system, specifically for students experiencing poverty and students of color. Throughout the session, we invite participants to share their vision of new paradigms for federal education policy based on the lessons learned from the past quarter century.
Session 2.3
State Pre-K System: Continuous Quality Improvement Presented
Presented By: Beza Semu & Lauren Kronenberg, Cultivate Learning at University of Washington
Session Description: Developing and sustaining an effective and equitable pre-k system is complex. In this session we will share a set of tools that are developed to support an intentional and continuous quality improvement effort to ensure all children have access to high-quality learning environments. In particular we will share the Implementation Development Map (IDM) a process-oriented tool to audit systems and practices and create a plan for continuous, equitable, and high-quality improvement across seven essential Elements of high-quality pre-k.
December 9th 2021
9:00am Opening with Maria Flores, Executive Director, Center for Improvement of Student Learning, OSPI
9:30am Keynote Address with with Jean-Claude Brizard, President & CEO of Digital Promise
10:30-10:45am Break
10:45am-11:45am Session 1 (Options Below)
Session 1.1
Community Conversations: Transformational Data Practices in Partnerships with Youth & Community
Presented by: Angelica Alvarez, Adam Kay, Hilary Loeb & Pamela Raya-Carlton, Puget Sound Educational Service District
Session Description: In this session on data practices, youth, community, and PSESD leaders will reflect on their experiences launching a process that honors, elevates, and acts upon the emotions, lived experiences, and educational aspirations of Youth and Families of Color during a time of dual pandemics. Community members engaged in collaborative meaning-making, developed recommendations, and shaped reporting and communication strategies. This culminated in: "Community Conversations: Pandemic Learning & Returning to School in South King County".
11:45am-12:45pm Break
12:45-1:45pm
Networking Cafe
Come ready with your topics or a specific session you would like to discuss! Depending on who is able to attend, we may set up polls & breakout rooms for networking & discussions to make sure everyone is able to spend their time exactly how they would like.
Access to the WERA Virtual Summit is included with your WERA membership and registration to the full year of WERA’s Virtual Learning Series. You may attend the sessions live and will also have unlimited access to the recordings. If you have not yet joined WERA or renewed your membership, click here to learn more and join today.
