Conference Sessions
Strands
Thursday, February 7
Session A 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Session B 1:15 AM–3:15 PM
Friday, February 8
Session C 9:30–10:45 AM
Session CD 9:30 AM–12:15 PM
Session D 11:00 AM–12:15 PM
Session E 2:15–3:30 PM
Saturday, February 9
Session F 9:30–10:45 AM
Session FG 9:30 AM–12:00 PM
Session G 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
Session B
B1
Building District Capacity to Support SLC
Implementation
Julia Kassissieh, Senior Program Advisor;
Diana Oxley, Project Director, Northwest
Regional Educational Laboratory, OR
What is the district’s capacity to support SLC implementation? In what ways are district policies fostering SLC implementation, and in what ways is the district a barrier? How might district policy support the development of strong, equitable SLC academic programs? Teams will have time to learn about best practices and will come away with a plan to undergo a district self-assessment for SLC implementation.
Strands: Collaboration
B2 *additional fee
Nine Phases of Transformation
Alan Blanchard, President, Blanchard
Educational Services & Technologies, CO;
Brooke Harms, Educational Consultant, CA
Converting a large high school into a system of
SLCs is a customized process with each school
possessing unique strengths and challenges. Drs.
Blanchard and Harms, authors of the popular
book Transforming the High School Experience,
present the nine phases of planning and implementation
of SLC strategies. This session is for
those schools familiar with basic SLC concepts
and preparing for implementation, and for
schools modifying their current SLC practices.
*Each attendee picking this session receives a copy
of the book. Add $50 to your registration fee.
Strands: Identity
B3
Featured School: Affecting Sustainable
and Positive School Transformation:
A Literacy Example
New Speaker:
Kristen Hobbs, Literacy Coordinator, Noble High
School, ME
National research organizations have recently called for high schools to transform themselves into more effective communities of learning. A lot of this work is propelled by students’ poor literacy performance. This session addresses these and other concerns by describing a framework for implementing positive and sustainable change. Participants will learn about and use this framework to propel change in their own setting.
Strands: NEW!
B4
Featured School: A Guide to Re-
Engineering a Traditional High School—
The Real Story
Angela Julien, Principal, Tucson USD, AZ
This session will interweave the story of the transformation of a highly diverse, very traditional comprehensive high school into SLCs with hands-on, interactive materials and strategies for beginning or strengthening a change process that emphasizes interpersonal skills, intellectual pursuits, and involvement in the community.We will work together to create a blueprint for change for each school and use each other’s stories to bring life and detail to the plans.
Strands: NEW!
B5
School Tour— Crawford High Educational
Complex
Crawford High Educational Complex is located
10 minutes from the Town & Country Resort.
Transportation to and from the Complex will
be provided.
Crawford High Educational Complex is an example of a traditional comprehensive high school that has implemented smaller learning communities (SLC) by placing approximately 1700 students and staff in four smaller, autonomous schools. The school received several grants to implement SLCs. Forum attendees will have the opportunity to tour several of the schools and learn about the principles and strategies of the redesign from the people who were directly involved. Schools wanting to see what SLCs look like when implemented, should not miss this opportunity.