25ANNUAL TH - Southern Regional Education Board

Conference PurposeThe purpose of the 25th Annual HSTW Staff Development Conference is to help state, district, and school leaders and teachers understandhow high schools, middle grades schools and technology centers can provide all students with powerful opportunities to become high-achieving,high-performing learners.Conference ObjectivesThis year’s conference theme is Creating Learning Opportunities That Make Every StudentExtraordinary. The sessions will focus on eight conference objectives:1. Align English/language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and career/technicalcurricula and instruction in the middle grades, high schools and technology centers tocollege- and career-readiness standards.2. Improve transitions from elementary to middle grades schools, from middle grades to highschools, and from high schools and technology centers to further study and careers.3. Create a culture of high expectations, high student motivation, and support in schools andclassrooms.4. Design career pathway programs of study around college-ready academic courses that alignto a baccalaureate degree, an associate’s degree, or advanced training and certification.5. Provide highly reliable guidance, advisement and extra-help systems that connect eachmiddle grades, high school and technology center student to the school, to a goal beyondhigh school, and to programs of study to achieve educational and career goals.6. Help all teachers understand how to use effective, proven instructional methods across thecurriculum.7. Create a schoolwide focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)that combines applied technology studies with challenging mathematics and science studiesin middle grades schools, high schools and technology centers.8. Build principals’ and teacher-leaders’ capacity to implement — in a highly reliable manner— school and classroom practices that work in middle grades schools, high schools andtechnology centers.2 25th Annual Staff Development Conference