MREA kicks off the 2016 Annual Conference: Making Teaching Matter today. The conference brings together more than 300 superintendents, school board members and teachers from across Greater Minnesota for an immersive two-day event of professional development, networking and fun.

Sarah Brown WesslingSarah Brown Wessling (pictured right), National Teacher of the Year, will serve as the opening keynote speaker on Reclaiming the Value of Teaching. Now a 17-year veteran of the high school English classroom and a member of the faculty at Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa, Wessling has taught courses ranging from at-risk to Advanced Placement. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher since 2005.

Kayla Delzer will close the conference on Tuesday with an inspiring session on Reimagining Education. PBS LearningMedia recently named Delzer the North Dakota Lead Digital Innovator. A technology champion and teacher in West Fargo, North Dakota, Delzer is in her eighth year of teaching second grade.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-10-48-22-amExpectations for today’s professional teachers have redesigned teaching and made it a more demanding profession. Research continues to demonstrate that great teaching is more important than ever to student achievement. We agree. So, we’re coming together to explore how we can further elevate teaching in Minnesota.

View the Conference Schedule and Resources