Breakout Room: Lakeshore 1
Sam Walseth Capitol Hill Associates
Breakout Room: Lakeshore 2
Is a return to the pre-coronavirus state of rural education possible? Or even desirable? What are the advantages and challenges to going back to how things used to be – or going forwards? Learn about the future of rural education coming out of the pandemic and moving towards a more flexible education system.
Dr. Allen Pratt has served as executive director of the National Rural Education Association for five years. He has also served as a high school science teacher and coach, high school principal, assistant superintendent/curriculum director, executive director of the Tennessee Rural Education Association, executive director of the East Tennessee Center of Regional Excellence for the Tennessee Department of Education, and rural outreach liaison for Lincoln Memorial University. His primary interests include issues that impact rural schools and the role of instructional leaders at the district and building levels. He is also involved at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Education and Educational Leadership. His current work focuses on providing a unified voice for rural schools and communities. His work in the past has been in the areas of workforce development, school reform, professional learning communities, and rural education initiatives.
Breakout Room: Paul Bunyan 1
Learn how to help your CTE teacher offer advance courses by becoming a certified Curriculum Ag Science Education (CASE) educator. The certification includes curriculum resources and classroom techniques to transform traditional lab courses into technologically advanced skill-based skills where students will experience equipment artificial intelligence trouble shooting maintenance project-based learning.
Keith Olander is Executive Director of AgCentric-Minnesota State with 28 years of agricultural education teaching experience and an administrator, farmer, and lifetime resident of rural Minnesota. He has been the Lead PI of more than 20 curriculum and crop research grant projects in, leader of Minnesota Farm Business Management, and 2021 inductee to the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame.
Carl Aakre has over 25 years of high school teaching and curriculum development and training. He is Assistant Director of Curriculum for Ag Science Education (CASE) and has worked at secondary and post-secondary levels to deploy curriculum to advance student competency.
Breakout Room: Lakeshore 4
When a special education teacher and a general education teacher team together in the classroom, they multiply each other’s strengths while increasing student academic achievement. Join this session to explore successful strategies by the SPED teacher and the GenED teacher to dance smoothly together while co-teaching. Behind every Beauty (pros) and Beast (cons), are co-teachers who believe in working together to assist students to achieve more! Never judge co-teaching by its cover.
Dr. Wendy Schoolmeester, Ed.D., is in her 35th year as an educator. She began as an elementary teacher, moved to the elementary principalship, then took a leap of faith switching to higher education. Wendy is in her 20th year as a Professor of Education at Southwest MN State University (SMSU) in Marshall where she enthusiastically shares her education passion with teacher candidates while mentoring them to become top-notch teachers. Wendy served as a school board member for 5 years serving as the Chairperson her last 3 years. She is the co-author of POWERFUL Teaching (2019 Kendall-Hunt Publishing) and other journal articles. Find her at educonnections.org, a blog she pens with her colleague.
Jamie Juhl, M.A., is currently an Assistant Professor of Special Education at the University of Sioux Falls where she started in August of 2019, teaching and mentoring future teachers to better understand the exceptional children population. Leading up to her position at USF, Jamie was employed at Pipestone Area Schools for 8 years as 3rd grade teacher, Special Education teacher, and Special Education Assessment Coordinator. She also taught for 2 years at an Idaho charter school. She has been a mentor/coach for several Community Expert Special Education teachers and provides workshops on adapting lessons to meet the needs of Special Education students.
Breakout Room: Lakeshore 3
Educators strive to create a positive learning experience for students by promoting a school climate where all students feel welcome. It is equally important that staff feel respected in the workplace and model the expected behaviors we want to see from our students. This session will focus on providing tips for responding to workplace gossip, addressing concerns with coworkers, celebrating diverse perspectives, and learning to recognize legal concerns that often arise in the workplace, such as hostile work environment, defamation, and retaliation claims.
Kristi Hastings, Attorney, is a partner at the Fergus Falls office of Pemberton Law, and her practice areas include representing public entities (school, city, county, and township employers), handling complex employment litigation, human resources support, negotiating collective bargaining agreements on behalf of public employers, defending public entities in litigation matters, as well as handling the myriad of issues that face public employers daily. Kristi is a Board-Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association.
Joshua Heggem, partner at Pemberton Law in Fergus Falls, is a Board-Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He has completed well over 150 workplace investigations and presently conducts at least two per month. He also has a great deal of experience handling labor negotiations on behalf of employers, conducting workplace trainings, and advising employers on the myriad of issues they encounter daily, including contract issues, medical leaves, wage and hour, workplace misconduct, and employee separation issues.
Breakout Room: Paul Bunyan 2
Recognizing the need to establish a new normal, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District has developed multiple strands that provide rich experiences and opportunities for student success. Their plan maximizes the time available, works with community partners, and promotes the overall growth and betterment of students. Learn about their needs assessment, work to establish programs, initiatives, and support, and the tangible results and lessons thus far.
Brian Dietz, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Schools Superintendent, has been a superintendent for 16 years in both rural and the metro areas of Minnesota and Southern California. He is a member of the AVID National Superintendent's Collaborative, a trainer for AVID, and a member of the Foundation Board. During my career, he and his teams have successfully passed multiple capital bonds worth $120 million in renovations, new builds, and space reimagining; they have also passed multiple operational levies to support and activate services and initiatives
Jill McGowan, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Schools Elementary Principal, Jill has been a leader in implementing High Reliability Schools (Marzano Framework) into the culture of the building and District. Prior to her time here, she served as an instructional coach with the Wayzata School District as well as an elementary teacher.
Breakout Room: Dutch
The national teacher shortage is worsening as attrition rates accelerate. More than ever, schools and students need an avenue to develop, recruit, and retain quality teachers. Additionally, diversifying teacher demographics to reflect the student body will provide a more equitable educational experience for all. Examine how a concurrent enrollment Introduction to Education class empowers schools and students by creating a pathway into the profession and fostering favorable perceptions about education.
Cody Shaffer is a high school English Language Arts teacher in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota and is an instructor for the College Now program through Southwest Minnesota State University. His philosophy as an educator is driven by the goal of empowering public education, thereby providing an equitable opportunity for every student in every classroom. In addition to classroom teaching, Cody supports his students by serving in a variety of coaching/advising roles.
Dr. Kandy Noles Stevens is a teacher education professor at Southwest Minnesota State University where she has the joy of daily sharing her love of teaching and learning. Dr. Kandy has been an advocate for science, STEM, and outdoor education for the bulk of her career, particularly creating environments where all students feel included and valued in these spaces. She works tirelessly to extend that advocacy to creating pathways to teaching among all students, especially for rural areas. Dr. Noles Stevens is also a regional best-selling author, national motivational speaker, and active community volunteer.
Breakout Room: Paul Bunyan 3
With today’s polarized political environment, School Board meetings are frequently becoming a space for members of the public to speak and air their opinions regarding many issues affecting school districts. This presentation will cover tips and strategies that school districts can use to effectively manage their board meetings.
Jay T. Squires is a founding shareholder of Rupp, Anderson, Squires & Waldspurger, P.A. Jay received his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to founding RASW, Jay was an associate and shareholder at Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A. Jay represents school districts, counties and cities throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin in the areas of general municipal and school law, real estate, land use and zoning, condemnation, construction disputes, and municipal litigation, including appellate work. He has argued over 50 cases to Minnesota's Appellate Courts and is a Real Property Specialist certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association and licensed to practice in both federal and state courts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Breakout Room: Dutch
Learn about strategic opportunities to help tackle the substitute shortage every district and school is experiencing. This is Byron Schools’ 7th year offering an internship program in collaboration with Winona State University providing guaranteed substitutes for the second semester of every school year with a guaranteed weekly stipend and one University graduate credit taught by district staff. Over the past five years, the district has hired 11 internship students. Leave this session with a strategic plan for a similar Grow Your Own Program.
Amanda Durnen, EdD serves as the principal at Byron Primary School. She obtained an Education Specialist degree in K-12 Administration from Winona State University in 2011 and 10 years later earned an Educational Doctoral Degree in Organizational Leadership. Researching preservice teacher preparation programs, including Grow Your Own models of strategic practice, is an area of passion for her. Amanda currently supports the Winona State University/Byron Public School Internship experience as a graduate instructor and program coordinator.
Jessica Denter serves as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for Byron Public Schools. After obtaining a Masters of Arts in Literacy Education from Hamline University, Jessica served as a reading specialist and instructional coach for 7 years. She earned her Education Specialist degree in K-12 Administration from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2017. Developing great teachers who will make a positive impact on students is a core value of hers. Jessica currently supports the Winona State University/Byron Public School Internship experience as a graduate instructor and program coordinator.
Breakout Room: Pioneer
Is it possible for a rural Minnesota district, with no operating referendum and a small group of advocates, to pass a referendum for additional student funding? Yes, it is. Embark on a multi-year effort, build a reservoir of public trust, and win at the polls. Think November 2023 and begin planning now. We will offer seven key learnings and a year-long community engagement plan.
Dr. Nate Rudolph became superintendent of the Cambridge-Isanti Schools August 2019 and led the district through $4.5 million in budget reductions, two referendums and the pandemic response. He previously served the Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools for 19 years as teacher, elementary principal, and middle school principal. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southwest Minnesota State University and Doctor of Education in Educational Administration and Leadership from St. Cloud State University. He is an active member of Rotary and Chamber of Commerce, sits on the Cambridge Medical Center and Falcon National Bank Boards and the State MSDLAF+ Board of Trustees.
Dr. Fred Nolan, President of E & F Services, served a total of 15 years as Superintendent of Eden-Valley Watkins and Foley and most recently was the Executive Director of the Minnesota Rural Education Association (MREA) for 9 years. Previously he had been a teacher, elementary principal and for 9 years Isanti Middle School principal in the Cambridge-Isanti School District. He earned a BA at Macalester College, a Master's Degree at Tri College University and Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. He is currently working to start a Bluejacket Education Foundation in Cambridge-Isanti and assisting districts improve their education, equity, and efficiency.
Janet Swiecichowski, APR brings more than 25 years of experience in school-community relations, including leading eight referendum campaigns in four different school districts. She is a regular presenter at the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) Annual conference (19 years and counting) and is accredited in public relations. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications and secondary education at Marquette University, a master’s in strategic communications from the University of Minnesota and is a doctoral candidate in Organizational Change and Leadership at the Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California.