Indiana University
Education Conference

Join us online for one of the largest, most comprehensive educational summits in the country. Don't miss conference news and details; register now.

July 13th – 15th, 2021

Every year the Education Conference spotlights topics impacting the school experience and gathers sought-after experts influencing pivotal advancements in education. No other conference in the midwest provides access to such highly valuable resources for educators and administrators. Get registered below.

More About This Year's Topics
Keynote Speaker

Dr. Bettina L. Love

Dr. Bettina L. Love is an award-winning author and the Athletic Association Endowed Professor at the University of Georgia. She is one of the field’s most esteemed educational researchers. Her writing, research, teaching, and activism meet at the intersection of race, education, abolition, and Black joy. Dr. Love is concerned with how educators working with parents and communities can build communal, civically engaged schools rooted in Abolitionist Teaching with the goal of intersectional social justice for equitable classrooms that love and affirm Black and Brown children. In 2020, Dr. Love co-founded the Abolitionist Teaching Network (ATN). ATN’s mission is simple: develop and support teachers and parents to fight injustice within their schools and communities. In 2020, Dr. Love was also named a member of the Old 4th Ward Economic Security Task Force with the Atlanta City Council.
Dr. Love is a sought-after public speaker on a range of topics, including Abolitionist Teaching, anti-racism, Hip Hop education, Black girlhood, queer youth, Hip Hop feminism, art-based education to foster youth civic engagement, and issues of diversity and inclusion. She is the creator of the Hip Hop civics curriculum, GET FREE.
Keynote Speaker

Dena Simmons, Ed.D.

Dena Simmons, Ed.D., is an activist, educator, and student of life from the Bronx, New York. She is the founder of LiberatED, a liberatory approach to social and emotional learning, racial justice, and healing. She writes and speaks nationally about social justice and culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy as well as creating emotionally intelligent and safe classrooms within the context of equity and liberation. She is the author of the forthcoming book, White Rules for Black People (St. Martin’s Press).

2021 CONFERENCE THEME

Education Equity: The Role of Schools and Universities in Leveling the Playing Field

Last year, over 5,000 education professionals joined us online for one of the largest, most comprehensive educational conferences in the country.  No other conference in the Midwest provides access to such highly sought-after experts influencing important advancements in education at no cost. The conference provides professional development opportunities to educators and administrators in K-12 and higher education that lead to equitable educational outcomes for students of color. This year, topics will include:

  • the state of K-12 and higher education in the era of COVID-19;
  • strategies to support equity in schools and the returned benefits;
  • social and emotional learning with an emphasis on how to teach and learn in the context of stress and the pandemic;
  • educational rights issues associated with grade retention, remedial class assignments, and standardized testing during COVID-19;
  • how to combat chronic absenteeism;
  • positive discipline during a pandemic;
  • school safety and the necessary role of social workers and counselors versus police and security officers;
  • best practices on how to navigate conversations with students about politics, race, and racism while facing pressures to remain nonpartisan;
  • teacher education innovation and how to make learning interesting beyond the use of textbooks; and
  • technology in the classroom

Participants will be provided links to livestream all sessions in advance.  Full recordings of the sessions approved by the presenters will be made available on IBE’s website.

PGP points will be provided.

2021 Conference Replays

Full Conference Schedule

Day 1 Schedule: Tuesday, July 13th

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Steve Jefferson, WTHR Reporter
Steve, affectionately known as “Scoop J”, is an Emmy Award-Winning Reporter with numerous other awards including Edward R Murrow, Best Newscast from the Associated Press, and various community service awards. He’s reported on major events including the Atlanta bombings, 100 Million Man March, the Georgia floods and Hurricanes George and Katrina.

Steve is from Dayton, Ohio, where he graduated from The Wright State University Journalism School. Steve and his family currently reside in Indianapolis. You may see him around town on one of his motorcycles. He also enjoys social media, exercising, traveling, roller skating, bike riding, running, pro sports and word games.

 

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Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/96084853347

Dr. James Wimbush
Dr. James C. Wimbush is Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural affairs, Dean of the University Graduate School, and Professor of Business Administration at Indiana University. As Dean, he oversees Graduate Master’s and Doctoral programs on Indiana University’s eight campuses.

Nationally, he works to advance graduate education by serving as past-chair of the board of directors of the GRE; chair-elect of the Council of Graduate Schools’ board of directors; and as a member of the executive committee of the AAU’s Association of Graduate Schools. He was appointed to the joint Commission on the Future of Graduate Education, which released the 2010 report The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education in the United States.

About This Workshop

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/96084853347 

How is Indiana faring one year after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and what are the long-term implications for Hoosiers’ economic mobility and higher education opportunities going forward? We’ve seen through the past year that innovation and adaptability are keys for solving immediate challenges while preparing for the future, but that we’re not moving the needle forward quickly enough for all Hoosiers.

Commissioner Teresa Lubbers will share information about how higher education and the workforce have evolved in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and will present the data that has been driving conversations around equity and education at the state level. She will also review how the state is focusing on a strategic collaboration with employers, community partners, and providers to bolster the perception of education and training beyond high school.

Moderator
Brittany Collins – Manager, Postsecondary Outreach and Career Transitions at the Indiana Commission for Higher Education

Dr-Curtis

Introduction of Commissioner Lubbers

Deborah J. Curtis President, Indiana State University
Deborah J. Curtis began her tenure as the twelfth president of Indiana State University on January 3, 2018. She is the first female and only the second graduate of Indiana State to serve as president. She came to Indiana State from the University of Central Missouri where she had served as provost and chief learning officer since 2012.

Prior to becoming provost at Central Missouri, Curtis served as dean of the College of Education at Illinois State University from 2006 to 2012, interim dean from 2005 to 2006 and as director of the Cecilia J. Lauby Teacher Education Center and Clinical Experiences and Certification Processes from 2001 to 2005. She served on the faculty of Illinois State for 26 years, advancing to the rank of full professor.

Curtis earned her Ph.D. from Indiana State University in curriculum and instruction with specializations in secondary education and supervision of instruction. She holds a master’s degree in music education from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in music education from MacMurray College.

Throughout her career, Curtis has served her community and profession through engagement in a variety of service roles in Illinois, Missouri, and now Indiana. Some of these include the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce Board, Terre Haute Competes, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, Indiana Chamber Board, Terre Haute Economic Development Corporation Board, Indiana Campus Compact Board, NCAA Division I Presidential Forum, and the Indiana Chamber 2025+ Task Force.

 

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Presenter

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Teresa S. Lubbers
Teresa Lubbers was appointed in 2009 to serve as Commissioner for Indiana’s Commission for Higher Education, the coordinating agency charged with ensuring the state’s postsecondary education system is aligned to meet the needs of students and the state. Prior to joining the Commission, Lubbers served in the Indiana State Senate for 17 years, leading on education and economic development issues as Chair of the Senate Education and Career Development Committee. As Commissioner, Lubbers works to increase college completion, ensure academic quality and student learning and align postsecondary credentials with meaningful careers. She partners with policymakers and higher education leaders to develop and implement the state’s higher education strategic plans, including the Commission’s recently adopted fourth plan, “Reaching Higher in a State of Change.”

Lubbers is a past chair and a current member of both the State Higher Education Executive Officers and the Midwestern Higher Education Compact. She serves as Chair for both the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements and Higher Learning Advocates Board of Directors. Additionally, she serves as a Commissioner for both the Education Commission of the States and the Postsecondary Value Commission, a member of the Advisory Council for both the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and the Level Up Advisory Council and as the Chair of Indiana’s Governor’s Workforce Cabinet.

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About This Workshop

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/92950589691 

This presentation will highlight how Indiana high school students can gain a competitive advantage and jump-start on earning college credit while also fulfilling their high school diploma requirements. Earning college credit while in high school improves the likelihood that a high school graduate will persist in college after high school graduation. Let’s talk about it!

Although several Hoosiers are taking advantage of this amazing opportunity, many are being left behind. We will examine the dual credit and dual enrollment equity gaps. Educators will receive guidance on how they might play an integral role in working to close the achievement gap so that all students have an opportunity to benefit.

Moderator
Peggy J. Surbey – Region 10 Manager, Indiana Department of Child Services.

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Presenter

Alonzo O Ross
Alonzo O Ross, MBA, is a motivational and collaborative educator passionate about providing educational access and opportunity to all students in Central Indiana. Alonzo’s real talk/front porch delivery style captivates and engages others, inspiring them to make a more significant impact on the lives of the students they serve. On the community engagement side, Alonzo is a 13-year active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, where he serves as the Executive Director for the District of Indiana Alphas. Alonzo is a champion for mentorship, development, and empowerment. He believes in meeting people where they are and encouraging them to see their fullest potential. Alonzo received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Indiana University East and his MBA from the University of Southern Indiana. Currently serves as the Director of Dual Enrollment and Transition at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis. Alonzo is the Husband of Meghan and the father of 2 children, Zola and Noah.

About This Workshop

Join The Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/91848770227

Imparting Wisdom: HBCU Lessons for K-12 Education, details historically black colleges and universities’ (HBCUs) longstanding efforts to provide quality educational experiences for their students and how their success may be translated in K-12 schools. For decades, public education has implemented reforms specifically targeting students of color, but the sector continues to face challenges in improving academic outcomes.  However, HBCUs are often overlooked as sources of effective methods for producing high-achieving Black students, although their existence is based on this very premise.

HBCUs have been engines for ingenuity, academic excellence, and social justice for decades, and the strategies and practices they implement can inform educational practices and systems. As such, Imparting Wisdom uplifts research-based HBCU best practices, practical recommendations, and insights from HBCU leaders, with the goal of promoting mutually beneficial alliances between the K-12 and higher education communities.

Moderator
Evelyn Pierce-Hicks, President National Sorority of Phil Delta Kappa, Inc. – Tau Chapter

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Andrea Neely
For the past 15 years Andrea Neely, a native of Indianapolis has provided stellar leadership in her role as Area Development Director and for the past ten years as the Indianapolis Regional Development Director for UNCF.  Each year the UNCF helps more than 10,000 promising African American and other students of color go to and through college with scholarships, internships, and fellowships. Mrs. Neely manages office operations for Indiana and Ohio with annual campaigns of $2.5 million and other statewide initiatives.  Her leadership has resulted in $75 million being raised since 2006 to support the 37 UNCF colleges and universities and minority scholars that also attend Indiana state schools. This performance was recognized nationally by UNCF in 2019 as a top-performing office that has exceeded its annual campaign goal for the past five out of six years.  In 2016 the Indianapolis area office was the #1 Performing Area office in the country raising $26 million also in 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, and 2014 she was presented with the UNCF Award of Excellence for exceeding her annual fundraising goal.

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Sekou Biddle
Sekou Biddle leads UNCF’s advocacy efforts to ensure more African American students will be college-ready and better prepared to enroll in and complete college by driving sustainable education reforms that benefit students and empower parents and communities to demand improvement. He manages UNCF’s advocacy platform, which includes three major components: grass-tops partnerships, grassroots engagement, and messaging and research.

He has more than 20 years of experience in urban public education reform and is a former at-large member of the District of Columbia City Council. He represented Wards 3 and 4 on the District of Columbia State Board of Education. As executive director of the southern region of Jumpstart for Young Children, he partnered trained adults in year-long relationships with pre-school-aged children to prepare them for success in school.

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Dr. Meredith Anderson
Meredith Anderson, Ph.D. is the Director of Research in the K-12 Advocacy Department and Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute at UNCF, where she leads and designs empirical research related to K-12 education reform for African American students. Dr. Anderson has over 10 years of extensive research experience, including survey design and management, quantitative and qualitative analysis, and program evaluation.

Anderson’s publications have focused on race, educational inequities, African American community voice in education, and the influence of representation on grouping and tracking outcomes for African American male students. Meredith’s most recent publications for UNCF are: A Seat at the Table: African American Youth’s Perceptions of K-12 Education; Lift Every Voice and Lead: African American Leaders Perspectives of K-12 Education Reform; The Lift Every Voice and Lead Toolkit: A Community Leader’s Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education; Building Better Narratives in Black Education; and The Condition of College and Career Readiness 2015: African American Students.

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Mr. Terrance Dixon

Mr. Dixon and his team members will build upon the University’s prior history of strong enrollment, and its current outstanding academic programs. Through comprehensive enrollment management, retention, and degree completion strategies designed to achieve ambitious enrollment goals, Mr. Dixon will continue to enhance academic quality, and elevate Shaw’s brand to higher levels of institutional distinction. With an unwavering focus on putting students first, this role will enhance the student experience from the first-time students learn about Shaw University through their graduation.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Dixon served as Vice President of Enrollment Management at Morehouse College, in Atlanta, GA—the nation’s largest private liberal arts college for men. While serving at Morehouse, Dixon provided senior leadership and strategic direction for a comprehensive enrollment strategy that proved to be aggressive, responsive to new trends and markets, and consistent in meeting enrollment goals, mission, and strategic business objectives of the College. Dixon has served as Senior Educational Manager in Higher Education Services for the College Board, where he managed education outreach and service for admission and recruitment, financial aid, and advising and placement to colleges and universities in the southeastern region. Before entering higher education, he spent several years building a marketing career in positions at Delta Airlines, Dun and Bradstreet, and Enterprise Leasing Company

Day 2 Schedule: Wednesday, July 14th

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Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/92246129966 

Steve Jefferson, WTHR Reporter
Steve, affectionately known as “Scoop J”, is an Emmy Award Winning Reporter with numerous other awards including Edward R Murrow, Best Newscast from the Associated Press, and various community service awards. He’s reported on major events including the Atlanta bombings, 100 Million Man March, the Georgia floods and Hurricanes George and Katrina.

Steve is from Dayton, Ohio, where he graduated from The Wright State University Journalism School. Steve and his family currently reside in Indianapolis. You may see him around town on one of his motorcycles. He also enjoys social media, exercising, traveling, roller skating, bike riding, running, pro sports and word games.

 

About This Workshop

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/92246129966 

Join this Indiana Black Expo session, “Real Talk? How to Discuss Race, Racism, and Politics in 21st Century American Schools,” to explore a five-step process for discussing public issues in American schools. This session is courtesy of Brio Education Consulting, LLC and will be facilitated by Dr. Marcus Croom.

Moderator
Nicole Oglesby – Director of P-20 Education Alliances at IUPUI

Presenters

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Marcus Croom, Ph.D.

Marcus Croom is an assistant professor of Literacy, Culture, and Language Education in the School of Education and the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. He uses research and experience to support the development of racial literacies in classrooms, schools, universities, businesses, organizations, and communities. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marcus-Croom

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About This Workshop

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/98743216741

This moderated panel explores the role of higher institutions in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the institution and within local communities. Higher education thought leaders, faculty, and administrators who are working throughout Indiana comprise the panel.

Additionally, this group will discuss Indiana University’s DEI initiatives, strategies, and priorities from 2020 toward the future.

Presenters

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Monica M. Johnson, M.S.Ed – Session Moderator
Assistant Vice President for Diversity Education and Cross-Cultural Engagement
Indiana University
momgreen@indiana.edu

For the entirety of her career, Monica Johnson has been active nationally in the areas of diversity, social justice, and advocacy for access and equity within higher education. In addition to serving as an independent consultant for a variety of educational institutions, professional organizations, and community-based initiatives, Monica is the current Assistant Vice President for Diversity Education and Cross-Cultural Engagement at Indiana University. Within the national diversity and social justice community, Monica proudly serves as a Co-Chair of the National Advisory Council for the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE).

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Rachel Ann Brooks, M.Ed.
Director of Diversity and Inclusion
O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Indiana University Bloomington and IUPUI
rabrook@iu.edu

Rachel Ann Brooks serves as the director of diversity and inclusion at Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs for the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses. Prior to her arrival at IU, Rachel was the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives for the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University. She is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and an alumna of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Rachel received a B.A. in legal studies minoring in women and gender studies, and later received a master’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in education administration at Indiana State University.

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Carl Darnell, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for the IU School of Education
Director of the Hudson and Holland Scholars Program
Indiana University Bloomington
darnellc@indiana.edu

Carl Darnell is an experienced researcher exploring historically Black college and university partnerships and examining student development in culturally affirming college programs. He is an actively practicing student-centered administrator focusing on exposing students to opportunities to pursue their definitions of success. Carl is no stranger to helping underrepresented students succeed. He has challenged the status quo for much of his personal and professional life and served as a passionate advocate for causes that pursue social and educational justice. Today, he continues that journey as the new director of the Hudson & Holland Scholars Program, Indiana University’s largest merit-based scholarship and support program.

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Rosalyn Davis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Psychology
Indiana University Kokomo
rosddavi@iuk.edu

Rosalyn Davis is a clinical associate professor of psychology at Indiana University Kokomo, directs the M.A. in Mental Health Counseling program, and is the faculty diversity liaison in academic affairs.  She also serves as the Affirmative Action liaison for Faculty Senate. Rosalyn is a graduate of an HBCU, HSI, and PWI and has seen diversity initiatives play out in various academic settings.  She focuses her teaching, research, service, and clinical work on diversity, equity, and inclusion and speaks on these topics both internally and externally to the university. Her service external to the university includes serving as a member of the editorial board of The Counseling Psychologist and her recent election to the Midwestern Psychological Association Council.

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James Wallace, Ph.D.
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs
Indiana University Northwest
jamewall@iun.edu

A native of Evanston, Illinois, James Wallace has served as the Office of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs (ODEMA) director at Indiana University Northwest since 2011. He leads ODEMA’s cultural programming efforts while monitoring the institution’s commitment to its mission and values related to diversity and inclusion. Further, James collaborates with campus and community stakeholders to identify co-curricular activities designed to enhance students’ experiences and connect those students with the broader community. Currently finishing a doctorate in Urban Education Studies, his current research focus is the bachelor’s degree experiences of African American males post-incarceration. James also serves as a board member of Communities in Schools Lake County and chairs the Gary Commission on the Social Status of Black Males.

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Presenter

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/99316856756

Dr. James C. Wimbush
Dr. James C. Wimbush is Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs, dean of the University Graduate School, and Professor of Business Administration at Indiana University. As dean, he oversees graduate master’s and doctoral programs on Indiana University’s eight campuses.

Nationally, he works to advance graduate education by serving as past-chair of the board of directors of the GRE; chair-elect of the Council of Graduate Schools’ board of directors; and as a member of the executive committee of the AAU’s Association of Graduate Schools. He was appointed to the joint Commission on the Future of Graduate Education, which released the 2010 report The Path Forward: The Future of Graduate Education in the United States.

About This Keynote

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/99316856756

We Gon’ Be Alright, But That Ain’t Alright: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom

Dr. Love’s talk will discuss the struggles and the possibilities of committing ourselves to an abolitionist goal of educational freedom, as opposed to reform, and moving beyond what she calls the educational survival complex. Abolitionist Teaching is built on the creativity, imagination, boldness, ingenuity, and rebellious spirit and methods of abolitionists to demand and fight for an educational system where all students are thriving, not simply surviving.

Moderator
Dr. Jamyce Curtis-Banks, Founder & CEO of Whatever It Takes Consulting 

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Dr. Bettina L. Love

Dr. Bettina L. Love is an award-winning author and the Athletic Association Endowed Professor at the University of Georgia. Her writing, research, teaching, and educational advocacy work meet at the intersection of education reform, anti-racism, carceral studies, abolition, and Black joy. The aim of her scholarship is twofold: firstly, to advance how the field of education understands and critiques the systemic and structural racism of public education within the U.S.; and secondly, to advocate for abolitionist approaches in the field of education that seek new possibilities for educational justice. In the pursuit of making her scholarship a reality, she works with activists, communities, youth, families, and school districts to build communal, civically-engaged schools rooted in the aspirations of abolitionist strategies that love and affirm Black and Brown children. In 2020, Dr. Love co-founded the Abolitionist Teaching Network (ATN). ATN’s mission is simple: develop and support teachers and parents to fight injustice within their schools and communities. In 2020, Dr. Love was also named a member of the Old 4th Ward Economic Security Task Force with the Atlanta City Council. The goal of the Task Force is to advance dialogue and form tangible solutions for guaranteed income.

Dr. Love is a sought-after public speaker on a range of topics, including: Abolitionist Teaching, anti-racism, Hip Hop education, Black girlhood, queer youth, Hip Hop feminism, art-based education to foster youth civic engagement, and issues of diversity and inclusion. She is the creator of the Hip Hop civics curriculum GET FREE.

In 2014, she was invited to the White House Research Conference on Girls to discuss her work focused on the lives of Black girls. For her work in the field of Hip Hop education, in 2016, Dr. Love was named the Nasir Jones Hiphop Fellow at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. In April of 2017, Dr. Love participated in a one-on-one public lecture with bell hooks focused on the liberatory education practices of Black and Brown children. In 2018, Georgia’s House of Representatives presented Dr. Love with a resolution for her impact on the field of education. She has also provided commentary for various news outlets including NPR, Ed WeekThe Guardian, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. 

She is the author of the books We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom and Hip Hop’s Li’l Sistas Speak: Negotiating Hip Hop Identities and Politics in the New South. Her work has appeared in numerous books and journals, including Educational Researcher, Urban Education, The Urban Review, and the Journal of LGBT Youth. 

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Day 3 Schedule: Thursday, July 15th

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Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/94585150306

Steve Jefferson, WTHR Reporter
Steve, affectionately known as “Scoop J”, is an Emmy Award-Winning Reporter with numerous other awards including Edward R Murrow, Best Newscast from the Associated Press, and various community service awards. He’s reported on major events including the Atlanta bombings, 100 Million Man March, the Georgia floods and Hurricanes George and Katrina.

Steve is from Dayton, Ohio, where he graduated from The Wright State University Journalism School. Steve and his family currently reside in Indianapolis. You may see him around town on one of his motorcycles. He also enjoys social media, exercising, traveling, roller skating, bike riding, running, pro sports and word games.

 

About This Workshop

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/94585150306

Dr. Jenner will  be addressing the State of Indiana K-12 Education

Moderator
Dr. Shenia Suggs – Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources at MSD Wayne Township

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Presenter

Katie Jenner, Ed. D.

Katie Jenner, Ed. D., was appointed as Indiana’s first Secretary of Education by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, effective January 11, 2021. Prior to her appointment, Dr. Jenner served as Senior Education Advisor to Governor Holcomb where she provided guidance on statewide policy and initiatives for preschool, K-12, and higher education.

Dr. Jenner began her career in K-12 public education as a Career and Technical Education teacher in Kentucky. After moving to Indiana, she held various administrator roles, including assistant superintendent, for Madison Consolidated Schools. Dr. Jenner later served as the Vice President of K-12 Initiatives and Statewide Partnerships for Ivy Tech Community College where she led statewide strategies and formed partnerships between K-12 education, Career Centers, and Ivy Tech.

Dr. Jenner earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Transylvania University in Kentucky, a Master’s Degree in Business Education from the University of Kentucky, an M.B.A. through a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship at Indiana State University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Kentucky.

Dr. Jenner is committed to ensuring all students are prepared for the competitive realities of our 21st-century economy. She and her IDOE team will build capacity, spark innovation and forge partnerships at all levels of Indiana’s PK-12 education system to support educators and empower families.

About This Workshop

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/94275303684

Many people may not realize that education is a protected civil right under Indiana law. This presentation will provide a summary of State protections that are intended to prevent unlawful education discrimination as well as how complaints concerning education discrimination are processed by the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. Further, the presentation will address recent developments that may impact an individual’s right to an equal opportunity for education.

Moderator
Dr. Gwen Kelley – Educational Consultant and Advocate – Vice-Chair, Children’s Policy and Law Initiative of Indiana

Presenter

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Tim Schultz
Tim Schultz currently serves as Deputy Director and General Counsel of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission (ICRC), the agency charged with enforcing the Indiana civil rights laws and provides education and services to the public in an effort to ensure equal opportunity for all Hoosiers.  Mr. Schultz has served Hoosiers since 2008 in various capacities, first by representing the State before the Indiana Tax Court and the Indiana Supreme Court for a combined seven years with the Office of the Attorney General and the Indiana Department of Revenue. Immediately prior to joining ICRC, Mr. Schultz served as the General Counsel for the Indiana State Board of Education. Over the course of more than four years with the Board, Mr. Schultz provided counsel to the Board members on a variety of topics including school accreditation, assessment and academic accountability issues, grant programs, and virtual education. In his capacity as General Counsel for the Board, Mr. Schultz also had the opportunity to work with policymakers to assist in the development of education initiatives and future goals.

In his current role, Mr. Schultz oversees the agency’s complaint intake, investigations, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation divisions as well as coordinating agency efforts with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In this capacity, Mr. Schultz works to ensure Hoosiers have an equal opportunity for education, employment, access to public accommodations, and fair housing in accordance with the State’s civil rights laws.

About This Workshop

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/95277168755

This panel will discuss the benefits of “college immersion” for opportunity youth and how to implement the program in your school.  “College Immersion” is more than early college, it’s unlimited college and career opportunity.  Find out how students attending GEO’s 21st Century Charter School in Gary, Indiana rank 25th in the state for college and career readiness.

Moderator
Aerionna Martin – Assistant Director of Strategic Planning at the Office of Education Innovation Office of the Mayor – City of Indianapolis

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Presenters

Kevin Teasley
Kevin Teasley is the founder and president of the Indianapolis-based Greater Education Opportunities Foundation.  Teasley founded the GEO Foundation in 1998 to support families wanting better schools for their children.  In 2001, Teasley helped to launch one of Indiana’s first charter schools. Over the past 20 years, GEO has started multiple schools and today serves more than 3,600 students in three cities and two states—Indiana and Louisiana.  GEO schools are known for their “early college unlimited” program which graduates students with full associate degrees, career certifications, and even a bachelor’s degree at no cost to the student or their families.  Teasley received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1985 in journalism and political science.

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Theresa Canady
Theresa Canady is director of the Office of College and Career Readiness for 21st Century Charter School.  She is a mother of three students who attended 21st Century Charter School and all three earned full associate degrees while in high school.  In addition, her children when on to earn full bachelor’s degrees in two years after graduating from high school (her son is scheduled to graduate from IU in 2022), and her two daughters have already earned their master’s degrees.  Mrs. Canady also earned her associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees.  Today, she leads 21st Century’s college and career readiness program from the unique position of being a mother of three who went through the program.  Her perspective helps other students and parents understand the benefits 21st Century’s program offers and how to be successful in the program.  She has helped many students earn full associate degrees and career certifications and the school itself has one of Indiana’s best college and career readiness ratings with a current rating of 88.9%.

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Wendy Skibinski
Wendy Skibinski is currently serving as the Chief Academic Officer of Geo Academies.   She has over 20 years of experience in urban education.  She has been a teacher, dean, assistant principal, principal, and central office administrator.  Skibinski is known to say that her job is to provide the “Awakening Moment” for ALL students who are typically underrepresented in higher education by bridging a much-needed gap, streamlining transition, and providing “just in time” services

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Krishelle Murphy
Krishelle Murphy is principal of 21st Century Charter High School’s College and Career Center in Gary, Indiana.  Under her leadership for the past 8 years, 21C consistently posts graduation rates above the state average and this year posted a college and career readiness rate of near 90% with students earning an average of 20 college credits each in high school.  21C is the leading high school in NW Indiana for graduating students with full associate degrees and one student even earned a full bachelor’s degree while in high school.  Krishelle is a native of Matteson, IL and has a deep passion for helping underserved, underprivileged, and overlooked groups. A University of Michigan graduate, she is personally committed and dedicated to helping students maximize their greatest potential and to provide equal, equitable, and the greatest educational opportunities that will develop groups of young people that are positive and productive contributors to society and their communities.

Dr-Whittaker

Presenter

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Eric Whittaker, Ph.D.

Eric is a native of Birmingham Alabama but currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a member of the Student Success Team at Indiana Wesleyan University, Eric is the primary host of the New Student Onboarding Webinar. Eric’s personal mission is to help others achieve their next place in life. His previous positions at IWU were Admission Representative and Corporate Representative. Eric holds a Master’s Degree in Management and is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Business Administration at IWU National and Global.

About This Keynote

Join the Session Live: https://zoom.us/j/95225533869

From Surviving to Thriving: Creating Equitable Environments Through Emotional Intelligence and Culturally Relevant Practices 

For community members to thrive, they must feel safe to be who they are; they must love themselves. As a result, our leadership, instruction, and assessment must foster psychological and emotional safety through emotional intelligence, cultural responsivity, and anti-racist practices. During this interactive session, participants will explore impostor syndrome, emotional intelligence, and culturally relevant pedagogy, and anti-racist practices. Through narrative, Dr. Simmons will discuss how the intersection of emotionally intelligent and culturally relevant practices can create equitable and welcoming communities, where everyone can learn in the comfort of their skin.

Moderator
Karlin J. Tichenor, PhD | Founder and CEO, Karlin J & Associates, LLC

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Dena Simmons, Ed.D.

Dena Simmons, Ed.D., is the founder of LiberatED, a collective focused on developing school-based resources at the intersection of social and emotional learning (SEL), racial justice, and healing. She is the former Assistant Director of Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where she supported schools to use the power of emotions to create a more compassionate and just society. Prior to her work at the Center, Dena served as an educator, teacher educator, diversity facilitator, and curriculum developer. She has been a leading voice on teacher education and has written and spoken across the country about social justice pedagogy, diversity, emotional intelligence, and bullying in K-12 school settings, including the White House, the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit, the United Nations, two TEDx talks, and a TED talk on Broadway. Dena has been profiled in Education Week, the Huffington Post, NPR, the AOL/PBS project, MAKERS: Women Who Make America, and a Beacon Press Book, Do It Anyway: The New Generation of Activists.

Dena is a recipient of a Harry S. Truman Scholarship, a J. William Fulbright Fellowship, an Education Pioneers Fellowship, a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship, a Phillips Exeter Academy Dissertation Fellowship, a Hedgebrook Writing Residency, and an Arthur Vining Davis Aspen Fellowship among others. She earned her doctorate degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she recently served as faculty in the Summer Principals Academy. Dena’s research interests include teacher preparedness to address bullying in the K-12 school setting, culturally responsive pedagogy, and the intersection of equity and social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions—all in an effort to ensure and foster justice and safe spaces for all. She is the author of the forthcoming book, White Rules for Black People (St. Martin’s Press, 2022).

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