“Ask Jim”

Attorney James Birnbaum

Birnbaum, Seymour, Kirchner

& Birnbaum, LLP

Do you have a legal question pertaining to your school that you would like answered?   If so, join this workshop!  Register for this workshop and then submit your legal question to wcris.staff@gmail.com and Jim will answer it during the workshop.    Space is limited to 30 participants.

Discovery Project: Serving Gifted Students through Innovative Programs

Brenda White       

Associate Superintendent

Archdiocese of Milwaukee

The Discovery Project provides gifted students in middle school with the opportunity to take accelerated courses through online instruction and face-to-face workshops provided by high school teachers.  This workshop will focus on ways to develop advanced critical thinking and 21st century literacy using interactive web-based technology

Disease Can Lead to Death: The Perils of Development Done Wrong

Clint B. Holden – See Clint’s Profile

President

SchoolRIGHT/Developing Stronger Schools

When development suffers, the school suffers. When development grows, the school grows. This session will identify the critical development mistakes schools make and how to correct them. Understand the process of planning, identification of core, major, and mega donors, specific and general public relations, and specific & general fundraising.

 “Do You Have 80/20 Vision?” – An Introduction to Grant Proposal Writing

Steven P. Tamowski, Director of Stewardship and Development  - See Steve’s profile

Diocese of Superior

During this workshop, participants will learn how to identify and construct core elements of a grant proposal.  Other topics of discussion include the relationship between program planning and proposal writing, and the importance of interpreting instructions and following application guidelines.

Grassroots Marketing: How to Mobilize Your Ambassadors to Increase Enrollment

Julie Wolf, Director of Communication, Archdiocese of Milwaukee 

Erin Dolan, Communication Coordinator, Archdiocese of Milwaukee 

See Julie & Erin’s profile

Private schools face an uphill battle against declining enrollments. Increasing tuition costs and a challenging economic climate may discourage parents from investing in a religious/independent education for their children. In 2009, the 127 schools in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee implemented a new strategic marketing plan. The plan places 60% of the focus on the internal ambassador. Parents, principals, pastors and alumni – our ambassadors – are equipped with tools they need to tell their stories and invite others to be part of their school’s family. Initial results prove that you can impact your school’s enrollment with grassroots, guerilla marketing: The Catholic Schools Marketing Plan won an Excellence Award in Grassroots Marketing from the Public Relations Society of America in 2010, and less than one year into the plan’s implementation, 65% of schools are attributing a total of nearly 400 new students directly to new marketing efforts.

Using complementary marketing strategies, fresh tactics and consistent messaging, you can sell the value of a religious/independent school education, grow enrollment and increase retention.

Helicopters, Dry Cleaners, and Unmanned Drones" - How to recognize and deal with different types of parents in your school

Gregg Hansel  -  See Gregg’s profile

Lead Principal
Stevens Point Area Catholic Schools

"Dealing with parents is becoming more challenging.  Learn specific techniques to help all parents become better supporters and partners.

“I Can See Clearly Now”

Sue Nelson – See Sue’s profile

Associate Director for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

Archdiocese of Milwaukee

This session will focus on the use of data to facilitate planning and goal setting, and will include a template for data action planning.  The goal of the session is to help school leaders better understand the achievement of their students, translate student achievement into actionable findings, and develop school goals and strategies for improvement.

Image Uniqueness - The School Brand: What Is It All About?

Clint B. Holden – See Clint’s Profile

President

SchoolRIGHT/Developing Stronger Schools

School leaders have long sought better ways to measure their effectiveness, and build upon it. The challenge is in measuring the right things in the right way, and drawing the right conclusions. This session will identify what it really means to develop your school's unique image though assessment and measurement.

 Key Ingredients for Effective Teacher Evaluation
Nancy Marsho, Director of the Principal Induction Program, Cardinal Stritch University
Judy Bloch, Assistant to the Head of School for Academic Initiatives, University School of Milwaukee

PI 34 and the Professional Development Plan

Jayne Werner   - See Jayne’s Profile

Director, Instructional Services and Professional Development

CESA 9

This session will provide an overview of the PI 34 requirements and the Professional Development Plan required for licensure.  The online tool, Wisconsin PDP, supports the complete process for both educators and the PDP Review Team Members.  The Wisconsin PDP tool will be demonstrated and details on how users and reviewers can get access to this resource will be discussed.  Jayne will also highlight examples of how PI 34 is being implemented around Wisconsin, in public and private schools, and how the Diocese of Madison has been supporting initial educators.

Strategic Planning 101
Joseph A. Bound, Ph.D.  – See Joseph’s profile

Director of Education
Diocese of Green Bay

This workshop will discuss the reasons for strategic planning, how it benefits schools, the type of data that should be collected in preparation for the planning process, and the steps involved in developing a comprehensive strategic plan.  Sample forms and resources will be distributed.

Teaching Teachers to Use Technology

Michael Uden, Ph.D. – See Mikes Profile

Dean, School of Education

Concordia UniversityWisconsin

Technology is a vital tool of the twenty-first century, but many educators have an empty toolbox.  In this sectional, we will consider how best to use technology to improve and enhance instruction—rather than having technology use us.  Several technology tools and resources, including digital response pads, blogs and glogs, digital storytelling, and web-based conferencing, will be highlighted.  Digital immigrants are welcomed,

Top 20 Health/Safety Concerns Facing Schools

William A. Freeman, CHMM – See William’s profile

President

Environmental Management Consulting, Inc

There are many health and safety regulations that schools must comply.  This workshop will focus on the top 20 concerns schools are faced.  Just a few of the subjects that will be covered will include; OSHA regulations, EPA Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) and the new EPA lead regulation that has been adopted and modified in the State of Wisconsin under the Department of Health Services (DHS). In addition, we will discuss indoor air environmental quality and going “green”.

Traveling the Neural Superhighway:  Brain-based Early Reading Instruction
Laura Stewart – See Laura’s profile

Vice President, Professional Development

Rowland Reading Foundation

There is research consensus on effective reading instruction, and some of the most exciting findings from neuroscience. This session provides an in-depth look at what we know about the importance of creating “neural pathways” in the brain, and how that translates into practical classroom application in beginning reading instruction.           

The big ideas addressed in this session: 1) Why learning to read is not a “natural” skill; 2) The points of research consensus on teaching reading; 3) The brain-processing systems involved in reading; 4) Key instructional practices that are critical for any beginning reader.   This interactive session will provide foundational information as well as practical tips.

What's Going On With Our Kids?  Adolescent Issues!
Tom Kidd
Our Keynote Speaker

This presentation focuses on why teens act the way they do, what the issues are with them and what we can do as parents/ teachers to nurture them through this segment of their life cycle without major problems due to their unhealthy risk/ choices/ decisions.