Educational Leadership Conference Set at A&M International
A first-ever conference on educational leadership is being held by Texas A&M International University's College of Education April 28-29.
Titled "School Leadership: Embracing the Challenge," the Conference will offer local and regional educators, principals and members of school boards an opportunity to explore issues that are impacting educational leadership across the country.
Dr. Humberto Gonzalez, chair of the sponsoring Department of Professional Programs, said the initiative will provide a rare opportunity for participants to meet with some of the nation's top thinkers on school leadership.
"We've been successful in attracting some of our nation's and state's most innovative thinkers on issues affecting school leadership. Our participants will have a chance to explore issues of tremendous concern such as the legal implications of special education, how we can assure safe campuses, what exemplary practices make exemplary schools and what leadership will be necessary for the schools of tomorrow," Dr. Gonzalez explained.
The Conference will begin Friday, April 28 with registration from 4-6 p.m. in the Great Room of the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. Two sessions will follow from 6-8 p.m.
Regular Registration Fees will be $75 in advance of April 15 and $85 on site. Student Registration Fees will be $50 in advance and $60 at the door.
Dr. Gonzalez said the College of Education hopes to make the Educational Leadership Conference an annual event.
"The University is honored to take a leadership role in providing a forum for valuable opportunities like the Conference. We hope to make it an annual event to allow our regional educators and school leaders an opportunity to retool for the day's challenges," he said.
Session One, will include a presentation by Sally Cain, US Secretary of Education, Regional Representative, on "Grants and Partnerships in Education."
Also scheduled is "Legal Implications on Educational Practices in Special Education, " lead by Jim Walsh, attorney with Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Schulze and Aldreidge of Austin.
The Conference will continue Saturday, also in the Great Room, with refreshments from 7-8 a.m. The day's sessions start at 8 a.m. and continue through 12:45 p.m.
Session Two, "Safe Schools" will be conducted by Dr. Ronald D. Stephens. Dr. Stephens currently serves as Executive Director of the National School Safety Center. He has appeared as an expert commentator on school safety on every major television network including "The Today Show," "Good Morning America," "Jim Lehrer News Hour," "Oprah," and CNN.
He is author of School Safety: A Handbook for Violence Prevention. Additionally, he serves as the Executive Editor of School Safety, a leading school crime prevention news journal.
Session Three, "Principal Assessment and Evaluation" will be lead by Mark Gonzalez and John Weil of the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC).
Session Four, "Exemplary Practices of Exemplary Schools" will feature a select panel of six principals whose campuses have been rated exemplary.
The Closing Session and Luncheon Presentation will be "Educational Leadership: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," presented by Dr. John Hoyle of Texas A&M University, College Station. Dr. Hoyle is Professor of Educational Administration at A&M, specializing in Leadership Training and Assessment and Future Studies.
Considered one of the leading reformers in administrator training, he has been interviewed in U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, and Omni magazines. His book, Leadership and Futuring: Making Visions Happen, published by Corwin Press (1995), gained wide readership and was a bestseller.
For additional information, please request an event brochure by contacting Dr. Gonzalez at 956.326.2680 or email to hgonzalez@tamiu.edu
University office hours are from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu