Time: 10:00 am - 10:15 am: Welcome and Opening Remarks
Dr. Eric Mackey, Executive Director, School Superintendents of Alabama

Time: 10:15 am - 11:30 am: Even though we’re working so hard, why doesn’t every student learn?
Ron Mirr,SVP Scholastic Education
Dr. Rhonda Neal Waltman, Director of Consultancy Services, Learning Supports, Scholastic Education
Dr. Linda Felton-Smith, Director, Office of Learning Support, Alabama State Department of Education
Dr. Jacqueline Brooks, Superintendent, Macon County Schools,AL
Dr. W.L. ‘Trey’ Holladay III, Superintendent, Athens City Schools,AL

Every district wants to help all students reach their full potential and become successful members of a community and workforce. Despite the hard work of teachers and administrators, districts are increasingly concerned about the lack of growth in student performance. Clearly, not all students come to school every day motivationally ready and able to learn. Many students experience barriers that interfere with their ability to be physically or mentally present, and these barriers prevent students from benefiting from quality instruction. This session introduces Adelman and Taylor’s Learning Supports Framework, which offers a road map for schools to partner with families and communities to implement a comprehensive system of learning supports to ensure all students have the opportunity to benefit from high quality instruction. Two of Alabama’s current superintendents will share how the Learning Supports framework  has made a difference in their districts.

Time: 11:45 am – 12:45 pm: Lunch/ How can families help students continue learning over the summer?
Dr. Kelli Cedo, Principal, Forrest Elementary School,Hampton, VA

Research indicates that summer reading loss is a major contributor to the ongoing reading achievement gap. It is key that students have access to high quality, engaging text in school and at home. Abundant reading is a primary activity that consistently correlates to reading achievement. Strategies and best practices to engage the community, families, and advance the literacy skills of all children during the summer months will be shared.

Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm: Can families really help students learn?
Ron Mirr,SVP ScholasticEducation

For schools and districts across the U.S., family engagement is rapidly shifting from a low-priority recommendation to an integral part of education reform. As districts and schools consider how to engage families, they often struggle to understand what types of family engagement actually have an impact on student success. This session explains  the research from the past 20 years that demonstrates how certain types of family engagement positively impact student learning. You will also learn about the conditions that must be present in every school to provide a solid foundation for building effective family partnerships. An overview of the US Department of Education’s Dual-Capacity Framework for Effective Family-School Partnerships will clarify how schools must work to build the knowledge and skills of educators before they can help families build the knowledge and skills to help their children.

Time: 2:15 pm – 2:45 pm: Why don’t all families participate?
Ron Mirr,SVP Scholastic Education
Tonya  Leslie, VP Scholastic Education

How families view their role in relation to school is the key to why some families participate and others don’t. Using the research of Kathleen Hoover Dempsey, this session explains the different beliefs that families hold about their role in the learning process and how these views impact their willingness to engage with school staff. Participants will also learn how all family engagement efforts should promote four essential student learning attributes if the goal of family engagement is to improve student achievement.

Time: 2:45 pm – 3:00 pm: Closing Remarks
Dr. Eric Mackey, Executive Director, School Superintendents of Alabama

Click HERE to register