Panels, workshops, and roundtables allowed alumni and other leaders to discuss issues central to closing the achievement gap and to equip themselves with the tools they needed to put their ideas into action.
Building Coalitions and Connections to Meet Children's Needs
This panel will examine how we can take a more comprehensive approach to the conditions of poverty that affect children’s overall and academic well-being. It will explore the importance and challenges of addressing the multiple needs of low-income children through forging partnerships with communities inside and outside school walls.
Shundra Cannon (Houston ’95)
Principal, St. John’s Academy, Houston Independent School District Charter School
Julian Huerta
Director of Programs, Foundation Communities
Allen Weeks
Co-director, Partners in Hope
Julene Mohr (Rio Grande Valley ’93)
Moderator:
Larkin Tackett
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Building Professional Learning Communities in Schools
In this workshop, participants will use a case approach to explore the processes and tools one professional learning community of teacher leaders used to improve student writing skills across the curriculum by critically analyzing and diagnosing teacher and student performance.
Elliott Witney (Houston ’97)
Principal, KIPP Academy Middle School
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Innovations in School Leadership Development in Texas
This panel will consider how Texas is leading the drive to create improved ways to support the development of school leaders. The session will examine innovative local programs and partnerships that hold promise to become national models.
Mike Feinberg (Houston ’91)
Co-Founder, KIPP Foundation and Superintendent, KIPP Houston
Jeff Fleming
Professor, Finance and Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, Jesse H Jones Graduate School of Management, Rice University
Siva Kumari
Advisor to the Provost on K-12 Initiatives, Rice University
Scott Van Beck
Executive Director, Houston A+ Challenge
Moderator:
Leo Linbeck, III
Chief Executive Officer, Aquinas Corporation; Adjunct Faculty, Jesse H Jones Graduate School of Management, Rice University; and Lecturer, Stanford Graduate School of Management
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Reforming Secondary Education through the Texas High School Project
After providing a historical context of the initiative, grantees on the panel will explore how the project is helping them boost student achievement and discuss the challenges they are facing in program implementation.
Alma Garcia
Program Officer of Early College High Schools, Texas High School Project
Joel Castro
Principal, East Early College High School, Houston
Caroline Chromey
STEM Director, KIPP Southwest Houston Campus
Anne McClellan
Chief Strategic Growth Officer, YES Prep Public Schools
Moderator:
Micah Sagebiel (Rio Grande Valley ’01)
Manager, Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative, Texas High School Project
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School Leadership Assessment and Preparation: Transitioning Positions Within Schools
This skill-building workshop will provide participants with a framework for assessing individual readiness for positions of leadership in schools. Participants should be prepared to engage in mock interview scenarios for charter and district school positions. The session will be highly interactive, so come ready to engage.
Heather Anichini (Chicago ’02)
Managing Director, School Leadership Initiative, Teach For America
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Using Politics, Policy, and Advocacy as a Force for Change
Working in policy, advocacy, and politics give alumni powerful positions from which to affect policies at the classroom, district, city, and state level. This panel will discuss the numerous ways citizens can engage in politics and how we can use politics as an influential lever in closing the achievement gap.
Jonas Chartock (Los Angeles ’97)
President & CEO, Charter School Policy Institute
Doug Greco
Lead Organizer, Austin Interfaith
Natasha Kamarani (Houston ’91)
Second Vice President, Board of Education, Houston Independent School District; Executive Director, The Arnold Family Foundation
Mark McKinnon
Vice Chairman, Public Strategies; President, Maverick Media; Senior Adviser, Senator John McCain’s Presidential Campaign
Tracy Young
Deputy Secretary’s Regional Representative
Moderator:
Jen Bluestein
Vice President, Political Leadership Initiative, Teach For America
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Where Business and Idealism Meet: Engaging Business to Effect Social Change
Business professionals have historically contributed financial resources, professional expertise, and entrepreneurial vision to help drive social change. In recent years, corporations have begun to assume more responsibility on an organization-wide level for addressing social issues. Panelists will speak to the approach they have found most effective and the obstacles they have encountered in leading initiatives to improve their communities.
Carter Higley (Los Angeles ’01)
Vice President of Acquisitions and Project Management, Western General; Founder, LEAD
John Montgomery
Vice-President and Director, Bridgeway Funds
Stacy Newcomer
Executive Director, Texas, Citizen Schools
Harrison Williams
Executive Vice President, Albrecht & Associates; President, Board of Directors, Houston READ Commission
Moderator:
Carey Peek (Houston ’03)
Bridgeway Funds
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Architecture of Successful Messaging
In this skill-building workshop, nationally-acclaimed political communications strategist Mark McKinnon will detail and demonstrate essential strategies for running effective candidate and/or advocacy campaigns.
Mark McKinnon
Vice Chairman, Public Strategies; President, Maverick Media; Senior Adviser, Senator John McCain’s Presidential Campaign
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Becoming a District School Leader: What Should it Take?
This panel will explore the experiences and skills necessary to successful school leadership within districts and consider how systems should be reformed to better support these pathways.
Bret Champion (Houston ’91)
Superintendent of Schools, Leander Independent School District
Steve Amstutz
Principal, Lee High School, Houston Independent School District
Jarrett (Reid) Whitaker (Corps '02)
Principal, Port Houston Elementary, Houston Independent School District
Moderator:
Michele Pola, Ed.D.
Chief of Staff, Houston Independent School District |
Creating a High-Achieving Culture Through Strong Leadership
Establishing a school culture of high achievement for all students requires effective leadership at all levels. This panel will explore the specific components of a high-achieving organizational culture and how educational leaders can cultivate it.
Jeremy Beard (Los Angeles ’95)
Principal, IDEA College Preparatory
Aaron Brenner (Rio Grande Valley ’95)
Principal, KIPP SHINE
Aisha Crumbine (Houston ’99)
Assistant Principal, Pershing Middle School, Houston Independent School District
Moderator:
Karolyn Belcher (Greater New Orleans ’90)
Vice President of Human Resources, The New Teacher Project's Vice President of Human Resources |
Innovating Beyond the Classroom: The Power of Social Entrepreneurship
Wondering what it takes to start your own social venture? This panel will feature alumni who have experienced success in envisioning and launching organizations committed to driving social change and a local funder who evaluates programs.
Amy Averett (North Carolina ’91)
Executive Director, Founding Austin Voices
George Grainger
Grant Officer, Houston Endowment Inc
Anthony Jewett (New York ’03)
President, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Bardoli Global Initiative
Shawn Raymond (Mississippi Delta ’94)
Partner, Susman Godfrey L.L.P.; Co-founder, Proposed U.S. Public Service Academy
Tom Torkelson (Rio Grande Valley ’97)
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, IDEA Public Schools
Moderator:
Chaula Kothari
Director, Social Entrepreneurship Initiative, Teach For America |
Investing in Schools: The Policies and Politics of Education Funding in Texas
In Texas, public education is intertwined with issues of public finance and local taxes, making policy discussions complicated and often contentious. This panel of state legislators and school administrators will analyze school finance issues, considering the practical implications of policy implementation, and will examine complex issues like how to meet the needs of all students under the constraints of a virtually flat funding system and how funding needs will be met as the real estate market softens.
Sheilah Kavaney (Houston ’93)
Chief Operating Officer, YES Prep Public Schools
Scott Hochberg
State Representative, Texas House of Representatives
Harvin Moore
President , Board of Education, Houston Independent School District; Chief Operating Officer, Space Services Inc
Florence Shapiro
State Senator, Texas Senate
Moderator:
Debra Haas
Principal Consultant, Haas Policy; Adjunct Professor, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas-Austin
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National Board Certification: Pursuing Excellence in Teaching & Learning
National Board Certification, the most prestigious credential a teacher can earn, is also a tremendous professional development opportunity. This workshop will explain the process for becoming Nationally Board Certified, financial support available and pitfalls to avoid. We will also share exemplars of cohort programs throughout the state and how districts and charters are using NBCT to support and retain their best teachers. This session is relevant for teachers, principals, school system leaders, and anyone who works to professionally develop and retain top teachers.
Tracy Epp (Rio Grande Valley ’97)
Chief Academic Officer, IDEA Public Schools
Epp will be joined by Michele Cadwallader (Mississippi Delta ’97), 5th grade teacher, IDEA Academy; Rob LoPiccolo (South Louisiana ’97), Director of Curriculum and International Baccalaureate Programs IDEA Public Schools; Jonathan Caine (Rio Grande Valley ’04), 4th grade teacher, IDEA Academy; and Martin Winchester (Rio Grande Valley ’95), 7th grade ELA Teacher and Director, Talent Development, IDEA Public Schools.
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School Leadership Assessment and Preparation: Transitioning Positions Within Schools
This skill-building workshop will provide participants with a framework for assessing individual readiness for positions of leadership in schools. Participants should be prepared to engage in mock interview scenarios for charter and district school positions. The session will be highly interactive, so come ready to engage.
Heather Anichini (Chicago ’02)
Managing Director, School Leadership Initiative, Teach For America
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Teaching as Leadership: Accessing Teach For America’s Tools for Teacher Development
Teach For America’s Teaching as Leadership framework focuses on key strategies used by highly effective teachers to achieve better student outcomes through harnessing their leadership ability. This workshop will explain our approach, highlighting key tools and resources available and describing how to use them in improving practice in your school or classroom.
Monica Piquet-Rodriguez (Houston '01)
Director, Fantastic Learning Opportunities (FLO) Program, Lee High School; President, Lee Next Step Fund |
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