2008 Institutes

Marriott Lake Mary
January 31-February 1, 2008

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Judith Irvin is a professor at Florida State University and she serves as executive director of the National Literacy Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving middle and high school literacy. Dr. Irvin has written and edited numerous books, chapters, and articles including Taking Action on Adolescent Literacy: An Implementation Guide for School Leaders (2007). Her presentation will focus on the structured approach described in this book where literacy is used as a lever for overall school improvement.

Michael Fullan is professor of policy studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. He is recognized as an international authority on educational reform and is engaged in training, consulting, and evaluating change projects around the world. In Turnaround Leadership, Dr. Fullan expands the definition of organizational turnaround and shows how leaders can convert even the worst situation into an opportunity to rejuvenate their schools and school systems. His presentation will focus on the critical role of the leader’s actions in the educational reform process.

Marriott Lake Mary
April 21-22, 2008

Dan Fallon is the higher education program director with the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He will present a unique perspective on the process of using data to improve instruction and raise student achievement.

Robert Marzano is a Senior Scholar at Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) in Aurora, Colorado; an Associate Professor at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and President of Marzano & Associates. He has developed programs and practices used in K-12 classrooms that translate current research and theory in cognition into instructional methods. Dr. Marzano has authored 24 books including School Leadership That Works: From Research to Results; What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action; Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research on What Works in Schools; and Classroom Assessment and Grading that Work. His presentation will support the importance of an effective standards-based, formative assessment program that can help to enhance student achievement throughout the K-12 system.

Marriott Lake Mary
September 8-9, 2008

Douglas Reeves heads the Leadership and Learning Center, an internationally recognized organization dedicated to improving student achievement and educational equity. Dr. Reeves is the author of many books and articles including The Leader’s Guide to Standards: A Blueprint for Educational Equity and Excellence and The Learning Leader: How to Focus School Improvement for Better Results. His presentation will focus on current research in teacher leadership, change leadership, and closing the implementation gap.

Marriott Lake Mary
November 20-21, 2008

Max Thompson specializes in "making connections" to increase student achievement. He developed the Learning-Focused Schools Model in response to national,state, and local efforts to increase achievement for all students and to reduce achievement gaps. Dr. Thompson's model provides comprehensive school reform strategies and solutions for K-12 schools based on exemplary practices and research-based strategies. His manual, Leadership, Achievement, and Accountibility: Benchmarking to Exemplary Practice, guides participants through the Learning-Focused Schools Model training. More information is available at www.learningconcepts.org.

2007 Institutes

First Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
February 1-2, 2007

Dr. Brian McNulty is Vice President, Leadership Development for the Center for Performance Assessment. An author of more than 40 publications, Brian's most recent book, What Works in School Leadership: Research to Results, is co-authored with Robert Marzano and Tim Waters. Dr. McNulty's presentation will reference both his book and The Learning Leader: How to Focus School Improvement for Better Results (Douglas Reeves, 2006).

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Second Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
April 26-27, 2007

Mike Schmoker's new book, Results NOW: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in Teaching and Learning calls for a "tough, honest self-examination of the prevailing culture and practices of schools, and a dramatic turn toward a singular and straightforward focus on instruction." His presentation will focus on the need to act on what is already known and the related need to acknowledge that instruction itself has the largest influence on achievement. He is an author, speaker and consultant living in Flagstaff, Arizona. His four books include the Results: The Key to Continuous School Improvement and The Results Fieldbook: Practical Strategies from Dramatically-Improved Schools.

Rick Stiggins is the founder and CEO of the Assessment Training Institute in Portland, Oregon. He founded the Institute to provide the professional development teachers and school leaders need as they face the challenges of day-to-day classroom assessment. His commitment is to helping teachers gather accurate information about student achievement and using the assessment process and its results to benefit their students. Assessment for Learning: An Action Guide for School Leaders, authored by Stiggins and others, will form the basis of his presentation.

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Third Institute
Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld
September 4-5, 2007

Debra Pickering co-authored Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies and Classroom Management That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Every Teacher with Robert Marzano. Her presentation will focus on Marzano's follow-up research and books, What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action and Building Background Knowledge for Academic Achievement: Research on What Works in Schools. Dr. Pickering is a private consultant and Director of Staff Development for Littleton Public Schools in Littleton, Colorado.

Fourth Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
November 15-16, 2007

Tony Wagner is the Co-Director of the Change Leadership Group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. An initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Change Leadership Group prepares teams to be effective change leaders in schools and districts. He also serves on the faculty of the Harvard Institute for School Leadership. Dr. Wagner's presentation will reference his book, Making the Grade: Reinventing America's Schools.

2006 Institutes

First Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
April 3-4, 2006

Pat Williams is one of the country's top motivational and inspirational public speakers. He is currently senior vice president of the Orlando Magic. In addition, Pat has authored 39 books, completed 33 marathons in 9 years, and his family roster includes 19 children. His presentation focuses on the seven keys to effective leadership. More information is available at http://patwilliamsmotivate.com.

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Second Institute
Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort
June 19-20, 2006

Kathryn Blackburn is Executive Director of the Tregoe Education Forum, a Princeton, New Jersey-based nonprofit organization that works throughout North America to improve the critical thinking skills of students, teachers, and administrators. She presents an overview of the four analytic thinking processes, an in-depth look at one process, and demonstrated results in the educational workplace. More information is available at kblackburn@tregoe.org.

Monette McIver's presentation is based on School Leadership that Works: From Research to Results. The ASCD publication combines practical advice with the McREL research entitled Balanced Leadership: What 30 years of Research Tells Us about the Effect of Leadership on Student Achievement (Marzano, Waters, McNulty). Dr. McIver's presentation focuses on the importance of establishing purposeful community and a leadership team before second-order change can be successfully accomplished. More information is available at www.mcrel.org.

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Third Institute
Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld
September 6-7, 2006

David Warlick provides a thought provoking look at the information-driven, technology-rich future. Preparing students for this rapidly changing environment requires educators to expand their notions of literacy and learning. Mr. Warlick is the author of Redefining Literacy for the 21st Century. More information is available at http://davidwarlick.com.

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Fourth Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
November 16-17, 2006

Over the past 20 years, Ted Hasselbring conducted research on the use of technology for enhancing learning in students with mild disabilities and those who are at-risk for school failure. Dr. Hasselbring has authored many book chapters and articles on learning and technology, serves on the editorial boards of six professional journals, and is the author of Scholastic's READ 180. More information is available at www.scholastic.com.

Larry Coble is Managing Associate of School Leadership Services. During his career he has served as superintendent in four school districts as well as teacher and principal. His current work focuses on leadership training with an emphasis on helping administrators and teachers develop their potential. Dr. Coble is the author of Lessons Learned from Experience: A Practical Developmental Source Book for Educational Leaders and is co-author of The Hidden-Leader: Leadership Lessons on the Potential Within and Staying on Track.

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2005 Institutes

First Institute
Renaissance Airport
February 3-4, 2005

Brian McNulty is a co-author of Balanced Leadership: What 30 Years of Research Tells Us about the Effect of Leadership on Student Achievement. Analysis of the research has resulted in a balanced leadership framework which describes the knowledge, skills, strategies and tools leaders need to positively impact student achievement. Dr. McNulty serves as Vice President of Field Services for McREL (Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning). More information is available at www.mcrel.org.

Second Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
April 12-13, 2005

Richard and Rebecca DuFour provide specific, practical "how-to" informaton about transforming schools into results-oriented professional learning communities. They are co-authors of Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement and Getting Started: Reculturing Schools to Become Professional Learning Communities. More information is available at www.nesonline.com.

Third Institute
Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort
June 20-21, 2005

Debra J. Pickering is the co-author of Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement and Classroom Management That Works. Dr. Pickering's presentation is based on Robert Marzano's follow-up publication, What Works in Schools: Translating Research Into Action. Synthesizing 35 years of research, this book illuminates the factors that influence student academic achievement and suggests research-based survey tools and action steps. More information is available at www.ascd.org.

Fourth Institute
Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld
August 31- September 1, 2005

Douglas Reeves leads the Center for Performance Assessment, an international organization dedicated to improving student achievement and educational equity. Dr. Reeves is the author of many books and articles, including The Leader's Guide to Standards: A Blueprint for Educational Equity and Excellence and Assessing Educational Leaders. More information is available at www.makingstandardswork.com.

Fifth Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
November 17-18, 2005

Kent Peterson is a professor in the Department of Educational Administration and Director of the Principals Leadership Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on the realities of principals' work, school improvement, school culture building and effective leadership. He is the author of several articles and has co-authored four books including Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership. More information is available at http://www.nsdc.org/.

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2004 Institutes

Inaugural Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
February 4-5, 2004

Grant Wiggins is President of Grant Wiggins & Associates. Dr. Wiggins is the co-author of Understanding by Design, a framework for improving student achievement through standards-driven curriculum development, instructional design, assessment and professional development. Participants learn to clarify learning goals, devise assessments of student understanding, and to determine the most effective learning activities. Further information about Understanding by Design and a newsletter are available at www.grantwiggins.org and www.ubdexchange.org.

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Second Institute
Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld
April 7-8, 2004

Kent Peterson is Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Peterson's research and works focus on the impact of culture on school achievement, change and reform, and student learning. His books include Shaping School Culture: The Heart of Leadership and Shaping School Culture Fieldbook. His works can also be accessed on the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) WWW site at http://www.nsdc.org/. Dr. Peterson can be contacted at kpeterson@education.wisc.edu.

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Third Institute
Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort
June 21-22, 2004

Douglas Reeves leads the Center for Performance Assessment, an international organization dedicated to improving student achievement and educational equity. Dr. Reeves is the author of 16 books including, The Leader's Guide to Standards. He presents practical and constructive approaches to standards, assessment and accountability. More information and a newsletter are available at www.makingstandardswork.com.

Fourth Institute
Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort
August 23-24, 2004

Mike Schmoker's interactive workshop is based on Results: The Key to Continuous School Improvement and The Results Fieldbook: Practical Strategies for Dramatically improved Schools. Participants in Dr. Schmoker's workshop learn about the most important elements for substantive, measurable improvement: effective, informed teamwork; manageable, measurable goals; and simple, ongoing use of student performance data. More information is available at http://mikeschmoker.com

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Fifth Institute
Marriott Lake Mary
November 15-16, 2004

Phillip Schlechty is President and the founder of the Center for Leadership in School Reform (CLSR), a private nonprofit corporation. CLSR leads the School Superintendents' Leadership Network and the Principal Academy Network. Dr. Schlechty's book, Working on the Work: An Action Plan for Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents, is based on the premise that engaging schoolwork for students is the key to school success. More information is available at www.clsr.org.

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