TCWSE 2008 Summer Conference Program

Conference Program

Friday, June 20
2:30-4 p.m.	Regional Representative Networking Meeting
3-7 p.m.	Registration
4-6 p.m.	Executive Board Meeting
6-7:30 p.m.	Early Bird Reception

Saturday, June 21
7 a.m.-5:30 p.m.	Registration
7:45-9 a.m.	Breakfast/Opening Session Keynote: Margret A. Montgomery, Consultant, Montgomery Consultant Services, Inc. (1984–85); Virgina L. Collier, Clinical Associate Professor, Texas A&M University (1990–91); Juneria P. Berges, Principal, Coppell ISD (1995–96); Barbara A. Sultis, Superintendent, Goose Creek CISD (1997–98); Shirley M. Coleman, Superintendent, San Vicente ISD (2002–03); Vicki Miller, Director, Student Services, Terrell ISD (2004–05); and Nancy K. Vaughan, Superintendent, Quitman ISD (2005–06) Past Presidents "Connecting" Hang on to each other as we are propelled back to the past!! We are privileged to have an array of past presidents who will give us personal experiences of how TCWSE has encouraged, challenged, and sustained them through the years. Don’t miss learning how these successful women have been about living the TCWSE mission, creating and maintaining “a united community of professional educational executives by promoting equity and quality in leadership through renewal, mentoring, and career advancement support.”
9:15-10:30 a.m.	Focus Session #1
	A. Mentoring; What Do We Know? What Do We Do? What Difference Does It Make? This presentation will review the research, best practices and impact involved in mentoring as a career influence for women leaders in education. Examples of mentoring experiences for personal and career development of teacher leaders, campus administrators, central office administrators (including the superintendent) and teachers and administrators in higher education will be offered. Presenters will share their own stories of mentoring and being mentored; they will invite attendees to share their stories as well. Presenters: Anita M. Pankake, Professor, Shirley J. Mills, Assistant Professor, and Ava J. Munoz, Lecturer, Educational Leadership, The University of Texas–Pan American; and Danna M. Beaty, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership, College of Education, Tarleton State University
	B. School Leadership in the 21st Century How familiar are you with iPods, wikis, podcasts, blogs, Facebook, google, webquests, e-portfolios, cellphones in classrooms, Second Life, Myspace, and YouTube? Some of these sound like foreign terms, right? Leading schools of the future begins with understanding the students. Join me in learning more about about students of the 21st century and the leadership skills that are critical to student achievement. Presenter: Kim Lawson, Director of Secondary Instruction, Katy ISD
	C. Building the Emotional Intelligence of Your Administrative Team Women's success in leadership roles is enhanced through connecting with the leadership community. As noted by Marzano,Waters, and McNulty the campus administrator enhances student achievement through the implementation of 21 identified leadership responsibilities. Building the emotional intelligence of the administrative team is paramount in empowering effective administrators. This session adds to your administrative toolkit in creating a leadership retreat that builds your team and focuses their attention on student needs in your district. Return home with your "Back to School" administrative meeting planned. Presenters: Robin E. Perez, Assistant Superintendent, Lumberton ISD; and Sandra Harris, Director, Center for Research & Doctoral Studies in Educational Leadership, Lamar University
	D. What's Right with Your Staff? Every interaction you have makes either a positive or negative difference. What happens when you focus on the positive? Based on the book How Full is Your Bucket? you will learn positive strategies you can use to boost productivity and satisfaction among your staff. Additionally, you will learn what it takes to turn “"what if"” into “"what is" while developing leaders within your organization. Presenters: Karla Burkholder, Instructional Technologist, and Barbara Brown, Executive Director of Technology, Lewisville ISD
	E. Using Themes to Motivate Your Staff! Are you looking for new ways to keep your staff motivated? Come hear about exciting and innovative practices that will invigorate teachers and faculty. Ideas and themes shared will be for all levels-elementary, junior high, high school, and even central office! Presenter: Christie Whitbeck, Principal, Seven Lakes High School, Katy ISD
10:45 a.m.-Noon	Focus Session #2
	A. Connecting and Collaborating through Leadership Teams Are you looking for ways to connect and enhance leadership? This session will assist your administrative team in supporting the professional growth of the women leaders of your district. If you are to experience success, professional learning communities are a must as well as an organized administrative team. Clarksville Administrative Team (CAT) is "roaring" information about effective techniques. Many ideas will be shared! Presenters: Pam Bryant, Superintendent, and Amanda Wallace, Director of Curriculum & Instructional Technology, Clarksville ISD
	B. Personnel Law Points that Everyone Can Follow Learn from TCWSE's own Legal Counsel Laura Fowler, a practicing school attorney in Texas for the last 28 years, things principals can do to help avoid costly contentious personnel disputes. Laura's simple straightforward approach to Texas school law focuses on training attendees to help themselves whenever possible, by sensitizing them to the most serious and frequent mistakes otherwise talented school administrators often make. This is a presentation you don't want to miss. Presenter: Laura S. Fowler, Attorney, The Fowler Law Firm, PC
	C. Calendar Girls If you feel stressed out, over-extended, forget some things, don't know about other things, miss some things, feel unorganized at times or overwhelmed with the way you're stretched too thin or pulled in a hundred ways each day … you need this session. Come visit with us for some fun and some learning. We're going to develop (give you) a calendar for the whole school year and you will leave feeling very smart, competent, and ready to face not only the world, but your constituents! This is an interactive session that you'll enjoy. Presenters: Lu Stephens, Program Advisor for Principals and Superintendents, Angelo State University; Lindy Robinson, Superintendent, Milano ISD; and Brenda Albright, Superintendent, Gause ISD
	D. Community Connections for Success or Regress in a Fast-Growth District Constant and challenging opportunities occur daily in a fast-growth district. Inclusion of students, parents, staff, and community requires inordinate planning and time in the decision making process. Constituent support and peripheral benefits for the district, however, can be immeasurable. Clear communication and participation are critical components of decision making impacting all areas of district success. Presenters: Joan Terry, Assistant Superintendent and Sylvia A. Miller, Director, Policy and Procedures, Rockwall ISD
	E. What Does "Green" Really Mean? The latest buzzword in everything from schools to the home is green. But what does it really mean? And does it have to cost more? This session will present “No Cost” and “Low Cost” choices that you can incorporate in your new facility, school building remodel, and even at home. The most common guideline is LEED. This session will also share alternatives to “LEED Certification” and also illustrate how your projects can pass the “Green” color test, with minimal additional cost. The goal is to present a sensible approach to a low cost sustainable and high performance design appropriate not only for school facilities, but for your home as well.. Presenters: Irene Nigaglioni, Partner, and Kerri Ranney, Associate, PBK Architects
Noon-2 p.m.	Awards Luncheon Keynote: Elizabeth Clark, Chief Academic Officer, Katy ISD Connecting Our Leadership Community: A Heroic Journey Throughout our 24-year history, TCWSE has believed in and worked toward not only cultivating leadership straits in women but the establishment of a true community of women leaders. This purpose started out as a vision and came into being through the heroic efforts of the first TCWSE members, including Margret Montgomery, Yvonne Katz, Virginia Collier, and others. It has led to a heroic journey for all members. As in all journeys, the destination has not been reached but is still before us. The road can take many twists and turns, but the vision is still just as real as it was when our founders first articulated it.
2:15-3:30 p.m.	Focus Session #3
	A. Book Talks: Works For and About Women Leaders This session will offer participants reviews of four books on women as leaders. The books vary in perspective, content and presentation style; yet, each holds powerful information for women as leaders and about women as leaders. The books to be reviewed are: Women Who Run with Wolves, Women in Leadership: A Way of Being, Women in the Superintendency: Discarded Leadership, and 21 Ways Women in Management Shoot Themselves in the Foot. Presenters: Anita M. Pankake, Professor, Educational Leadership, Ava J. Munoz, Lecturer, Educational Leadership, Shirley J. Mills, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership, The University of Texas–Pan American; and Elizabeth Murakami, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership, The University of Texas–San Antonio
	B. Managing Walk-Throughs and Ensuring Student Engagement Walk-through classroom observations are an effective way for principals to learn about and shape instruction and culture in their schools. But many principals don't use walk-throughs to their potential because of the time it takes to conduct, process, analyze, and give feedback. This session will explore a systemic approach for conducting effective walk-throughs with a focus on student engagement and daily learning goals. Process will identify the “look-fors” that are non-negotiable for your campus. Presenters: Vicki M. Bridges* and Vicki Villarreal, Principals, Grand Prairie ISD*
	C. How Leaders Manage Conflict Conflicts are a normal part of the school leader's work and are challenging for new and experienced leaders alike. What are the challenges you experience when faced with conflicts? In conflict situations, do you know how and when to compromise? Keep the peace? Persist for a solution? Let it go? Would you like more resources for responding to conflict? If you need ideas for successfully negotiating conflicts, and/or you need to know you are not alone, then this session is for you! Presenters: Sandra Harris, Professor, Lamar University; and Stacey Edmonson and Julie Combs, Associate Professors, Sam Houston State University
	D. A Few of Our Favorite Things While being a female administrator may be challenging at times, we all need to remember to take time to enjoy the rewarding aspects of our jobs as well as take time to take care of ourselves so that we can remain a positive and empowering influence on those we lead. Presenters: Wendy K. Ruthart, Assistant Principal, and Lori Kelley, Literacy Coach, Chisum ISD; and Shelly Slaughter, Principal, Cumby ISD
	E. Mentoring Our Next Super Heroines in Administration of Change A common trademark of exemplary school administrators is their ability to utilize all available resources in addressing the needs of the children and communities they serve. This session will focus on specific steps and best mentor practices that support aspiring principals in their development as agents of change in a highly demanding environment focused on school accountability and student performance. Presenter: Luana Zellner, Clinical Associate Professor, Texas A&M University
3:35-4:45 p.m.	Regional Roundup Show Me the Members This session helps provide strategies for each region to increase membership in their local chapters, which in turn will provide increased membership at the state level. Presenters: Denise A. Daniels and Tina L. Seaman, Assistant Principals, Katy ISD; and Patti Pace, Executive Director, Elementary Education, Spring Branch ISD Regional Groups
5-6:30 p.m.	Welcome Reception

Sunday, June 22
7:45-8:45 a.m.	Breakfast/All-Member Business Meeting
9-10:15 a.m.	Focus Session #4
	A. Technology and Leadership: Collision or Collusion? This session discusses the ways in which technology is both a support and a hindrance to effective leadership in the schools and the community. The newer initiatives and their possible applications in effective leadership is discusssed. Presenters: Virginia Collier* and Luana Zellner, Clinical Associate Professors, Texas A&M University*
	B. Wisdom from the Lipstick Blotter The presenters will share their “"Wisdom from the Lipstick Blotters"” which represents their combined 75 years in education and 24 years as Texas school superintendents. Topics include preparation, leadership, attitude, and keeping your sense of humor in order to survive the day-to-day “excitement” of your job. They will share their “wisdom” concerning how to get the job and how to keep it after you get it by laughing and “keeping the lipstick blotted.” Presenters: Mary Lookadoo, Superintendent, Mineola ISD; and Linda Gossett, Elementary Principal, Watonga, OK
	C. Lead, Jane, Lead! See Jane Lead: 99 Ways for Women to Take Charge at Work is not a book about Dick, Jane, and Spot. It is only about Jane. See Jane Lead focuses on why people must be led, not managed; how to be assertive, not aggressive; and how to plan to fail—because all of us do, sooner or later. You may not think that you have much in common with Hillary Rodham Clinton, Rosa Parks, Debbi Fields, Sandra Day O’Connor, Vera Wang, or Elizabeth Dole, but you do. Participants have an opportunity to complete a self-assessment desgned to help you identify your own strengths and areas for development relating to leadership behaviors. You can then design a road map and make changes when needed. This book is just another step on your leadership journey, whether you are a mentor, an aspiring administrator, or a current administrator “sharpening your saw.” As you know, leading is a journey, not a destination. Presenter: Barbara Sultis, Superintendent, Goose Creek CISD
10:30-11:45 a.m.	TASA First General Session (Ray Perryman)
Noon-1:15 p.m.	Closing Luncheon Keynote: Anita Pankake, Professor, Educational Leadership, University of Texas–Pan American Connecting with Our World, Our Work, and Each Other With so many new technologies to connect us, why do we feel so disconnected: If the world is getting "smaller," why do we often feel lost and sometimes overwhelmed? How can we find community in lives filled with competition? This session building on the energy generated during the conference, explores ways all of us can use our vibrant TCWSE leadership community to connect with our world, our work, and each other.