GACIS Fall Conference

Curriculum Director's Conference

YOU ARE INVITED. . .

to beautiful Athens, Georgia and the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel, located on the historic University of Georgia campus, for the GACIS Fall Conference and the GaDOE Curriculum Director's Conference. The conference will be informative, timely, and assist you in the implementation and assessment of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). The GACIS Fall Conference will focus on understanding and using assessment to improve student learning. Special interest sessions will provide information and resources on a variety of topics of interest to instructional leaders. You will receive current information, updates, and the latest resources to support the GPS from the Georgia Department of Education. Educational leaders will continue the tradition of "thinking outside the box" as they engage with colleagues, share ideas, strategies, and activities.

Come, learn, netweave, and relax with colleagues as well as with well-known experts who will deliver dynamic presentations intended to move our profession to new heights. Choose from a myriad of professional development sessions designed with everyone from the new professional to the seasoned professional in mind.

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Interested in becoming a conference sponsor? Please contact Deborah White at 770-967-2050 extension 26 or e-mail her at dwhite@gael.org. If you would like to be an exhibitor please contact Pam McNair at 706-542-1740 or e-mail her at pam.mcnair@georgiacenter.uga.edu.

Netweaving At Work For You!

Successful people in business, education, and virtually every other field have been practicing some form of netweaving over their entire careers. Netweaving as defined by the originator of the term, Robert Littell, is an altruistic "win/win" form of networking in which you concentrate on WIIFY (What's In It For You?) rather than WIIFM (What's In It For Me?)

During your time in the sessions and throughout the many discussions you will have with your colleagues, we challenge you to ask yourself two things:

How can I put OTHER people together into "win/win" relationships? — Expecting nothing in return but having the confidence to know that the reward for giving of this nature will come back to you exponentially

How can I act as a gratuitous "resource provider" for someone else? — Either by serving in that role or by offering others access to my extended network of contacts and information

GACIS Special Interest Session Topics

Career Academy
Following more than four years of intensive, community-based planning, Rockdale Career Academy (RCA) opened its doors to students July 31, 2006, to approximately 1250 students making it one of the largest in the state. Students at RCA are provided the opportunity to concentrate in one of 18 different technical majors as part of their high school course of study. Our mission is that all students will graduate with the requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions to succeed in the post-secondary path of their choosing.
Timothy Melvin, Chief Executive Officer, Rockdale Career Academy, Rockdale County

CTAE
The CTAE Career Pathways provide students with the necessary tools to be successful at the next level of their educational careers. The alignment of CTAE and other academics is critical for students to succeed at all levels. This presentation will share how this school district is aligning CTAE and GPS standards.
Laura Youmans and Denise Burrell, Griffin Spalding Schools

Formative Assessment
Formative assessment is a necessary component of a standards-based classroom. During this session, participants will see how 21st century classrooms are using technology for formative assessment while teaching the Georgia Performance Standards.
Monica Lanier, ETTC Director and Lisa Burkhalter, Instructional Support Specialist, First District RESA

Georgia Master Teacher
An update/overview on Georgia Master Teacher Certification will be provided and information will be included on the program's alignment with the GPS and the Georgia Teacher Success Model. Academic/Instructional Coaches will describe how their skills as a Master Teacher are aligned to the work of school improvement.
Jane Huntley, Program Manager, Master Teacher Certification and Phyllis Payne, Educational Specialist, Professional Standards Commission

M.A.G.I.C.
The Golden Isles: Where ALL Roads Lead to M.A.G.I.C. Leaders from Glynn County will share how they use formative and summative data analysis to plan for instruction. Data is used for programs such as--sixth grade academies, ninth grade academy, academies of choice, high school flexible scheduling, developing goals and objectives and China Student Exchange.
Michael Bull, Superintendent, Glynn County Schools

Modeling a Differentiated High School and Middle School Classroom
There is a dearth of material on how to differentiate a science classroom at the middle or the high school level. This presentation will model a classroom lesson and discuss the many ways that a science classroom can be effectively differentiated.
George Stickel, Supervisor, 6-12 Science, Cobb County Schools

Pyramid of Interventions
Effingham schools are successfully implementing the pyramid of interventions and response to intervention (RTI). The emphasis on the presentation will be how the system has approached the development and implementation of the pyramid and how it is an instructional issue, not a special education issue.
Greg Arnsdorff, Assistant Superintendent, Effingham County Schools

Standards-based Report Cards
Forsyth County Schools, have been working to create Standards-based Report Cards for the purpose of providing parents the most accurate, fair and useful information about their child's progress in school. This form of grading to standard serves teachers in both designing and planning instruction AND in preparing for SST/RTI compliance and serves students by making the standards and expectations clear and obvious. This presentation will present our history of moving towards this lynchpin project; how we envision our future; and suggestions for how other districts can build capacity in order to improve their grading and reporting systems.
Dawn Souter, Curriculum Coordinator, Forsyth County Schools

Strategies for Differentiation in Social Studies
Teachers who want to make a difference know that differentiation is the way to meet students' needs, highlight students' talents, and raise students' achievements. The presentation will spotlight effective strategies for differentiation in the Social Studies at all levels. Time will also be provided for participants to share successes and discuss challenges.
Eddie Bennett, 6-12 Social Studies Supervisor and JoAnn Wood, K-5 Social Studies Supervisor, Cobb County Schools

The Tie that Binds
Secondary Advisement (grades 6-12) ties academic achievement to critical relationships needed for success in school. The seamless advisement system is designed to tie teacher to student; grade to grade; 8th to 9th grade transition; and academic to postsecondary to career. Practices include assessment of interest and aptitude, looping, vertical teaming, academic monitoring, career exploration and planning, documentation of success, and individual learning plans.
Donnie Hodges, Assistant Superintendent, Jefferson County Schools

UbD Planning
Dalton Public Schools are immersed in a long-range, multi-year plan to embed UbD planning into all curricular areas. By the end of the 2007-2008 school year, over 200 teachers will have participated in initial phases of UbD training. The process focuses on implementation, anchoring of student work, and peer review. Led by ASCD associates, the district has begun building its capacity to sustain the UbD work beyond the first few years of the plan by developing an internal cadre of teacher/administrator trainers.
David Reynolds, Coordinator of Professional Learning, Dalton Public Schools

Using Data to Improve Student Achievement
This presentation will provide curriculum directors with information on a valuable asset available to each high school, the Summary and Answers and Skills Report, which is provided following the administration of the PSAT in grade 10. The SOAS Report is a gold mine of data on student achievement that allows school leadership teams to identify weaknesses in student skills to ensure student readiness for college and work. Information on SAT Online Training will be shared.
Rebecca Chambers, Program Manager, Georgia Department of Education

GaDOE Curriculum Director's Conference Concurrent Session Topics

GSO — Your Gateway to Educational Resources
GeorgiaStandards.Org (GSO) is better than chocolate when you've only got a few minutes in your day in which to find GPS aligned resources. The GSO Web site and portal provide Georgia educators with powerful tools including a search engine to quickly locate standards, unit plans, performance tasks, activities, assessments and Web-based resources aligned to the GPS. In addition, GSO users have access to free GSO portal tools. GSO tools allow Georgia educators to create public and/or private groups within which educators can connect, communicate and collaborate while developing a GPS aligned instructional plan. Unit builders needn't be experts in backwards design when developing plans in the Builder as the Builder subtly coaches users through the design process resulting in a GPS aligned unit or task that meets a user's unique school needs.

Using Standards-based Instruction in Reading to Increase Student Achievement
Now that we have implemented the K-12 English Language Arts Standards, how do we ensure that all subgroups needs are met? This session will discuss specific scientifically-based reading strategies to increase student achievement. Topics for discussion will also include: vocabulary development, metacognition and comprehension strategies and also reading interventions.

Using Standards-based Instruction in Math to Increase Student Achievement
What do Math performance tasks look like? How can we support schools and teachers as they utilize Math performance tasks? Based on what we learn from these performance tasks, how do we support students who are not learning? Participants will experience performance tasks, share intervention strategies, and learn about steps to support local schools.

Using Standards-based Instruction in Science to Increase Student Achievement
What do science performance tasks look like? How do science tasks look different on different grade bands? How can we support schools and teachers as they utilize science performance tasks? Based on what we learn from these performance tasks, how do we support students who are not learning? Participants will experience performance tasks, share intervention strategies, and learn about steps to support local schools.

Using Standards-based Instruction in ELA to Increase Student Achievement
What do ELA performance tasks look like? How can we support schools and teachers as they utilize ELA performance tasks? Based on what we learn from these performance tasks, how do we support students who are not learning? Participants will experience performance tasks, share intervention strategies, and learn about steps to support local schools.

Using Standards-based Instruction in Social Studies to increase Student Achievement
What do Social Studies performance tasks look like? How can we support schools and teachers as they utilize Social Studies performance tasks? Based on what we learn from these performance tasks, how do we support students who are not learning? Participants will experience performance tasks, frameworks, share intervention strategies, and learn about steps to support local schools.

Building Quality Partnerships
The Mathematics and Science Partnership grant program strives to improve teacher quality through partnerships between state education agencies, institutions of higher education, high-need local education agencies, and schools to increase the academic achievement of students in math and science. This session will focus on ways to develop, utilize, and strengthen cooperation between these entities and investigate the qualities needed for successful partnerships.

Supporting Graduation Coaches
The Graduation Coach serves a crucial role in addressing the dropout problem in Georgia. The Georgia Department of Education Division of School and Leader Quality is offering strategies to collaboratively support the role of the Middle School and High School Graduation Coaches operating in school systems across Georgia.

Using the Georgia Online Assessment System to Increase Student Achievement
What is the best way to use the Georgia Online Assessment System to help students in your classroom, school, or system? How do I use the state created benchmarks and bank of reports that the OAS offers to monitor student learning? What are the new features of the OAS this year? This session helps answer these questions and will help Georgia educators use the system to assess their students for learning rather than just practicing for the test.

"Video Captures" of Standards-Based Instruction
Providing standards-based teaching and learning experiences for all Georgia students is the true embodiment of the new 3-R's...rigor, relevance, and relationships. Participants will gain an understanding of how standards-based education impacts all stakeholders, explore various structures and strategies that characterize standards-based classrooms, and be afforded the opportunity to view examples of standards-based teaching and learning from the secondary level (grades 6-12) with real Georgia teachers and real Georgia students!

Using the Keys to Quality
During the summer of 2007, schools and districts received the Keys to Quality containing the School Keys (Georgia School Standards), GAPSS Analysis, and Implementation Resource. As schools and systems seek to improve student achievement, particularly in mathematics, and meet the 2008 AMOs for AYP, learn how to use the Keys to Quality to focus on improving student achievement.

The New GPS for Modern Languages and Latin
Find out what the new standards encompass and how they are set up. Language teachers have also developed performance tasks to serve as examples of how to teach the standards called Thematic Units. Georgia is the only state to have developed lessons like these. Find out what all the buzz is about!

What One Might See In A Differentiated Classroom?
The curriculum - what kids study and how they study it — has to be changed and individualized for gifted children. By utilizing the Georgia Performance Standards and the gifted education goals, teachers can design lessons to differentiate the content, the process, and the products of regular education curriculum. When teachers are flexible and creative, they present able learners with greater challenges to learn. Students are more likely to gain necessary knowledge and skills when offered through a stimulating environment.

SAT Online Prep Course: A Valuable Tool for All High School Teachers
The SAT Online Prep Program is free to all Georgia students, grades 9-12. Learn how teachers can use and monitor these online lessons, essay prompts, practice tests, and diagnostic reports both as classroom and lab activities, as well as an independent study resource. Additional SAT resources on how to improve writing skills will be discussed.

Providing More Rigor in the Curriculum by Integrating College Readiness & College Success Standards with the GPS
College Board's College Success Standards, ACT's College Readiness Standards, and numerous resources from AP Central provide a wealth of strategies and ideas for teachers who are looking for ways to ramp up the rigor in their classrooms. The presentation also includes vertical team strategies for preparing students for the challenge of college-level coursework.

Using Data to Improve Student Achievement
This presentation will provide curriculum directors with information on a valuable asset available to each high school, the Summary and Answers and Skills Report, which is provided following the administration of the PSAT in grade 10. The SOAS Report is a gold mine of data on student achievement that allows school leadership teams to identify weaknesses in student skills to ensure student readiness for college and work.

Building and Sustaining Quality AP Programs
This presentation will focus on resources and strategies used to expand participation and growth in Advanced Placement Programs, ensuring both equity and access for all students. Other resources and training opportunities to support student preparation, teacher training, and course development will also be discussed.

Making the Connection: Teaching Science Standards through Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE)
This session will address issues related to satisfying the proposed fourth science and elective graduation requirements. Also, the resources and processes being developed to explicitly connect academic and CTAE course standards in planning for instruction will be shared.

Title III Information and Updates
Attendees will be presented with a Georgia Title III and ESOL basic background of what the programs are, what is offered by the programs, system requirements under NCLB, and how systems are assisted in educating their English Language Learners (ELLs). The presenters will also discuss the new ESOL courses recently passed by the State Board, the 2006-07 ACCESS exam results and the pending Title III AMO.

CTAE
Strengthening the rigor and relevance of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) courses and their relationships to the core curriculum continues as Phase II courses have been approved and work begins on Phase III of the Peach State Career Pathways. This presentation will highlight Career, Technical and Agricultural Education courses and the implementation of professional learning opportunities. In addition, updating of middle school Career, Technical and Agricultural Education courses is in full swing and will have a tremendous impact on the secondary curriculum over the next few years.

Assisting Student's with Disabilities to Meet the GPS Standards
An overview of systemic supports and strategies necessary to assist all students, including students with disabilities, to master the grade level standards of the GPS.

Using Assistive Technology to Support Academic Achievement for Students with Disabilities
Do you have students with disabilities in your school system or school who are struggling in Reading, Writing, and Math? Are you searching for new tools that you can use to support their access to the general education curriculum and to enhance their academic achievement? If you answered yes to these questions, plan to attend this session where you will learn about a range of low technology to high technology assistive technology devices that can be used to support students in reading, writing, and math. Frequently used assistive technology devices will be demonstrated and guidelines will be provided for selecting appropriate devices to maximize student achievement. Each participant will be provided with resource charts that link commonly used assistive technology devices to the Georgia Performance Standards.

Keynote Presenter

Grant Wiggins
President of Authentic Education
Presentation

Dr. Grant Wiggins will challenge us to question our attitudes about learning and our all too familiar and debatable habits of assessing for learning. For what--and whose--purposes are we assessing? What are the standards and end results sought and by whom? What exactly do we seek evidence of and what should that evidence enable us and the learners to do? How do we design standards for performance based assessment that promise students, no matter what their ability, clear and worthy performance targets, useful feedback, and the opportunity to achieve excellence? Wiggins makes the case that school-based assessment should aim to improve, rather than to audit, student performance. He believes that educators can design performance-based assessments, craft performance tasks that meet rigorous educational standards, score assessments fairly, and structure and judge student portfolios. Wiggins shows how performance assessment can be used to improve curriculum and instruction, grading, reporting, and teacher accountability. Tests don't just test--they teach.

About Our Presenter

Grant Wiggins is the President of Authentic Education in Hopewell, New Jersey. He earned his Ed.D. from Harvard University and his B. A. from St. John's College in Annapolis. Wiggins consults with schools, districts and state education departments on a variety of reform matters; organizes conferences and workshops; and develops print materials and Web resources on curricular change. He is perhaps best known for being the co-author, with Jay McTighe, of Understanding By Design and, the award-winning and highly successful materials on curriculum published by ASCD. His work has been supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.

Over the past twenty years, Wiggins has worked on some of the most influential reform initiatives in the country, including Vermont's portfolio system and Ted Sizer's Coalition of Essential Schools. He has established statewide Consortia devoted to assessment reform for the states of North Carolina and New Jersey. Wiggins is the author of Educative Assessment and Assessing Student Performance, both published by Jossey-Bass. His many articles have appeared in such journals as Educational Leadership and Phi Delta Kappan.

Georgia Center Information

The Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center & Hotel, located on the beautiful, historic campus of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, provides innovative lifelong learning opportunities that develop intellectual and human potential. A total living and learning environment, the Georgia Center includes a 200-room hotel, restaurants, banquet areas, conference rooms, auditoriums, a fitness center, and computer lab — all under one roof. As a unit of UGA's Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, the Center brings the University's teaching, research, and service expertise to the people of Georgia and beyond! For more information, visit www.georgiacenter.uga.edu.

Special Needs:
If you require special services, facilities, or dietary considerations, contact your event coordinator, Melanie Baer, at 706-542-6638 or melanie.baer@georgiacenter.uga.edu, at least five business days before your event.

Lodging (Georgia Center Hotel):
A block of rooms is being held for your conference until 5:00 p.m. ET, September 2, 2007. Policies: (1) Tax Exemption — The State of Georgia only allows tax-exempt charges for a payment by a state-issued credit card or check or by a direct bill to a state agency (with a Georgia State Tax Exemption Certificate). (2) Lodging Cancellation — Cancel your reservation by 4:00 p.m. ET the day prior to your scheduled arrival to avoid being charged one night's room and tax. (3) At check-in, you must present your credit card or a completed credit card authorization form (for a copy, call 800-884-1381, Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET). Note: The Georgia Center is a smoke-free building; all lodging rooms are nonsmoking.

Travel Information:
Athens, Georgia, is located about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta. For directions, see www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/conferences/about/directions.phtml. A parking deck is located adjacent to the Center (hourly rates, maximum $8 each 24-hour period; vehicle height limit, 7 feet). Athens is served by two airports. Athens-Ben Epps Airport offers connecting flights to and from Charlotte, NC. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is located about 90 minutes southwest of Athens, with scheduled ground shuttle service and rental car service available between the airport and the Georgia Center.

Program Cancellation Policies:
(1) Full refunds are available for cancellations made by 5:00 p.m. ET, September 12, 2007. No refunds will be issued thereafter; substitutions will be allowed. (2) If a program is cancelled for any reason, the Georgia Center will not be responsible for any charges related to travel.

GACIS membership
Membership is for one year — 7/1/07 - 6/30/08.
No part of affiliate dues is deductible as a charitable expense.

Registration