Education Writers Association

Supporting Education Coverage – Today and Tomorrow

SmallSchools and High School Reform:

Shrinking Size, Diminishing Returns?

Nov. 8-10, 2009

San Diego, California

Sunday, Nov. 8 – Hotel Solamar, Solstice A

2p.m. Greetings and Introductions

Remarks: Lisa Walker, EWA Executive Director

2:30 p.m.Panel I – Left Behind: The Big High School

Moderator: Maura Walz, GothamSchools

  • Clara Hemphill, Center for NYC Affairs at The New School
  • David Bloomfield, BrooklynCollege
  • Karen Hunter Quartz,UCLAGraduateSchool of Education*

3:45 p.m.Break

4 p.m. Panel II –What Big Districts Can Learn from Small Schools

Moderator: Emily Alpert, Voice of San Diego

  • Regis Shields,Education Resource Strategies*
  • W. David Stevens, Consortium on ChicagoSchool Research
  • Karin Chenoweth, The Education Trust*

5:30 p.m.Keynote Session – SmallSchools and High School Reform: Shrinking Size, Diminishing Returns?

Moderator: Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times

  • Michael Klonsky, Small Schools Workshop and Center for Innovative Schools
  • Libia Gil, American Institutes of Research*
  • Rob Atterbury,ConnectEd California*

7 p.m.Dinner

8 p.m.Discussion

9 p.m. Adjourn

Monday, Nov. 9 – San Diego Unified School District

7:30 a.m.Breakfast (Hotel)

9 a.m. Campus Tour – Kearny High Educational Complex

11:30 a.m.Lunch

Panel I –Rules of Engagement: Personalizing the High School Experience

Moderator: Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times

  • Tony Burks, San Diego Unified School District
  • Lincoln High School students, parents and teachers

12:50 p.m.Campus Tour – LincolnHigh School

2:30 p.m.Panel II – Thinking Small: San Diego’s Small Schools and High School Reform

Moderator: John Fensterwald, Silicon Valley Education Foundation

  • Libia Gil, American Institutes of Research
  • Helen Griffith, LincolnHigh School transition team
  • Glenn Hillegas, KearneyConstructionTechAcademy former principal

3:45 p.m.Discussion

4:15 p.m. Adjourn

Tuesday, Nov. 10 – HighTechHigh School

8:30 a.m.Breakfast (Hotel)

9:30 a.m. Campus Visit – Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High

11:30 a.m.Lunch

Panel I –Keeping the SmallSchool Feel

Moderator: Meagan Engle, Middletown Journal

  • Laura McBain, High Tech High Charter Management Organization
  • Tom Fehrenbacher, High Tech High Humanities Teacher
  • Jen Peterson, High Tech High Humanities Teacher
  • Chris Wakefield, High Tech High Media Arts Teacher

1 p.m. Panel II – Writing About SmallSchools and High School Reform

Moderator: Megan Gildow, Springfield News-Sun

  • Emily Alpert, Voice of San Diego
  • Kimberly Melton,The Oregonian
  • Katy Murphy,Oakland Tribune

2:15 p.m.Adjourn