Friday ◊ Session One
9:30-10:15
International Challenging Our Students in Challenging Times
Ballroom IIIMark Benno, Curriculum Evangelist, Apple, Inc.
AllBusinesses today are looking for students who can do much more than physical labor or data crunching. Students need to be prepared with a new suite of skills for the Digital Age. Our schools must provide rigorous and challenging classroom activities to create tomorrow’s business leaders. How can we, as educators, adapt our instructional approaches to best meet the needs of today’s students and challenge them for their future? What should instruction look like when technology is integrated appropriately into a curriculum? What should learning look like in that same environment? What tools are available that can make the most of challenged school budgets? Find out the answers to these questions, and more!
Royal Transcend Teaching with Tablets
Melbourne AGeorgia Parker, Trinity Preparatory School
AllUse students’ love of technology to your advantage! Learn how tablet computers can transform your lessons and challenge your students with hands-on experiences. A variety of lessons and software will be demonstrated and discussed. Your lessons can be easily adapted whether you have a few tablets or a classroom cart.
RoyalCreating Projects and Events to Enhance Your Curriculum
Melbourne BTrisha Detrick, The Geneva School
Elementary/Years from now our students will not remember everything we taught
Middle/them, but they will cherish their memories. This session will inspire you to
Upperdevelop projects and special events to build lifelong academic memories for your students.
Colonial ATo Blog or Not to Blog…That is the Question
Middle/UpperClassroom
Darcy Butrimas and Rita Kienle, Trinity Preparatory School
To Blog or Not to Blog…That is the Question we would like to answer for you. The use of blogs can be done within a specific class, across several classes, in the same subject, or with an interdisciplinary approach. We will share material to help you facilitate the sign up process, how to set up your blog, and what permutations can be made with the blog site. This workshop will use examples from Advanced Placement US History.
Friday ◊ Session One
9:30-10:15
Colonial BThe Big Picture: Moving from Content to Concepts
Elementary/Sabrina McCartney and Liliane Dizon, Carrollwood Day School
MiddleIs it possible to teach everything? As new information emerges at exponential rates, how do we decide what to teach? This session will focus on conceptual teaching and learning. Teachers will gain both theory and practical examples for their own classroom.
Congressional BDiving into Marine Science
UpperAmy Carboni and Scott Davenport, Admiral Farragut Academy
Teachers’ personal interests lay foundation to new course offerings and curriculum. Topics include ichthyology, marine Invertebrate, zoology and research diving.
Royal Dublin AA Diverse World of Writers: Differentiating Instruction with
MiddleWriting Workshop
Lauri Garbo, Seacrest Country Day School
Teachers will discover how Writing Workshop strategies fulfill the goals of differentiated instruction by providing choice, learning tasks, and outcomes tailored to students’ abilities and needs. Practical strategies and methods will be used to support the theory presented.
Royal Dublin BEnergy Choices: A Bright Future for Florida
MiddleJoanne Aronson, Miami Country Day School
ScienceThis interdisciplinary project highlights research, writing and speaking skills as student groups representing energy consulting firms present energy options to the “Florida Energy Commission” for adoption by the state of Florida. Following a Commission decision, students advocate on behalf of this energy source to the government and the local newspaper.
WentworthOregon Trail: On the Road Again
Grade 5Sharon Osgood, Lynn Fink, Evelyn Cotton, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
History & Fifth grade curriculum focuses on the study of our great country, its
Language Artshistory and its heroes’ use of character to overcome strife and celebrate life! After constructing covered wagons, students embark on four stations of the simulated trail: the general store, first aid, wash/sew and a buffalo chip relay! Westward Ho!
Friday ◊ Session One
9:30-10:15
St. Andrew’s AEmpowering Student Learners with GPS
ElementaryAnna Baralt, Shorecrest Preparatory School
2008 Winner of the DeWitt E. & Vera M. Hooker Fellowship Grant
Discover how to use GPS technology and geocaching to promote geography literacy through collaboration, problem solving, and real world projects. Classroom tested ideas integrating all curriculum areas will be shared along with online resources to start your own GPS curriculum.
St. Andrew’s B“Techno-Tales” – How to Make Digital Story Books
K-2Carla O’Connor and Mary McDonnell-Klevan, St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School
In this session, the presenters will take you through the steps involved in working with students to create original digital story books: from inception, digital photograph-taking and recording voices, to publication on DVD and the World Wide Web.
Suite #241FCIS/FKC-SAIS/SACS Joint Accreditation Visits
AllKaren Mathews, Associate Director for Accreditation and Barbara Hodges, Head of School, Holy Comforter Episcopal School
This session will provide detailed information for schools pursuing joint accreditations with the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and/or the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS). Topics will include the application process, the self-study, standards and indicators for all organizations and the actual evaluation visit.
Suite # 245Florida Independent Schools Honor Chorus
UpperLorie Wacaster, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy
2009 Winner of the DeWitt E. & Vera M. Hooker Fellowship Grant
The Honor Chorus experience is for schools who have high school level chorus programs. Come and learn how this Hooker Fellowship grant winning program can benefit your high school choral program through enhanced theoretical and applied musicianship skills. This year’s repertoire will be chosen from the Florida Vocal Association’s music list making the weekend a great jump start for your district MPSs. Open to administrators as well as choral directors.
Friday ◊ Session One
9:30-10:15
Suite # 249The Psychological Benefits of a Private School Education
AllDr. Isra Saleh-Mohd, Licensed Psychologist, Universal Academy of Florida
This workshop will help attendees understand the positive psychological effects of acquiring a private school education.
Suite # 267Moodle Online Learning
AllJoanne Barrett, The Out-of-Door-Academy and Alysa Nolen, All Saints’ Academy
2009 Winner of the DeWitt E. & Vera M. Hooker Fellowship Grant
Offer professional development online with moodle course management system. Learn the basics of setting up a CMS, creating course content, and offering collaborative opportunities for professional growth.
Suite # 271Art and Poetry: Using Art to Inspire Creative Writing
Elementary/Ileana Nardo and Ellen Bulkey, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Day School
Middle“Art and Poetry” combines the study of art with creative writing. Art reproductions become the inspiration that promote the creative writing process. Through this process, critical thinking skills, creative writing and vocabulary skills are enhanced. The format is approachable, simple, extremely rewarding and can be used across the curriculum.
Friday ◊ Session Two
10:25-11:10
InternationalTeach to the Skills: How Standardized Tests Can Improve
Ballroom IIITeaching and Learning
Elementary/Susan Norwood, Test Consultant, Educational Records Bureau (ERB)
MiddleStandardized tests are tools that can be used efficiently and effectively to help students and teachers meet their educational goals. Learn how to use ERB tests and other diagnostic assessments to add an important dimension to your work in independent schools.
Royal Using Moodle in a Middle and High School setting
Melbourne AMatthew Parets, Montverde Academy
Middle/Moodle is free, web-based course management software that provide
Upper innovative options for improving communications between teachers and students. In this session you will learn from a teacher, how to get started with Moodle, how Moodle is being used to streamline learning, and some of the innovative options it offers.
Friday ◊ Session Two
10:25-11:10
RoyalTrust, Accountability and Autonomy: Building a Teacher Driven
Melbourne B Evaluation Model
AllHugh Jebson, Assistant Headmaster and Carlo DiNota, English Department, Berkeley Preparatory School
The presenters, an administrator and faculty member, will explain the process of developing Berkeley Prep’s school-wide professional development program, one which is built on trust, empowers teachers to design their own growth strategies, and which encourages sincere, helpful and ongoing feedback necessary for professional growth.
Colonial AWelcome to my Strange Little World
AllKimberly Snoeblen, BA, BCABA, Coordinator, University of Central Florida Center for Autism Related Disorders, Orlando, FL
Students with Asperger’s Syndrome present a unique set of challenges for educators. Neurological and research findings will be presented with implications for educational accommodations, and curriculum for addressing social and pragmatic needs will be overviewed. The seminar is appropriate for general and special educators, psychologists, resource teachers, autism support teachers, guidance and administrative personnel as well as parents.
Colonial BEnvironmental Science Taught Through Students’ Eyes
Grades 5-12Diane Krug, Greenwood School
ScienceA student-developed program called the “Environmental Educational Experience” is teaching both staff and their pupils about the great outdoors. The E-trail system is used by biology and environmental science students to assist them in sharing their knowledge about the wetlands with lower and middle school students.
Congressional BSmile and Breathe! Yoga-Based Activities for the K-8 Classroom
K-8Mary Ann Ewert and Debra Nixon, Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School, Bradenton
2009 Winner of the DeWitt E. & Vera M. Hooker Fellowship Grant
This session will enable teachers to incorporate yoga-based activities into their day. The activities are designed for the classroom and require no experience, extra space or equipment. They are designed to reduce stress and enhance focus, self-discipline, learning, creativity and health.
Friday ◊ Session Two
10:25-11:10
Royal Dublin ASMART Boards K-12
AllEleanor Brown, Pine Crest School, Ft. Lauderdale
Think SMART Boards won’t make a difference in your grade level or curriculum? Think again! Participants will see examples of how SMART Boards have revolutionized classes at our school in all divisions and all disciplines.
Royal Dublin BEducation and the Moral Imagination
AllKevin Clark, The Geneva School
In the Western intellectual tradition, until quite recently, education strove to cultivate the whole person: intellectual preparation, moral formation, and transfer of cultural inheritance. Our session will explore how this holistic view of education is desperately needed in our culture, and how independent schools are uniquely enabled to recover it.
WentworthA “SMASh”ing Success
Middle/UpperSuzy Woas and Eric Mullins, Genesis Preparatory School
Art/Music/Learn how one school transformed their music concert and art show from
Technologyone with humdrum attendance to a musical, multimedia and art extravaganza that nobody wanted to miss!
St. Andrew’s ACalendar Math
PreK-Grade 2Mary Scott and Christina Sahr, Lake Highland Preparatory School
Come find out how to bring your calendar to life in the classroom! This workshop will expose your students to concepts such as: place value, graphing, patterning, time, money, algebraic thinking, measurement, interpreting data, and counting. Participants will receive materials to implement Calendar Math in their own classroom.
St. Andrew’s BMotivating Non-Writers Through the Use of Technology
Elementary/Sara Samudrala, St. Thomas Episcopal Parish School
MiddleEveryone has a story to tell! Motivate the ‘non-writer’ in your classroom through the use of technology tools such as interactive whiteboard, digital camera, and the computer as they discover story elements such as characters, plot, setting, and dialog.
Friday ◊ Session Two
10:25-11:10
Suite # 241Preparing Your School for an FCIS Five Year Evaluation or
AllFive Year Review
Karen Mathews, Associate Director for Accreditation
This session will provide information about the 2009 FCIS revised Standards, planning and organizing the self-study and the evaluation visit. Special attention will be given to the Five Year review evaluation visit.
Suite # 245Reaching the Rockers: Music for the Non-Traditional School
UpperMusician
Christopher Greening, Lake Highland Preparatory School
Have you ever wondered how to involve more students in the music program? Some students may not be interested in the traditional ensembles, but digital recording is sure to spark interest in all musicians. From group projects to solo albums, learn the ins and outs of making a recording. Learn how to start a class today!
Suite # 249So You Think You are a Good Teacher!
AllKen Melber, Vice Principal, The Out-of-Door Academy
This session will provide a humorous examination of how education has changed over the last thirty years: sometimes overloaded with administration and theory at the expense of common sense.
Suite # 267Color Your Way to Successful Sentence Structure
Grades 3-9Jane Levine, Hale Academy
Sometimes a simple modification to an established teaching concept can lead to some exciting and unanticipated outcomes. Come learn how adding specific colors to an easily made, fun to use manipulative kit can give your students an intuitive sense of sentence structure.
Suite # 271Preparing the High School Athlete for the Next Level
UpperBill Mathews, Head Baseball Coach, Professor of Athletic
Coaches & Administration, Eckerd College
Athletic DirectorsThis session will address the recruiting process currently in use for high school athletes. Finding a school that fits and finding a program that will allow an athlete to compete at an appropriate level are difficult tasks. Suggestions will be offered and strategies discussed which could prove useful in your efforts to assist your student-athletes as they move on to the college level.
Friday ◊ Session Three
11:20-12:05
RoyalWeb 2.0 Tools for Teaching
Melbourne AJoanne Barrett and Camela Giraud, The Out-of-Door Academy
Middle/UpperThere are wonderful Web 2.0 applications that can enhance teaching at little or no cost. This session will provide attendees an overview and an annotated list to get started. In addition, we will offer specific examples of how we are incorporating these tools into our curricula.
RoyalHelping Every Student Succeed
Melbourne BLisa Gray, Florida Air Academy
AllHear how a developing in-school tutorial program can help students reach their full potential. The program will include implementation, statistical data, and details with regard to Florida Air Academy.
Colonial AMiddle School Students Helping Migrant Workers in Immokalee
MiddleVanessa Cabrera, Miami Country Day School
Miami Country Day School’s Middle School Spanish Honor Society did a year long service project to create awareness, fundraise, and visit the migrant workers in Immokalee, Florida. Students did a three day immersion, then did a school assembly in which they presented their activities and experiences to their peers.
Colonial BWacky Morning Routines
PreKKelly DePue and Barbara Haines, The Genesis School
Help preschoolers exercise the wiggles out-left brain-right brain-wiggle-squash ride. Extreme fun for all!
Congressional BClickers in the Classroom
AllGinny Greenland and Meredith Sitz, The Bolles School
An active demonstration of Clickers: wireless handsets that make teaching and learning more fun and effective at any grade level while engaging students in a wide variety of activities. Students love to click their answers, view them anonymously on screen, and get instant feedback without feeling embarrassed or pressured.
Royal Dublin ACome on In! Secrets of Success for K-5 Hands-on Science
K-5 ScienceElizabeth Bailey, Maclay School
Students engage, explore, and experience science across the curriculum through a HANDS-ON approach. Classroom teachers benefit with these simple and uncomplicated secrets of success for developing and maintaining a hands-on, minds-on environment.
Friday ◊ Session Three
11:20-12:05
Royal Dublin BMiddle School Overnight Class Trips
MiddleDavid Richardson, Oak Hall School, Hugh Schoolman, Shorecrest Preparatory School, Cheryl Townsend, St. Johns Country Day School, and Margo Cohen, Unity School
A “value added’ for independent schools is overnight class trips. Please join this panel of middle school heads as we share information about trips we are doing or have done. Get together and share information about locations, programs, logistics and some of the details that make trips a success. Please bring information about what your school does to share with the group. Bring questions as well and the group will answer them as best we can.
WentworthJapanese School Simulation Day
Elementary/Bonnie Gromet, St. Mark’s Episcopal School, Palm Beach Gardens
MiddleMs. Gromet visited Japan in June 2008 as part of the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. She designed a Japanese School Simulation Day to share her experiences in Japanese schools with her school community. She will give you the inspiration and tools to create your own memorable event.
St. Andrew’s AThe SmartBoard Goes Trilingual
Elementary/Elizabeth Anne Rivera-Arocha, Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart
MiddleExplore the endless possibilities for your language classes using the SmartBoard.
St. Andrew’s BBuilding Community Piece by Piece
AllDawn Ferguson and Kymberly Moreland Garnett, Trinity Preparatory
Fine ArtsSchool
Build a stronger sense of campus community through group collaboration to create a large scale mosaic. This lesson can also be scaled down to be used as a small group project in the classroom.