Georgia School Superintendents Association
Fall Bootstrap Conference
October 18 - 19, 2017
Classic Center, Athens, Georgia
Facing the Challenges
Tuesday, October 17
4:30 p.m.First District RESA – Board of Control- Hilton Garden Inn
5:30 p.m.GSSA Board of Directors Meeting – Hilton Garden Inn -Magnolia Room
7:00 p.m. GSSA Board of Directors Dinner – Hilton Garden Inn – Cypress Room
8:00 p.m.Welcome Reception
Our friends at American Fidelity, Carroll Daniel Construction, and Classworks are sponsoring this event that will start at 8:00 pm in the Magnolia Room at the Hilton Garden Inn to kick start the start the conference. In the past, many of our members have indicated the need for opportunities to network, collaborate, and socialize with colleagues. Having gone through the inevitable and varied experiences of the superintendency, opportunities to have dialog, problem-solving, and commiserate are typically highly valued by superintendents and educational leaders at every level. At this event, you will have the opportunity to meet with our new superintendents, other Georgia superintendents, GSSA staff, some of the speakersfor our conference, and national educational leaders, in a relaxed and informal setting. We hope that you will plan to attend so you don't miss out on the refreshments, deserts, the music, and the fellowship with your colleagues.
Wednesday, October 18
7:30 a.m.Pioneer RESA – Board of Control – Athena A
7:30 a.m.West Georgia RESA – Board of Control – Athena B
8:00 a.m.Registration Opens –Thomas Street Lobby Area
8:30 a.m.Collaborative Coaching Session – Keith Porter - Olympia Ballroom 1
General Session I: – Athena F – J
10:00 a.m.Welcome and Student Performance
GSSA President Tim Cochran welcomes members and guests to the conference and recognizes sponsors and other special guests.
Lumpkin County High School Varsity Singers
10:30 a.m.Keynote Speaker: Dr. Martha Burns
Effects of Poverty on Brain Development and School Success
Martha S. Burns, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, F-ASHA, has been a practicing speech-language pathologist in the Chicago area for over 40 years. She serves on the Faculty of Northwestern University, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, and served on the medical staff of Evanston-Northwestern Hospital. Dr. Burns is a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and has received honors from Northwestern University, Evanston Hospital Corporation, the American SpeechLanguage Hearing Foundation and Saint Xavier University. Dr. Burns has authored three books and over 100 journal articles on the neuroscience of language and communication. Doody’s Rating Service selected her co-authored book, Clinical Management of Right Hemisphere Dysfunction, published through Aspen Press as one of the best health sciences books of 1997. In addition to that book, Dr. Burns is the co-author of a Speech/Language Treatment of the Aphasia: An Integrated Approach (Rehabilitative Institute of Chicago Procedure Manual) and the author of Burns Brief Inventory of Communication and Cognition published by The Psychological Corporation. Dr. Burns’ expertise is in all areas related to the neuroscience of learning, such as, language and reading in the brain, the bilingual brain, the language-to-literacy continuum, and the adolescent brain. She is the Director of Neuroscience Education for Scientific Learning Corporation.
11:45 a.m.GSSA Awards
The four finalists for the 2017 Superintendent of the Year Award will be recognized and the winner of the prestigious Bill Barr Leadership Award will be announced. All new Superintendents for 2017-2018 will receive a GSSA lapel pin and be recognized.
NoonLunch – Athena B, C and E
General Session II: – Athena F- J
1:15 p.m.PSC Update– Contract Abandonment
Paul Shaw – Assistant Director of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission
1:45 p.m.Supt.Eric Arena–Putnam County Schools’ Summer Enrichment Program
2:15 p.m.BREAK
2:30 p.m.Superintendent Panel Break-Outs - Board Relations and Contract Negotiations
The attendees will break up into 2 groups (small–medium sized systems and medium-large sized systems) for a break-out panel discussion. Each group will have a panel of Superintendents and a facilitator to lead the discussion on these critical topics that impact the Superintendent. After an hour discussion, the facilitator and panel will rotate to the other group.
Board Relations Panel – Supts.:Samantha Fuhrey, Jody Barrow, & Will Hardin – Athena CD
Contract Negotiations – Supts.:Michael Duncan, Robert Costley, & Vickie Reed –Athena F-J
4:30 p.m.President’s Reception – Athena B, C, and E
All conference attendees are invited to this reception for networking and fellowship.
Thursday, October 19
7:30 a.m.GSSA Breakfast and Gen. Business Meeting –Athena B, C and E
Conference attendees are invited to enjoy a buffet breakfast, network with colleagues, and participate in the Association’s business meeting.
General Session IV – Athena F - J
9:00 a.m.Welcome
GSSA president-elect Mike Newton presides
9:05 a.m.GA DoE Update – GA DoE Staff
9:45 a.m.FY18 K12 Education Budget and Implications
Claire Suggs – Senior Education Policy Analyst for GPBI
10:15 a.m. Inspiration
Rodney Bullard – V.P. of Community Affairs at Chick-fil-A and Exe. Director of the Chick-fil-A Foundation
Rodney Bullard is currently Vice President of Community Affairs atChick-fil-A, Inc. and Executive Director of theChick-fil-AFoundation where he leads the company’s corporate community and philanthropic strategy, which is focused on fostering youth and furthering education. Before coming toChick-fil-A, Rodney served as an Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting complex criminal cases. For his service, the United States Attorney General presented him with the Department of Justice Director’s Award. Prior to this role, Rodney was selected as a White House Fellow, the nation’s most prestigious public service Fellowship. As a White House Fellow, Rodney was placed at NASA working directly for the NASA Administrator. A decorated veteran, Rodney also served in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General Corps eventually working at the Pentagon as a Congressional Legislative Liaison in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force.
11:00 a.m.Legal Updates – Cory Kirby and Hieu Nguyen
News from the legal front will be presented by GSSA’s long-time friends from the law firm of Harben, Hartley, and Hawkins.
12: 00 NoonConference Adjournment
12:00 NoonLuncheon for afternoon meeting attendees– Athena BC
12:00 p.m.GAEL Board of Directors meeting – @ Graduate Hotel –Foundry Ballroom
12:00 p.m.Oconee RESA – Board of Control Meeting – Athena B
12:00 p.m.RESA Director’s meeting– Athena D