07/30/2012
Area school administrators will gather on the SUNY Cortland campus on Thursday, Aug. 9, to discuss the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) of their teachers, a subject of hot debate at schools nationwide as educational reformers impose requirements to crack open to public scrutiny this once internal process.
This and other pressing topics of interest to district and building administrators, curriculum teams, certificate of advanced studies candidates and curriculum area coordinators are part of the 2012 Francis J. Cheney Educational Leadership Conference, taking place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Sperry Center.
The free conference is geared for area school administrators and students enrolled in SUNY Cortland’s Educational Leadership Department. It is sponsored by Louise M. Conley, Ph.D., and the Cortland College Foundation.
Participant registration is required to attend the conference. To register for the event, which includes lunch and refreshments, or to receive more information, contact the Educational Leadership Department by calling (607) 753-2444 or by emailing Janice Eaton.
The conference marks its fourth year as an annual event. At this year’s conference, titled “Grounding Educational Reform in Compelling Curriculum,” the educational administrators informally will discuss areas where educational leadership may be demonstrated, such as:
• designing an efficient and effective curriculum that promotes student achievement and learning;
• changing “potential” into “achievement” using a curriculum template;
• maintaining focus on effective instructional strategies and properly documenting evidence of understanding to address the requirements of APPR; and,
• effectively employing essential questions and guiding questions.
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| One presenter at the 2011 Cheney Conference makes a point. In the other image above and to the left, William Myers Jr., confers will a fellow conference attendee. |
Kevin Mack, who chairs the Educational Leadership Department, works with an 11-member advisory board composed of regional school administrators to organize the one-day summer conference. He views it as an opportunity for school principals and other leaders to design a reformed school curriculum that works well in the classroom.
“This conference is not about what has to be done,” Mack said. “The state already has inundated schools with that. This conference is about how to create and use a curriculum document that promotes and focuses on student achievement and learning.”
The day will feature a large group discussion led by Mack followed by small group discussions facilitated by members of the advisory team. The arrangement is designed to encourage the free exchange of ideas in a small group setting.
Named after Francis J. Cheney, who served as Cortland Normal School principal from 1891 until his death in 1912, the educational conference was created and funded by Cheney’s granddaughter, Louise M. Conley of Princeton, N.J. Conley chairs the Cortland College Foundation Board of Directors. The conference’s mission is to create a learning community for educational leaders that enhances and supports the success of all students through ongoing professional development, refinement of leadership skills and networking.