MCPSA Conference Recap – Day 2Day two of the 2011 Missouri Charter Schools Conference began with a breakfast general session highlighted by a keynote speech from Detroit Edison Public School Academy Superintendent Ralph Bland.  Detroit Edison Public School Academy-DEPSA (Charter) is a self-managed school with 1100 students and a staff of 110. Under Bland’s leadership the school has been named by the Center for Education Reform, as one of the top 51 charter schools in the nation. In addition, to being an award winning K-8 grade school, Bland led DEPSA into being the first charter school in Michigan to win the prestigious- Michigan Blue Ribbon Award.Bland’s speech focused on crossing lines to change the culture in the school’s community and focusing on five pillars to the school’s success.

*Student Focus
*Superior Education
*Superior Educators
*Community Centric
*Pioneering Change

“When we talk about pioneering change, it means we look at how students become the change agent and make an impact on society rather than just being a part of society,” Bland stated.  “We must cross the line and leave what was behind and move forward to a new paradigm.”

After the opening general session, the attendees moved into the first set of breakout sessions for the day.  This set of breakout sessions were highlighted by a legislative panel that drew over 50 attendees to hear and interact with the three key legislators on the panel.  Legislators recapped charter school legislation during the 2011 session and exchanged ideas with the attendees on legislation proposals for the 2012 session.

This set of breakout sessions also featured sessions on recognizing fraud in school management, collecting and using core data, student discipline in special education and challenging gifted students in the classroom.

The second set of breakout sessions for the day featured six sessions across all conference tracks.  A session was held on parental advocacy discussing ways to involve interested parents in advocating for charter schools.  Tips for contacting legislators were given as well as a discussion of advocacy tools, such as legislator school tours, to promote the charter school movement.

Sessions were also held on implementing project based learning in K – 3 classrooms, financial services, charter renewal and student behavior support.

Following the second set of breakout sessions, attendees moved to the lunch general session featuring speeches by Dr. Ron Lankford from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder.

Dr. Lankford’s speech focused on the Department’s Top 10 by 20 plan and how charter public schools in Missouri can be a piece of that plan.  Lt. Governor Kinder discussed his work to bring charter public schools to Missouri as a State Senator in 1998 and touted some of the gains that charter schools have made since that time.

After the session’s keynote speeches, MCPSA gave out our annual Excellence Awards.  The Missouri Charter School “Excellence Awards” are an opportunity to recognize outstanding charter school individuals and programs in Missouri.  Below were our award winners with links to further details on their awards:

Charter School “Best Innovative Practice” Award –
Hogan Preparatory Academy, Senior Seminar Program

Charter School “Advocate of the Year” Award –
State Representative Tishaura Jones

Charter Schools “Teacher of the Year” Award –
Ariel Bonderer, Scuola Vita Nuova, 7th and 8th grade math and science teacher

Charter “Leader of the Year” Award –
Julie Frugo, St. Louis Charter School

Charter “School of Excellence” Award –
Academie Lafayette

Congratulations to all of our award recipients.

The final general session wrapped up with a presentation to Tracy House from the Joplin School District of the proceeds from our silent student art auction.  MCPSA presented Joplin School District with a check for $1,000 to aid in the district’s recovery from the devastating tornado that hit their community on May 22, 2011.

One final set of breakout sessions on succeeding in STEM teaching, fundraising, using data and school facilities wrapped up the 2011 conference.

We’d like to thank everyone, once again, for attending this year’s annual conference. Our goal was to provide a conference that included opportunities for learning, networking, engaging in good discussion, and some time to enjoy being with colleagues in a more informal setting.

We really look forward to receiving feedback so we can continue developing and making improvements each year.  Stay tuned in the coming weeks for announcements about the location for the 2012 Missouri Charter Schools Conference.