Keynote Speakers for MCPSA 2012 Conference Announced
The Missouri Charter Public School Association has announced keynote speakers for our 2012 conference. The conference will open on the evening of Wednesday, October 3 with a welcome from St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. Mayor Slay has been a strong supporter of quality charter schools in St. Louis and we are excited to have him open our conference. Student performances will follow the Mayor’s opening remarks.
The following morning Erin Gruwell, Founder of the Freedom Writers Foundation, will open Thursday’s morning general session. She has earned an award-winning reputation for her steadfast commitment to the future of education. Her New York Times bestselling book, The Freedom Writers Diary was the basis for the Paramount Pictures movie Freedom Writers. The story chronicled Erin’s extraordinary journey with 150 high school students who had been written off by the education system. Erin will sign copies of her book following the general session.
Thursday evening will close with a keynote from nationally renowned education reform activist and author Kevin P. Chavous. He currently heads The Chavous Group, an education consulting firm, and is a founding board member and senior advisor to the American Federation for Children. He also presides as board chair for Democrats for Education Reform and is a former chair and board member for the Black Alliance for Educational Options. After speaking, Chavous will moderate a panel of Missouri charter school leaders and sponsors titled Missouri’s Charter Schools: The Next Ten Years. Participating on the panel will be Vonnelle Middleton (CEO of Hope Academy Charter School), Danny Tipton (Executive Director of Hogan Prep Academy), Deb Carr (Sponsor Liason, University of Missouri – Columbia) and Christie Huck (Executive Director of City Garden Montessori).
Friday morning will open with the Commissioner of Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Dr. Chris Nicastro. Dr. Chris L. Nicastro has been a teacher and administrator in Missouri public schools for 34 years. She is the fifth person to serve as Missouri’s Commissioner of Education. The main sessions of the conference will wrap up with the MCPSA Awards of Excellence during lunch Friday afternoon.
We are excited to present these speakers at the our 2012 conference. We hop that you will join us to hear all of them share their stories and discuss how charter public schools can be a quality education option for Missouri’s students. Click here to register now!
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