2022 ACSA Leadership Summit

For the past two years, staff and students have struggled with  just being in school. Chronic absenteeism, low desire to be turn in assignments and just all around dis-interest in school. We will provide tips and strategies to get the school that was already struggling with culture/climate to get all stakeholders back interested.

The Social Justice Standards are a road map for anti-bias education at every stage of K–12 instruction. The Social Justice Standards provide a common language and organizational structure educators can use to create a more inclusive curriculum, and make schools more just and equitable. Divided into four domains—identity, diversity, justice and action (IDJA)—the Standards recognize that, in today's diverse classrooms, students need knowledge and skills related to both prejudice reduction and collective action. Together, these domains represent a continuum of engagement in anti-bias, multicultural and social justice education. This workshop will focus on the expansion of the Ethnic Studies curriculum,  as well as details about how the Lynwood Unified School District incorporated Social Justice Standards into their Language Arts Curriculum.  

Teacher Residencies have gained momentum through the years, but are we leveraging teacher residencies to transform our schools? The Kern Urban Teacher Residency (KUTR) and the Education Specialist Residency of Bakersfield (ESTR-B) are partnerships between California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) and the Bakersfield City School District (BCSD).  Our residencies are designed to meet the need for highly qualified teachers who are specifically prepared to teach in BCSD classrooms. Because our residents are embraced by each school and are treated as staff members, our residents learn the BCSD lexicon and are fully equipped to teach in our most challenging schools.  By focusing on building up our mentors through learning walks and powerful professional development, our residents receive the tools and strategies that are necessary to teach successfully in an urban setting. Listen to BCSD’s story about how we leverage the power of our residencies to help transform our schools!

Ernesto Rodriguez, retired school psychologist will share the research of the effects of tree patterns on the brain and the projects that he has supported in transforming classrooms that shows how trees are an important tool to invite students into the classroom, calm them, and inspire creativity. The need is greatest in inner city and urban environments where greenery is lacking, classrooms are missing views to the outside, and the emotional trauma created by the pandemic is not going away any time soon. He will share how he helps schools through his non-profit to fulfill a mission to apply the science of Attention Restoration Theory to create education environments that support teachers and students, both academically and emotionally.

Districts across the state are implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work in various ways. Attendees will hear from panel members who are implementing this work in their respective districts and communities. Attendees will not only have an opportunity to reflect on their personal practice, but walk away with resources that will support next steps for putting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into action.

What if your staff could joyfully engage in habits that energize them, connect them to their purpose, and strengthen their resilience while deepening their connections with one another? This is necessary both in times of crisis and in the continuously changing environment of education. In only 2 to 5 minutes per day, staff members can build their resilience and the resulting effect impacts students, parents, and the greater community. The Orcutt Union School District will share their journey toward creating a connected culture rooted in personal and organizational well being which included professional development, staff meeting activities, and even a gamified challenge between schools and departments. In our session you will learn about the science behind this approach and engage in some of the Positive Psychology skills and activities that lead to personal and organizational development. This workshop will be very interactive, so get ready to learn actively and have some fun!

Spuddle: To be extremely busy all the time while achieving a lot less than we want to most of the time. Does this resonate? If so, attend this unique session that provides participants with the latest research, practical content, and best practices related to three under-explored areas with profound implications for equity leaders tired of spuddling!: (a) the “magical” question that strengthens systemic equity muscle, (b) the architecture of leadership columns that shatter inequitable systems, and (c), non-negotiable depth of knowledge (DOK) in equity design for leaders. Participants will develop an understanding of the power of these ideas that turn leadership activity into high levels of educational attainment, especially for vulnerable students. The session includes simulations, exercises and real-life stories. Come ready to be edified, amused, inspired and ignited