The Common Core Institute

February 8 – 9, 2013
Orlando, Florida

Join the Common Core Institute February 8th and 9th for the National Conference on Common Core Assessment: Strategies, Exemplars, and Immediate Priorities in Orlando, Florida!

VENUE:
Orlando World Center Marriott
8701 World Center Drive
Orlando, FL 32821

Book Your Hotel Room:
Special Rate: $189 plus tax per night
Cutoff date to book at discounted rate: January 18, 2013
Click Here to Reserve Online
Reservations: 800-621-0638- Please mention National Conference on Common Core Assessment to receive discounted rate
Limited availability. Book now!

Early Bird INDIVIDUAL Conference Registration: $495
Early Bird GROUP Conference Registration: $475 each

The world of education is at a critical point in time. The Common Core Standards outline higher expectations and require more out of our students, teachers, and administrators. The National Conference on Common Core Assessment: Strategies, Exemplars, and Immediate Priorities has been designed to address the emerging issues in assessment, as well as provide a forum for teachers and administrators to advance their skills and understanding of Common Core based assessments. Whether you are new to assessment or a seasoned veteran, this conference offers great opportunities to acquire new knowledge and insight and is the most effective way to learn from practical examples that can deliver immediate results.

• The most important aspect I got from the presenter was the motivation and enthusiasm they showed for the coming changes. It is a daunting task, but I left motivated and feeling like I can help make a change in my school, and possibly my district. Thank you so much!!!
• Walking out of the conference with a "game plan" of what to prioritize and shift immediately was very helpful. Also, I felt like I had strategies and ideas to start developing a long-term plan to transition to the CCSS. I also increased my capacity and understanding of the CCSS. Thank you.
• I believe the Common Core Institute organization is going to be extremely successful in supporting educators throughout the nation as we make the shift to Common Core Standards. The presenters were knowledgeable, approachable, provided many excellent resources... and most important "Good Humans". I look forward to attending future events.

Dr. Robert E. Probst (Bob) is the author of the seminal text, Response and Analysis: Teaching Literature in Secondary Schools, and co-editor of Adolescent Literacy: Turning Promise into Practice. Bob’s focus on engagement and literary analysis helps teachers learn the strategies that help readers approach a text with more confidence and greater skill.

Professor Emeritus of English Education at Georgia State University, Bob has published in many journals, including English Journal and Voices from the Middle. He presents at national and international conventions, including IRA, NCTE, ASCD, NASSP, and NAESP.

He has served NCTE in various roles, including the Conference on English Leadership Board of Directors, the Commission on Reading, and as a column editor for the National Literacy Journal, Voices from the Middle. Bob served as senior author of the Holt Rinehart Winston literature textbook, Elements of Literature, Grades 6-12, for over a decade. This literature book was adopted by more districts across the country than any other literature text. In 1998, he brought Kylene Beers onto the author team to direct the reading strand of this text. She subsequently became senior author for the next two editions of the program.

Dr. Kylene Beers is the author of the best-selling book, When Kids Can’t Read/What Teachers Can Do. She currently serves as the Senior Reading Advisor to Secondary Schools for the Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College. Previous to that, she was the Senior Reading Researcher at the Comer School Development Program at Yale University. A former middle school teacher, Kylene has turned her commitment to adolescent literacy and struggling readers into the major focus of her research, writing, speaking, and teaching.

Kylene has published numerous articles in state and national journals, served as editor of the National Literacy Journal, Voices from the Middle, and was the 2008-2009 President of the National Council of Teachers of English. Kylene was President of NCTE during the writing of the Common Core State Standards and guided the response offered by NCTE to the ELA Common Core authors. She is an invited speaker at state, national, and international conventions and works with teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools across the US. Kylene has served as a consultant to the National Governor’s Association and was the 2012 recipient of an NCTE Leadership Award.

Together, Kylene and Bob work with teachers across the nation to share strategies that help support the reading skills of struggling readers. They are co-authors of a new book: Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading. Four years in creation, this critical text provides teachers the strategies they need to help all students learn the Close Reading strategies required to do the rigorous independent reading the Common Core State Standards demand. Pre-publication orders are now available at Heinemann.com.

Dr. Susan Gendron serves as the policy advisor and coordinator for the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium. She leads the Consortium’s outreach to state education chiefs and acts as a consultant to the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), coaching states on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards.

In 2010, Dr. Gendron was named a Senior Fellow for the International Center for Leadership in Education. As Senior Fellow, she leads the International Center’s consulting services to local districts and state education departments for development of comprehensive assessment systems and 21st Century-based technology plans. Prior to joining SMARTER Balanced, Gendron served as the President of CCSSO. She also served as the Commissioner of Education in Maine from 2003 to 2010.

LaVonna Roth is an experienced educational consultant, trainer, and mentor to school districts. She shares successful and effective best practices during her presentations that address all content areas and grade levels. Her practical strategies and best practices are founded upon research and years of classroom experience that enable teachers to educate and engage their students more effectively. Her workshops are centered around her specialization – engaging the brain! LaVonna has a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and master’s degrees in the Art of Teaching and Educational Leadership. She has been recognized by the Florida Council for Social Studies for Teacher of the Year, Hillsborough County Semi-Finalist for Teacher of the Year and selected by the Florida Department of Education as a Mentor Teacher.

Elaine Roberts, Ph.D. is an associate professor of Reading Education at the University of West Georgia. She helped develop the Reading Endorsement for the state of Georgia and has written articles in peer reviewed journals as well as presented at numerous conferences regionally, nationally and internationally. She has worked as a consultant for literacy learning in K-12 schools and is co-author with Dr. Debra Coffey of the books, Keys to Literacy Instruction in the Elementary Grades and Keys to Literacy Instruction for the Net Generation (Kendall Hunt Publishing).

Mike Rush has served schools for more than 30 years as both a teacher and consultant. He has worked closely with expert educators, including Heidi Hayes Jacobs. He has traveled extensively helping school leaders better understand the operational curricula within their schools. Mr. Rush is experienced in Understanding by Design, Differentiated Instruction, and Project-Based Learning.

Dr. Nancy Hopkins-Evans is a passionate scientist, educator, and leader. While obtaining her three degrees in chemistry (undergraduate, masters) and biological chemistry (doctoral), she traveled the world and learned to think critically, write clearly, and communicate effectively to audiences of all kinds from world-renowned scientists to giddy middle grades girls.

Dr. Hopkins-Evans is excited for the opportunity to instill in students the love and passion she has for science and education. Intent on fulfilling her personal obligation to help recruit and train the next generation of scientists and science literate citizens, she left the halls of academia to work for The School District of Philadelphia (7th largest public school district in the country). There she was able to use her analytical and research skills to help develop curriculum, assessments, and training for teachers and administrators. She also learned how to manage large projects, use financial resources creatively, engage with parents and community members, work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders, and handle the frustrations of a large bureaucracy. She accepted the position of Chief Academic Officer at an urban charter school, LEAP Academy University Charter School, to provide leadership for the expansion of the school to support programming in S.T.E.M. and environmental science. She is now a consultant for the Center for College and Career Awareness where she serves students, teachers, and administrators nationally.