Keynote Presentations
Concurrent Keynote – Recalibrate the Culture (High School Principals/CTE Directors)
Jimmy Casas, J Casas & Associates, President & CEO
Do you leave work every night exhausted from putting out fires all day long? Are you frustrated because you find yourself dealing with the same issues time and time again? You are not alone. It is time to recalibrate. Recalibrate our why. Our work. Our values. Ourselves. Educators must explore their inner selves to understand the role we each play in how we can impact the climate and culture of an entire campus when we are strategic and aligned in our practices. The classroom, building, and district levels must see themselves as one and must be intentional in replicating their processes, protocols, and frameworks to recalibrate and bring about system-wide change and cultivate a healthier culture. Participants will leave this session with a renewed understanding of the importance of effective processes and practical tools they can utilize immediately to cultivate a healthier culture for all members of their school community.
Concurrent Keynote – Culturize – Every Student. Every Day. Whatever it Takes. (Middle Level)
Matt Degner, J Casas & Associates, Leadership Coach
Eradicate Average! CULTURIZE Your School. Average schools don’t inspire greatness–and greatness is what our world needs if we are going to produce world-changing learners. In this presentation attendees will receive insights into what it takes to cultivate a community of learners who embody the innately human traits our world desperately needs, such as kindness, honesty, and compassion. Teachers and staff will learn how these “soft skills” can be honed while re-defining the purpose of the work they do so they will aspire for nothing short of excellence!
Concurrent Keynote – Handle with Care: Managing Difficult Situations in Schools with Dignity and Respect (Assistant Principals)
Joy Kelly, J Casas & Associates, Leadership Coach
In schools across the country, educators at every level are faced with delicate, challenging situations that require leadership skills and insights in order to produce favorable outcomes for students and staff. In this presentation, Joy Kelly examines a variety of difficult school-related situations, both in and out of the classroom, and provides strategies, tools, and techniques to address a variety of difficult-to-handle situations and scenarios in order to help students and staff emerge from missteps more self-aware, feeling valued, and able to move forward.
Closing Keynote – Is My School a Better School BECAUSE I Lead It?
Principal Baruti Kafele
An empowering, introspective keynote address for school and aspiring school leaders that will challenge each participant to examine their own leadership identity, presence, impact, mission, purpose, vision and value as the leaders of their schools. It promises to inspire school leaders to think critically about both, their roles as leaders of their schools, and whether or not their schools are better schools BECAUSE they are the leaders of them.
General Session Keynote – Legal Update
Catherine Tracey, Miller Johnson
This legal update will help administrators make sense of the multitude of legal landmines out there – First Amendment, search and seizure, supporting LGBTQ students, Title IX, threat assessment, student discipline and more!
General Session Keynote – MDE Update
Dr. Michael Rice
Representing the Michigan Department of Education, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Dr. Michael Rice will provide a presentation focused on the continued vision for making Michigan a Top 10 education state.
General Session Keynote – Legislative Update
Bob Kefgen, MASSP
You read Bob’s legislative updates, you see his posts on social media- now you will get a live legislative update with the opportunity to ask questions. MASSP’s Executive Director Wendy Zdeb will chime in and help to moderate one of everyone’s favorite keynotes!