403(b) Plans: Is Your Plan What You Want It To Be?

Finance and Human Resources for 403(b) Plans

A general session to exchange thoughts and ideas on how to ensure a 403(b) Plan is structured to meet the needs of plan participants.   This interactive session will address selection of a plan provider, investment options, employee communications, on-going review and administration, etc.

Presented by Bob Buscher, Chief Financial & Operations Officer & Liz Stevenson, Human Resources Manager, Pacific Ridge School

Addressing Parent Questions About Common Core

K-12th Grades and Administrators

With the adoption of Common Core in California schools, parents are thinking deeply about what and how their children are being taught in school. Join this workshop to learn about the Common Core and to work with colleagues to develop effective responses to typical parent questions.

Presented by Jean Nassif, Director of Enrollment Management & Jenny Bjornstad, Assistant Head of School, Pacific Ridge School

Administrators' Roundtable: Help! The Phones Are On Fire! What are We Doing to Influence Digital Citizenship in Our School Community?

Administrators for Digital Citizenship

Celebrate it or dread it, we are well aware that social media is ubiquitous in the lives of our students (perhaps even our own).  This roundtable session will provide Administrators an opportunity to discuss the various ways we are addressing -- successfully and/or unsuccessfully -- the sticky business of social media and the role of the Administrator.  

Presented by Michelle Glenn, Dean of Students, Santa Fe Christian School

Adopting Singapore Math (Math in Focus)

K-5th Grades and Administrators for Singapore Math

Come find out more about the Singapore approach to teaching mathematics. In this workshop, I will share the key components of the program, our transition challenges, and how our school successfully implemented this exciting approach to teaching mathematics. 

Presented by Heather Gray, Lower School Assistant Head, Francis Parker School 

Breaking the Shackles: College Board's Latest Ideas

9th -12th Grades for Humanities Courses and College Boards

College Board Advanced Placement Humanities courses are experiencing a seismic shift. This workshop will explore the philosophical evolution of these course revisions by looking at interactive models and assignments that allow students to grapple with content and take a stand. 

Presented by Stuart Pollock, A.P. United States History & Glenn Doshay, A.P. Economics, San Diego Jewish Academy

Can Classroom Data Be Fun?

All Grades for Data

The presenters will report on some common student assessment and evaluation goals and practices. How does your school collect and use data? How does our data as classroom teachers and administrators reflect our largest purposes as educators? Is there a disconnect? Let’s share our assessment and reporting practices and see if we can find greater congruence between our real intentions as teachers and our actual report/evaluation practices.

Presented by Dr. Stuart Grauer, Head of School & Alicia Rosenberg, MA, Teacher & Data & Evaluation Associate, The Grauer School

Class Observations: They're Not Just For Administrators

All Grades for Classroom Observation

Self- and peer-to-peer classroom observations neutralize the power dynamics inherent in administrative evaluations and refocus the exercise on the learning that both the observed and the observing teacher gain from a structured classroom observation. This workshop will introduce a few concrete protocols for self- and peer-to-peer observation that can be used to reclaim classroom observation as a tool for teacher learning.

Presented by Justin Symington, Upper School History, Fellows Program Coordinator & Noureddine El Alam, Upper School, Mathematics & Finance, Pacific Ridge School

Confidence in Learning

All Grades for Social and Emotional Growth

How confidence plays a role in developing successful students in the classroom, on the field, and in life.  During this workshop we will discuss: social norms of defining intelligence, learning styles, building confidence, the value of teacher-student trust, and best practices. 

Presented by Diesa Seidel, Athletic Director & PE Teacher, San Diego French-American School

Creating Communities of Philosophical Inquiry: An International Approach

9th-12th Grade for Social Studies and Global Studies

The goal of this workshop is to inspire high school teachers to create international connections in order to increase dialogue between diverse cultures and to enrich the lives of our students.  As we seek to understand diverse cultures and learn to critically evaluate our own assumptions, we can find connections with others around the world who are equally passionate in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding. 

Presented by Jennifer Cattaneo, French & Western Philosophy Teacher, World Language Department Chair, Santa Fe Christian School

Cultivating the Artist: One School's Journey of Revitalization

6th-12th Grades and Administration for Drama and the Arts

For an educational institution like the Army and Navy Academy, success is built on structure and regimen. How does an arts class fit into that environment, much less enhance it? What adjustments need to be put in place to connect to theatre in an all-male classroom environment?  In this workshop, the Dean of Academics will discuss the process used to revitalize the Drama program at her school site via an Artist-In-Residence program, while the teaching artist will share the triumphs and tribulations she encountered as she stepped into that role at the historic Southern California military academy.

Presented by Tiffany Tang, Artist-in-Residence and Lisa Basista, Dean of Academics, The Army and Navy Academy

Design Thinking in the Classroom and Beyond

All Grades for Empathetic Problem Solving

“Design Thinking in the Classroom and Beyond” will focus on one of the latest ideas to make its way from industry into education. The workshop is influenced by the work of Stanford’s d.school, IDEO, NAIS, and the Klingenstein Summer Institute (KSI), as well as the experiences of educators at PRS.

Presented by Kelly Clampett, 8th Grade Dean & English Teacher, Sarah Peeden, 9th Grade Dean & English Teacher, Pacific Ridge School

Developing a Community of Mathematics Problem Solvers

Lower School Math Coordinators & Middle/Upper School Math Teachers and Administrators for Math and Problem Solving

Over the last 5 years, Santa Fe Christian School has made a concerted effort to develop mathematics problem solvers. We have done this by creating many opportunities for our students such as: math clubs at the elementary, middle school and high school levels, a Middle School Mathematics Problem Solving class, an upper school Advanced Problem Solving Mathematics class, as well as a math team. At this talk you will find out details about what we have developed, the improvements that were made and how you can implement these ideas at your school. 

Presented by Mike Maxon, Upper School Math Teacher, Janelle Fiske, Middle School Math Teacher, & Luke Vandertie, Upper School Student & Math Club President, Santa Fe Christian School

Developing a Young Writer's Enthusiasm with Blogging

K-6th Grades for Writing and Blogging

Give your students a voice with blogging! Blogging is a powerful tool that can transform writing instruction and provide students with an authentic audience. Learn the many benefits of blogging, how teachers are improving writing instruction, and get real classroom examples of how blogging is used with students from Kindergarten to sixth grade.

Presented by Danielle Heyde, GMLS 4th & 5th Grades General Studies Teacher, San Diego Jewish Academy

Developing More Efficient Learners-Providing Learning Resources for All Students

K-12th Grades, Support Staff, and Administrators

Learn about the rationale, history and development of the Parker Learning Center, now in its 20th year. How is it structured? Who participates in the program? What services are provided? How is the program integrated with students’ academic experiences?

Presented by Rona G. Dosick, M.Ed., Director of the Parker Learning Center, Francis Parker School

Different Perspectives on Flipped Learning

7th-12th Grades for Flipped Classrooms

A flipped classroom inverts the traditional teaching method, delivering instruction outside the classroom and brings homework or hard work inside the classroom.  Learn how a math teacher and a Spanish teacher have been using different aspects of Flipped Learning in their classrooms in the past 7 months.

Presented by Chris Burman, Spanish Teacher, Jacqueline Fremgen, Math Teacher, Pacific Ridge School

Doing School: Helping Boys Make the Grade

All Grades for Boys

In the increasingly competitive K-12 environment, we are losing the boys at an unprecedented rate: Boys’ achievement in reading and writing lags far behind girls’ and boys are getting most of the Ds and Fs. Some colleges are even resorting to lowering their admission standards because, increasingly, boys can’t compete. You’ll gain a better understanding of what makes boys tick in the classroom and you will be empowered with practical, evidence-based classroom and school-wide strategies that engage even the most reluctant male learner. 

Presented by Kelley King, Head of Lower School, San Diego Jewish Academy

Engaging Hands-on Science Labs for the Elementary Classroom

2nd-5th Grades for Hands-on Science

This workshop will share with you a variety of hands-on-science labs and resources that you can take back and use in your classroom right away.  You will also take part in creating a collaborative document that we can share for the remainder of the school year and for years to come!  Also, be ready to try a few labs and to have some fun! 

Presented by Liza Huet, Hands-On-Science Teacher, Del Mar Pines School

Harkness: Student-Centered, Discussion-Based Education

9th-12th Grades for English and History

This workshop is designed to explore the use of student-centered, discussion-based education that is loosely described as the Harkness pedagogy. This session will introduce the basic philosophy of the Harkness method and teachers will utilize a short reading on a common humanities topic to explore issues in leading discussions. 

Presented by Andrea Juskaitis, English Teacher and Harkness Coach, Pacific Ridge School

How to Incorporate “Whole Brain Teaching” for Differentiation, Classroom Management, and Student Engagement

PK-12th Grades for Whole Brain Teaching

Learn and understand how to implement Chris Biffle's Whole Brain Teaching strategies for any grade level, as a powerful way to invigorate classroom instruction while differentiating clasroom instruction for all learners.

Presented by Sergina Bach, Middle School Science teacher, Francis Parker School

Innovative Science Labs & Projects

7th-12th Grades for Science and Labs

Tired of old, repetitive labs and projects?  This workshop will introduce new and exciting topics that will captivate your students and make your instruction more enjoyable.

Presented by Alexei Prohoroff, Math & Science Instructor, San Diego Jewish Academy

Integrating 21st Century Technology into the Classroom

6th-12th Grades for Technology

This workshop will present different successes I’ve had and areas that I learned from in terms of using technology in the classroom.  Specifically, it will look at hands-on projects by students as well as what I’ve learned about flipped teaching.  It will present ideas as well as helpful strategies for how to determine if the technology is right for that particular class, and when to step back from the technology that is available.

Presented by Arielle Gereboff, Judaic Studies Teacher & 7th Grade Advisor, San Diego Jewish Academy

Invention Convention - Not Your "Average" School Fair

All Grades for Science Teachers and Administrators

Tired of your annual school fair?  Ready for an event that fosters creativity, engineering, and the love of Science?  Learn more about this exciting event that puts children back in the “driver’s seat” and heads them towards the future!

Presented by John Bairos, Science Teacher, Diegueno Country School

iPads: More Than Games

All Grades and Administrators for Technology and iPads

Participants will learn about the journey of incorporating ipads into a curriculum beyond playing games.  Presenters will share project ideas and specific apps that can be used in the classroom to enrich student experiences and learning.  Can be utilized for language  and social studies instruction. 

Presented by Julie Mindel, Alisa Ronis, and Corie Wightlin, Second Grade Team, La Jolla Country Day School 

It's "Just PE", Right?

K-12th Grades and Administration for Physical Education

A historical and cultural analysis of the academic importance of a physical education program.

Presented by Gabriel Padayhag & Scott Buckey, San Diego Jewish Academy

Learning to Swim

1st-8th Grades Language Arts for Writing

Face the blank page with confidence! Teach your students to plunge into any writing assignment with gusto! Workshop will include tips and tricks to motivate and inspire young writers.

Presented by Janet Cole, 3rd and 5th Grade Language Arts Teacher, Diegueno Country School

Literature Circles in Upper Elementary

3rd-6th Grades for Literature Circles

Our primary goal as language arts teachers is to instill a love of literature in our students.  This session will focus on an effective way to do just that, through the implementation of Literature Circles in your classroom.  

Presented by Jessica Martin, 5th Grade Language Arts & Lindsey Farrington, Lower School Literacy Specialist, Santa Fe Christian School

Make a Difference - Globally Connecting with a Purpose

K-8th Grades for Global Learning

This session will give attendees a lot of resources and ideas for connecting with the world on projects that have purpose and meaning. Learn how to get students involved and connected to their own future, and help them be a part of the design and responsibility for that future. 

Presented by Dianne Shapp,  21st Century Educator, San Diego Jewish Academy

Make of Game of It!

All Grades for Second Language

A selection of quickly-created, tried-and-true games that have helped build my students’ speaking skills. How you can adapt games like these to your own classroom. Presentation, Q&A, and brainstorming session.

Presented by Catherine Rebiffé-Newnam, Teacher of English & French as a Second Language. San Diego French-American School

Preserving the Upper School Experience in a Competitive College Admission Climate

9th-12th Deans, Advisors, Admissions, Directors, Counselors, etc. for Upper School Experience

How do we keep students present in the Upper School experience in ways that value all of the opportunities they have and minimize the end-game thinking that leaves them feeling desperate or fearful about the college process?  We will open with truths about a healthy college process across the bandwidth of any junior/senior class and discuss:  School culture, Advisory/grade level programming, modeling collaboration as faculty/administration, and messaging.

Presented by Rachel Petrella, Director of College Guidance, Pacific Ridge School 

Reading Closely

K-5th Grades for Reading and Thinking

Close readings are an instructional strategy that promotes deep thinking as students reread and critically examine a text.  This meeting will discuss strategies to help students dig deeper into their reading and discover the intent and purpose of the text.  Guide your students to become more critical "consumers" of what they are reading.

Presented by Julianne Campbell, 4th Grade Teacher, The Rhoades School

Redefining Foreign Language Learning with Technology and Collaboration

4th-12th Grades on Foreign Language Instruction

Technology can be used in the foreign language classroom to enhance student learning.  For example, students can listen to themselves speak to improve their pronunciation or use technology to research the Spanish speaking world. We will be showing how we use apps such as iMovie, Educreation, and Padlet to facilitate exploration and collaboration amongst students.

Presented by Julie Watts & Shelley Cobb, Teachers, The Rhoades School

SAMR Technology Integration with Nearpod

3rd-12th Grades ONLY for classrooms with a 1:1 iPad Ratio for Cross-Curricular Technology

*Participants will need to bring their own iPads or Laptops.

An introduction to the SAMR model with the focus on Nearpod, an iPad tool that allows a teacher to create a flipped classroom and monitor real-time student understanding.  Although the presentation will use Nearpod integration with math, the application can be utilized in any subject area.

Presented by Ansuya Bose, 3rd Grade Teacher, and Carolyn Swayze, Middle School Math Teacher, The Rhoades School

Teaching the Text When There's No Text to Teach

All Grades for Curriculum Development

This session will explore steps to creating your own curriculum, structuring new programs, and even authoring digital books.  Whether you are navigating the daunting realms of technology, caught between constantly evolving content standards, or looking to pave new paths in your current environment, come discover some tools which could help you to embark upon that less-traveled path with a bit more ease.

Presented by Jessica Swift, Director of Music, Cathedral Catholic High School

The Power of the Story Problem

1st-5th Grades for Math

Story problems are powerful tools to help you drive the direction of learning during math time.  All story problems are not created equal!  There are several different types of story problems, each of which will drive the learning in a different direction.  Learn how problem type and purposeful number choice can produce specific mathematical conversations and allow for endless differentiation.

Presented by Cynthia Nixon, 3rd Grade Teacher, Santa Fe Christian School

Unleashing Our Students' Potential through Bilingual and Multicultural Education

All Grades and Administrators

This workshop will provide a research-based examination of the effects of bilingual and multicultural education on student learning and personal development.  The goal of this workshop is to leave the attendee with an understanding of how bilingual and multicultural education can tangibly benefit young learners in terms of intellectual capacity, citizenship, and potential value in an increasingly globalized society.

Presented by Chris Casler-Goncalves, Teacher, San Diego French-American School

Using High Tech Tools to Teach about a REALLY Old Subject: Prehistoric Cave Art and iBook Author

Middle School Social Studies and Art

iBook Author is a fabulous tool for devising your own curriculum materials, including texts, which can be short yet still pack a tremendous academic punch.  This workshop will show you how one lesson evolved from a simple PowerPoint presentation into an experience far more immersive.  Meant for beginners, this workshop is for anyone interested in learning what iBooks can do for you and your students.  Cave exploration included!

Presented by Wendy Schramm, Middle School Social Studies Teacher, The Rhoades School

Write On: Simple, Purposeful Strategies to Ignite the Creative Side in All Students

K-6th Grades for Writing

This session will look at several easy, yet meaningful writing strategies such as R.A.F.T. , GIST,  and Story Builder to incorporate writing into content-area instruction while maintaining boundless opportunities for all students to embrace writing and grow as young writers. 

Presented by Breanne Keck, 4th Grade Language Arts Teacher & Laura Pierson, 3rd  Grade Teacher, Santa Fe Christian School