Our virtual Executive Institute is almost at the point of having a complete agenda along with two great presenters to open our day. Registration for the Two-Day
Virtual Institute will be $200 with your ability of hearing not only two great opening presenters but presentations around the multiple issues on the opening of school in September as well as sharing thoughts and opinions with the State level decision-makers on the many issues of school opening in a year totally unlike any other. We will have some great discussion you do not want to miss. Our M.A.S.S. Professional Development Committee Chair John Doherty and the Committee have kept close to the questions below under Program Highlights and the overwhelming survey results and data supporting our Virtual Institute. When you register you will receive one of those Executive Institute “specials” that most who attend our Institutes have come to enjoy.
“Thanks and help” don’t normally fit well in the same sentence but thanks refers to the wonderful response by so many of you to the surprise announcement that the Executive Institute would be named after me in the future that would include a pandemic, the closure of schools for months and remote learning becoming the “world of learning” for our teachers over the shut-down period. The word “help” is to try to make our 2020 Institute this year one of quality and meaning, as we hope the remote component will give you the chance to be in your office, home or at your favorite vacation location hard wired to your computer for what we hope will be a productive two- day Institute.
We all look so much to the Executive Institute but as of this date all of our usual facilities are still closed due to Covid-19 and we felt it important this year to change the format to a remote conference to give you advanced alert of our plan as there will be no decision on site openings for some time. We will continue with our same keynoters Dr. Romie Mustaq and Presidential Historian Douglas Brinkley making their presentations on Tuesday and Wednesday July 14th and 15th. We will forward all registrants a full agenda which will try to fit the format of the last 25 years but as the world is different we hope the remote Institute will fit the needs of our members who have gone through a horrible year.
Our hope is to give you two great days gathered where you desire keeping your distance but still having those great conversations that you share about the year past. We should also highlight that for our base hotel (which I am told will open June 1st) we do have a contract for next year, so you may either decide to keep your stay this year and be on line for the Institute or see if they can assist you to transfer your reservations to the 2021 dates.
Program Highlights
Following the presenters will be panel presentations focused on the many issues relative to the opening of school, which raises a host of questions, including such issues as the following:
-What will schools need to look like in September?
-How will we roll out our school year?
-What legal, finance and Human Relations challengers will we face in our new world?
-What happens if we need to close the school year again at some point next year?
-What will the operations of the school district look like (food services, facilities, cleaning, technology and infrastructure) as some major examples?
-What lessons have we learned to bring forward for discussion that were serious issues this year?
-What does remote learning need to look like to address the needs of all learners?
-How do we address the social and emotional needs of both staff and students?
-What structures do we have in place moving forward to plan and effectively execute current and future changes in schools?
-What is the best manner in handling public relations?
The panel sessions will feature superintendents who will stimulate more questions to the above and provide some advice, suggestions and practices that worked or didn’t work for them, as our goal is to have us all learn by sharing. The Professional Development Committee will also make a presentation of the Dr. Christos Daoulas Award in keeping with tradition. We, hope to have two panels (your choice) following the keynote presenters each day before lunch and after lunch two more different panels for your choice to conclude at our usual break time of 2:30 PM so you have the afternoon to relax.
Sponsors who have already signed up or added companies will be offered to continue and will be given an opportunity of submitting a promotional video that will be part of the program plus our willingness to give sponsors space in our special newsletter edition reaching all members.
Special thanks are extended to Executive Director Tom Scott, PD Committee Chairman John Doherty and all members of the M.A.S.S. office and Professional Development Committee members.
VIRTUAL EXECUTIVE INSTITUTE REGISTRATION CLICK HERE
*This event is for district educators and not a public event.
Hope you enjoy our efforts to keep the EI spirit alive,
Paul
Paul J. Andrews
Director of Professional Development and Government Services
Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents