“What’s New at NWEA”

Facilitated by Diane Cronin, Sr. Account Executive and Jessica Knierim Executive Account Manager Catholic Education

The Coalition has over 20 schools using NWEA’s MAP Assessment. Diane and Jessica will highlight new tools like the Catholic School Achievement and Growth tableau site, as well as the new MAP Growth Goal Explorer.  Learn how schools can leverage MAP data to inform and guide their instruction.

Harvesting Success and Spreading Hope

Facilitated by Anthony Blake, St. Andrew Nativity (Portland, OR)

Anthony Blake is an alum of St. Andrew Nativity and current Board Chair. After sharing the promotional video of their recent virtual fundraising, Anthony will discuss his experience and insight as an alum and board member.

Beth Reaves and Susan Rockwell - Washington School for Girls (D.C.)

Preach What You Practice: Leading On Racial Equity

Sharing lessons learned from the Washington School for Girls' collaborative mission statement rewrite during the 2019-20 school year, this session will explore the role that our schools can play in advancing larger conversations about racial inequities with our funding partners. We will discuss trends in philanthropy and strategies to engage donors in racial justice work, and particularly focus on the impact of our internal and external messaging. 

Slavery, Memory, and Reconciliation at Georgetown University

Facilitated by Andrew Davenport, Doctoral Student, Doctor of Philosophy in History at Georgetown University and Elsa Barraza Mendoza, Georgetown Slavery Archive assistant curator

Historians from the Georgetown Slavery Archive discuss the Maryland Province Jesuits and Georgetown University's ties to slavery. Elsa Barraza Mendoza, Georgetown Slavery Archive assistant curator, describes her pioneering research into the history of slavery and the oldest Catholic college in the United States, and Ph.D. student Andrew Davenport--a former teacher at Brooklyn Jesuit Prep--discusses designing curricula to teach middle and secondary school students about slavery and its legacies. 

“Coming of Age in the Age of COVID-19: Adolescents’ Perspectives on the Pandemic’s Impacts on Their Lives”

Facilitated by Gabriel Velez, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at College of Education, Educational Policy and Leadership -Marquette University

COVID-19 has affected us all, though the degrees and implications vary depending on how closely it has touched so many. Young people’s lives have been thrown off in key areas: their families, their schooling, their socializing, and their future trajectories. In this session, Dr. Velez will present findings and insights from a study of over 1,000 young people’s experiences of changes and challenges related to the pandemic. The survey, conducted between April and June of 2020, asked about trust in various institutions, sources of information on COVID-19, emotions, impacts of the pandemic on their lives, challenges they and their communities face, and changes they believed will occur. 

Session 3B

Virtual Counseling Corner 

Facilitated by Danielle West, MSW School Counselor at St. Andrew Nativity School (Portland)

The virtual Counseling Corner is a tool and resource that school counselors can use to provide their students with the tools and resources normally used in person. This breakout session highlights the benefits of having a virtual counseling space for students as well as guidance on creating a Bitmoji classroom.

Creating Action at a Distance

Facilitated by Philip Dituri, Ph.D., Director of Education at the not for profit, Financial Life Cycle Education and educational consultant for various schools and districts.

Teachers, parents, students and school leaders are all feeling overwhelmed by the idea of engaging students in distance learning. Come speak with former professor, teacher and academic coach Philip Dituri, Ph.D. about the issues facing us as educators, the tools we have at our disposal, and how to frame this moment in education. In this talk, we will think critically about how to help teachers and educators navigate this new paradigm, how can we leverage this moment to improve our practice both now and in the future, and how future generations of students may benefit from our current struggles.

Dave Mcdonough and Sarah Carrol - St. James School (Philadelphia, PA)

Reinventing School Culture - a Team Approach.

Opportunities arise every day, especially in the midst of a dual national crisis: COVID-19 and the "awakening" of America to the racial inequities baked into our nation's origins. St. James is taking time this year to dedicate resources ( people, time, schedule, space, etc...) to take a team approach to analyzing and recreating our school culture with the goal of creating a truly safe school environment for children of color.

Getting Your Message Out - Developing a Sustainable Communications Plan

Facilitated by Kelly McMurray/2communiqué

Your school has a mission statement, you know who you need to reach, and what you need to say—now the question is how? An effective communications plan is imperative for engaging with families and clarifying your message. Taking into consideration that you are working with a lean staff and budget this session will cover best practice and take-aways for creating a sustainable communications framework. 

Equity Focused School Efforts

Facilitated by Randolph Carter, Founder and Associate Director of Eastern Educational Resource Collaborative

Randolph will host a conversation on equity focused school efforts, particularly in the areas of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. 

East Ed will offer tools and strategies that address the unique environment our schools, communities and country is experiencing. The session will also consider the unique cultural experiences of diverse students, families, and school employees in achieving school and community goals.