Description:
In this panel discussion, school leaders will share their experiences guiding their learning communities through the COVID-19 pandemic and reflect on what the challenges of this past year taught them about school leadership. The panelists will also discuss how to address learning loss, unexpected learning gains, and ways we can rethink a return to “normal.”
Participants will…
- Learn about the challenges of the past year from the unique perspective of school leaders
- Examine the ramifications of what students lost and gained during the pandemic
- Explore ways a return to “normal” at school might look different than it did before the pandemic
- Hear panelists’ personal experiences and reflections from the past year
Moderator:
Kerry O’Grady is an educational consultant and coach for the Center of Responsive Schools. For over ten years, she has partnered with public, independent, and international schools in 14 countries and 42 states helping to bring social-emotional learning to their students. As a skilled facilitator of adult learning, Kerry designs and presents engaging conference sessions, in-person workshops, and online learning for educators around the world. Prior to joining the organization, she was a classroom teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools. She holds a master of arts in Educational Transformation from George Mason University.
Panelists:
Kristina “Tina” Miller serves as principal at Howe Elementary for the Wisconsin Rapids Public School District in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. She was just named Wisconsin’s Principal of the Year! During her 18-year educational career, she has been a second grade teacher, Educator Effectiveness coach, and professional development facilitator, and served on the charter dream, design, and implementation team for Mead Elementary Charter School in Wisconsin Rapids. Tina is a National Board certified teacher, a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher, and a member of the Innovative Schools Network Board.
Terry Phillips is currently the principal of Club Boulevard Humanities Magnet School in Durham, NC. She has been a principal for 14 years across two states and has been an educator for over 30 years. She began her journey in Responsive Classroom practices in the mid-2000s by participating in a University of Virginia Efficacy Study. Her passions are working with students and families in Title I schools and developing leaders within her school. She lives in Durham with her husband, two cats, and 1 dog.
Dr. Jerome Reyes is the president of Butler Academy, a tuition-free public charter school in Hartsville, South Carolina. Dr. Reyes’s personal commitment to his community, his dedication to equity in education, and a strong collaboration with community leaders led to the creation of a school that serves the needs of Darlington County families. Dr. Reyes earned his first bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Morehouse College and his second in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech. He went on to graduate from Georgia Tech with a master’s degree and Ph.D. in industrial engineering. After seven years as a math professor at Norfolk State University, he moved to Hartsville in 2011 to become a full-time employee of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM). As the founding director of the TEACH Foundation’s ALO (Accelerated Learning Opportunities) Program, he developed well-regarded courses in mathematics, science, engineering, and Chinese language instruction for students enrolled at Coker College, Hartsville High School, and GSSM.
