With a theme of “Meeting Students Where They Are,” the 6th Annual Mid-State Conference will be presented virtually Friday, March 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Presented by ACSA Regions 9, 10, 11 and 13, the conference will feature live sessions and presenters, along with keynote speakers.
The event will provide opportunities for professional development on current critical leadership and educational issues. Attendees will be able to participate virtually in conversations on topics such as online management, assessment, and engagement; distance learning technology; social and emotional supports; learning loss; hybrid instruction; transitioning back to campus; and much more.
The virtual format allows attendees to participate from the safety of their own home or office, and results in a much lower registration fee than in years past. Vendors will be present with virtual exhibits and lots of prizes.
Last year, several districts within Region XI turned the conference into a team-building experience, attending as an educational team.
Bobby Peters, Director of Educational Services at Hanford Joint Union High School (HJUHSD) asked his cabinet if they’d like to spend a weekend in San Luis Obispo in March. “It really wasn’t a hard sell,” he said. “It actually came at a perfect time, we were beginning to plan for the 20-21 school year and this gave us the opportunity to all sit down toget
her for a couple of days (away from the office) and really dig into what we had accomplished and where we needed to go.”
HJUHSD used this time as a mini-retreat of sorts to fine-tune the roll-out of MTSS. HJUHSD spent the majority of the 19-20 school learning and organizing what MTSS was, but really hadn’t had the time to actually talk about what it would look like. The weekend provided a perfect opportunity for the team to learn some new things and have some real conversations around the complexities of MTSS. The opportunity to get away provided the team with just what they needed. The ACSA Mid-State Conference is a great opportunity to get away, learn some new things, and bond.
Wasco Union Element
ary School District registered over a dozen district, site, and even aspiring administrators to be a part of the event last year. Led by David Bowling, Assistant Superintendent, Instruction, this shared experience allowed the team to divide and conquer the many powerful breakout sessions and then come together to debrief during the general session and social events. “The Mid-State Conference provides an opportunity to build teamwork and camaraderie away from the office’s daily hustle,” he said. “Even though the conference is online this year, you can continue to expect a fantastic event.”
The challenge this year will be how to create a retreat-like atmosphere for your team within the virtual format, but organizers have laid the groundwork for you with excellent live sessions, presenters and keynote speakers.
The cost is only $49. Register here: https://acsamidstateconference.eventbrite.com
And, don’t forget, Region XI wants to help make your professional development more affordable. Apply for a Professional Development Scholarship, regardless of whether you’ve already received a Professional Development Scholarship, to help cover your registration fee for the Mid-State Conference. Get the application at: https://bit.ly/R11_ProfDevScholarshipApp