2nd Annual Education Advocacy Conference & Teen Summit

It‘s Cheaper To Keep Em:

Engaged, In School, and Off the Streets

Friday August 3rd, 2012 Sponsored by

Sponsored by the Urban League of Kansas

Department of Education and Youth Empowerment

Contact Hours Approved for Social Workers Licensed in the State of Kansas

Hosted by

WELCOME The annual Urban League of Kansas Education Advocacy Conference is open to educators, social workers, counselors, and others in related fields. Attendees will enjoy the opportunity to meet other professionals in the community and have the chance to network with one another to learn about new ideas that can aid them in developing new strategies for engaging our youth in the education process. The Education Advocacy Conference honors and celebrates all who impact the education of our children and contribute to the betterment of our community.

OBJECTIVES Participants will:

1. Explore emerging classroom and/or treatment areas and models to keep pace with rapidly changing demographics and practice realities.

2. Observe and practice the use of specific tools, strategies and education modalities for working with specialized populations.

3. Develop an awareness of how to use advocacy to rally resources in challenging economic times. 4. Develop awareness of and strategies for the advocacy and education of vulnerable populations in the

face of changing technologies and changing economic realities.

2012 ED ADVOCACY COMMITTEE Jason McKenney, LMSW, ULK Director of Education and Youth Empowerment (Chair) Kareem Collins, ULK Lead Education Coordinator David Gilkey, ULK Do You Want To Live Or Die (DYWTLOD) Gang Prevention Coordinator Lynn Gilkey, ULK Caring Ladies Assisting Students to Succeed (CLASS) Coordinator Pastor Bill Vann, ULK North High Education Coordinator

COMMUNITY PARTNERS William Polite, VP of Business Development MAGIC JOHNSON-Bridgescape Learning Centers Jane Groff, Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) Director Rachel Banning , Wichita Parent Center of Families Together, Inc. Director Robert Love, USD 259 Student Support Technician Rhonda Hicks, WSU TRIO Programs Upward Bound Wichita Prep Associate Director Brad Neuenswander, KSDE Deputy Commissioner, Division of Learning Services Cynthia Martinez, USD 259, Homeless Education Liaison Lanora Nolan, Juvenile Justice Education Liaison/USD 259 Board of Education District 5 Representative Emile McGill, African American Coalition DMC Manager

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Social Workers This program has been pre-approved by the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board for continuing education for social workers. (BSRB Approval #SP12-009) Educators Documentation of attendance will be provided to be included in professional development contracts for Continuing Education Credits Transcripts A transcript report reflecting the continuing education units you received at this conference will be emailed to participants after the conference, once attendance at all sessions has been verified. Please allow 30 days to receive the transcript report.

SPONSORS ENGAGEMENT

Kansas Leadership Center 300 North Main Wichita, Ks 67202 316-712-4950 www.kansasleadershipcenter.org United States Air Force Recruiting Services 7348 W 21st St Wichita, Ks 67205 316-942-1298 Www.rs.af.mil Wichita State University TRIO - Education Opportunity Center 1845 Fairmount Box 112 Wichita, Ks 67260 316-978-7800 Www.wichita.edu/thisis/home/?u=frances

OPPORTUNITY Wichita Area Technical College 4004 N Webb Rd Wichita, Ks 67226 316-677-9400 Www.watc.edu

EQUALITY Southwestern College 2040 S Rock Rd Wichita, Ks 67207 316-684-5335 Www.southwesterncollege.org Kansas State University Division of Continuing Education 1615 Anderson Ave Manhattan, Ks 66502 1800-622-2KSU Www.dce.k-state.edu

Vendors

Kansas Leadership Center 300 North Main Wichita, Ks 67202 316-712-4950 United States Air Force Recruiting Services 7348 W 21st St Wichita, Ks 67205 316-942-1298 Wichita State University TRIO - Education Opportunity Center 1845 Fairmount Box 112 Wichita, Ks 67260 316-978-7800 Wichita Area Technical College 4004 N Webb Rd Wichita, Ks 67226 316-677-9400 Southwestern College 2040 S Rock Rd Wichita, Ks 67207 316-684-5335 Kansas State University Division of Continuing Education 1615 Anderson Ave Manhattan, Ks 66502 1800-622-2KSU Kansas State Department of Corrections Mentoring 4 Success 212 S Market #416 Wichita, Ks 67202 316-208-3386 USD 259 McKinney-Vinto Homeless Education Program 201 N Water Wichita, Ks 67202 316-973-4670

The Urban League of Kansas 2418 E 9th Wichita, KS 67214 316-262-2463 The University of Kansas Lawrence, KS 66045 785-864-2700 Wichita State University Center for Community Support and Research 1845 Fairmount Box 201 Wichita, KS 67260 316-978-3843 Wichita State University College of Education 1845 Fairmount Wichita, KS 67260 316-978-3456 Liberty Way 2810 E 9th Wichita, KS 67214 316-778-0036 State of Kansas Department for Children and Families 915 SW Harrison Topeka, Ks 66612 1888-369-4777 Sedgwick Co. Department of Corrections Juvenile Justice 1900 E Morris Wichita, Ks 67211 316-660-5367

2012 EDUCATION ADVOCACY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

08:00 am—09:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast

09:00 am—09:15 am Welcome and Opening Remarks

09:15 am—10:15 am Keynote Presentation

The Real Reasons Behind the Achievement Gap:

From Excuses to Excellence

Mr. Polite’s greatest passion is prison prevention through educa-tion along with creating world class mathematicians from tough urban communities. Mr. Polite is now trying to reach millions of students through his new series of publications, seminars and DVDS called “College Halls Not Prison Walls”.

This presentation will highlight the complex nature of the “Achievement Gap”, that its not simply the failings of the school which results in this problem, and until we address the real rea-sons we will not be able to close the gap.

Presenter: William Polite, VP of Business Development

MAGIC JOHNSON-Bridgescape Learning Centers

10:15 am—10:30 am Break

10:30 am—12:00 pm Breakout Sessions/Teen Summit Morning Session

A: Family Engagement: A Shared Responsibility

Presenter: Jane Groff, Director Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC)

B: Accreditation and ESEA

Presenter: Brad Neuenswander, Deputy Commissioner, KSDE, Division of Learning Services

C: Grade to Grade...School to School

Presenter: Rachel Banning , Director Wichita Parent Center of Families Together, Inc.

D: Ready to Impact

Presenters: Robert Love, Student Support Technician, USD 259 Rhonda Hicks, Director of Operations WSU TRIO Programs Upward Bound Wichita Prep

2012 EDUCATION ADVOCACY CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

12:00 pm—01:00pm Lunch & Networking

01:00 pm—01:15 pm Break

01:15 pm—02:45 pm Breakout Sessions/Teen Summit Afternoon Session

E: College Halls not Prison Walls

Presenter: William Polite, VP of Business Development

MAGIC JOHNSON-Bridgescape Learning Centers

F: The Invisible Child and Youth

Presenter: Cynthia Martinez,

USD 259, Homeless Education Liaison

G: Effective Advocacy

Presenter: Rachel Banning , Director Wichita Parent Center of Families Together, Inc.

H: Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline: Reducing DMC and Arrests at Wichita Public Schools through Collaborative Community Partnerships.

Presenter: Lanora Nolan,

Juvenile Justice Education Liaison/ USD 259 Board of Education District 5 Representative

02:45 pm—03:00 pm Break

03:00 pm—04:15 pm Panel Discussion

04:15 pm Closing Remarks

KEYNOTE SPEAKER—BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION “The Real Reasons Behind the Achievement Gap: From Excuses to Excellence” William Polite VP of Business Development MAGIC JOHNSON-Bridgescape Learning Centers This presentation will highlight the complex nature of the “Achievement Gap” that it’s not simply the failings of the school which results in this problem, and until we address the real reasons we will not be able to close the gap.

William Polite has dedicated his life to helping young people across the country reach their full po-tential as students and citizens. He has worked with students in Wichita, KS; Atlanta, GA; Milwau-kee, WI; St. Louis, MO; Chicago, IL; Baton Rouge, LA; Detroit, MI; Rockford, IL and Inglewood, CA. He has delivered hundreds of inspirational talks to students across the United States as well. His roles have included mathematics teacher, principal, district administrator, Vice President of Edu-cational Services, Boys & Girls Clubs Professional, mentor, motivational speaker, coach and most importantly father. Mr. Polite also founded the Mathematics Academy of Excellence in St. Louis, MO and currently serves as the Vice President of Development for the Magic Johnson Bridgescape Learning Centers. This is a national program founded by Magic Johnson Enterprises that focuses on dropout recovery and dropout prevention. Mr. Polite’s greatest passion is prison prevention through education along with creating world class mathematicians from tough urban communities. Mr. Polite is now trying to reach millions of stu-dents through his new series of publications, seminars and DVDS called “College Halls Not Prison Walls”. Mr. Polite grew up in a poor urban family with a single mother who raised ten children. He is a liv-ing example of an urban student who took advantage of the American educational system and earned a full academic scholarship to college, while navigating many of the difficult obstacles and temptations of his urban community. Mr. Polite went on to earn a bachelors degree in Mathematics from Morehouse College in Atlanta and Masters Degree from Liberty University. He is currently enrolled in a Doctoral program for Educational Leadership. Mr. Polite has spoken to youth groups throughout the country and continues to make himself avail-able as a speaker to churches, schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, jails, juvenile centers, prisons and any other organizations that work with urban students as well as all other students. Prison prevention is a very personal mission of his as he has watched many of his friends and family members fall prey to what he calls the new HIV: The Hood Infectious Virus which leads to another form of AIDS: Ad-diction to Incarceration or the Death Syndrome. He is committed to helping young people under-stand that God created them for greatness!

WORKSHOP SESSIONS & PRESENTERS MORNING SESSIONS

Family Engagement: A Shared Responsibility

Presenter: Jane Groff, Director Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) In order for students to become college and career ready, it is important that families become engaged in their children’s learning from cradle to career. This is a shared responsibility between educators and families. In this session, fami-lies will learn about the benefits of being engaged in their children’s education

and school personnel will learn about new resources available to help build family school partnerships that support student success. Jane Groff has served as the Director of the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center (KPIRC) for six years. While supervising KPIRC priorities, Jane focuses on providing professional development and techni-cal assistance to Kansas districts and schools, and also provides trainings for families on parent leadership, parent advocacy and family engagement in education. Jane is a certified teacher in preschool, elementary and secondary special education and taught for 25 years in both general and special education classrooms. She has earned a Masters degree in Education and is currently a Ph.D. candidate. Jane worked at the Kansas State Department of Education in Special Education Services for three years before becoming the Director of KPIRC.

Accreditation and ESEA Presenter: Brad Neuenswander, Deputy Commissioner, KSDE, Division of Learning Services The current accreditation system, Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA,) has been the model that the Kansas State Board of Education has used to accredit schools since 1992. We are excited about the opportunity of building an accredi-tation model that recognizes, acknowledges, guides and supports school districts. The focus of the new accreditation model will be on a transition to 21st century skills and standards, along with the implementation of "best practices" that move districts towards continuous improvement. This presentation will not only in-clude the latest information regarding accreditation, but also the latest updates

regarding the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Waiver As the Deputy Commissioner, Brad oversees all statewide education programs and services and ensures the implementation of all state and federal education legislation. These include the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Kansas Quality Performance Accreditation system. In addition, Brad oversees the state’s assessed and non-assessed curricular standards; the state as-sessments; and research, data analysis and reporting requirements. Brad is responsible for five KSDE teams, representing approximately 115 employees

WORKSHOP SESSIONS & PRESENTERS MORNING SESSIONS

Grade to Grade...School to School

Presenter: Rachel Banning , Director Wichita Parent Center of Families Together, Inc. Sometimes it takes an entire school year to feel comfortable and then it’s time to transition to another grade or even another school. This workshop is packed with ready-to-take-home-and-use strategies to make these transition times easier and smoother for all involved.

Rachel serves as the Director for the Wichita Parent Center of Families Together, Inc. Her focus and passion, which have made her a fierce advocate for all indi-viduals with exceptionalities, including her two beautiful children, Mia, 11, who faces challenges associated with Cerebral Palsy, and Dylan, 8, whose Asperger’s

keeps everybody on the edge of their chair. Rachel dedicates her professional talents to assisting other fami-lies raising children with special needs.

Ready to Impact Presenters: Robert Love, Student Support Technician, USD 259 Rhonda Hicks, Director of Operations/Associate Director WSU TRIO Upward Bound Wichita Prep Ready to Impact is a program that targets students who are in severe

jeopardy of graduating high school on time. Both male and female and a diverse ethnic group of students are served. The primary emphasis is on Black and Latino males as this is the group that struggles the most with graduating high school on time, test scores, attendance, low morale and in need of solid role models.

Rhonda Hicks saw a need to serve students who did not appear that they would ever graduate high school on time. Rhonda knew there needed to be someone who had a vast experience working with youth and someone who had solid knowledge of the community as well. Robert Love has worked for USD 259 Public Schools for over 15 years. He is and has been a mentor to many students, helping them to achieve their dreams of succeeding in middle and high school and attending college. He has served as a Site Coordinator for Communities in Schools. Robert played a role in the plan-ning process to form an alternative school for middle school students which was named Alcott Academy, formerly The Burger King Academy. He has served as a Gear UP Advisor and currently a Student Support Technician for a USD 259 High School. Robert was honored with a special recognition from Governor Graves for “Outstanding Contribu-tions to Youth”. Robert also has children who have graduated from USD 259 schools, therefore he person-ally and professionally possesses passion and pride for all students. Robert has proven to be successful work-ing with all youth particularly those with unusual hardships and academic challenges.

WORKSHOP SESSIONS & PRESENTERS AFTERNOON SESSIONS

College Halls not Prison Walls

Presenter: William Polite, VP of Business Development MAGIC JOHNSON-Bridgescape Learning Centers This workshop focuses on helping students, educators and parents understand why many urban students lose interest in school at a young age due to the influ-ences of their community, friends, music and media forms. The author offers solutions for helping students overcome the day to day obstacles that are associ-ated with growing up in a poor urban community as well as how middle class and upper class students are also influenced by these same challenges. How do we lead students to post secondary educational opportunities and productive citizenship versus lives of incarceration?

The Invisible Child and Youth Presenter: Cynthia Martinez, USD 259, Homeless Education Liai-son When we think about someone being homeless we often think of someone who is living on the street and sleeping under the bridge. Children who are identified under the McKinney-Vento Act are often “Invisible Child and Youth” who blends in with other children on the playground and at school. But these chil-dren and youth do not have a place to call home, food to eat or stability in their life. The McKinney-Vento Act ensures that all children and youth who are

homeless receive an education without any obstacles and barriers. This workshop will provide an overview on the McKinney-Vento Act and how to identify the children and youth who are homeless and what services and resources are needed to help these children in youth have some stability and equal access to an educa-tion. Cynthia Martinez has worked in the field of education for over 30 years. She began her career in education as a combination-home base teacher with the Hutchinson Head Start program and as an Education and Family Specialist and Site Coordinator with Child Start. In 1999 she went to work for the Wichita Public Schools as a Parent Involvement Specialist and in 2007 became Director of the AmeriCorps GRASP program. Cynthia is currently the Wichita Public Schools McKinney-Vento Education Liaison serving over 1750 homeless chil-dren and youth. Cynthia has presented workshops nationally as well as on the state and local level. She is actively involved in the community serving on many community boards and organizations. Cynthia’s passion is serving others to help them overcome their obstacles so that they can succeed. Cynthia recently received the 2012 Excellence in Public Service Award. Cynthia is a proud Wichita State University Alum.

WORKSHOP SESSIONS & PRESENTERS AFTERNOON SESSIONS

Dismantling the School to Prison Pipeline: Reducing DMC and Arrests at Wichita Public Schools through Collaborative Community Partnerships. Presenter: Lanora Nolan, Juvenile Justice Education Liaison/ USD 259 Board of Education District 5 Representative This workshop will present the two successful Memorandums of Understanding developed to reduce arrests in Wichita Public Schools. These multi-system agree-ments have exceeded all expectations in successfully reducing the number of youth handcuffed and transported to JIAC for low level offenses committed at

school for which they are rarely charged and for challenging behaviors that are a manifestation of a diag-nosed behavior disorder. You will learn about the new arrest alternative called an Agreement to Appear (ATA) and the data illustrating the reduction of juvenile DMC by using this tool. We will also explore the next steps in eliminating the School to Prison Pipeline through community dialog on modifying zero-tolerance policies and through studying suspension and expulsion data using a DMC lens.

Effective Advocacy Presenter: Rachel Banning , Director Wichita Parent Center of Families Together, Inc. What does it mean to be an advocate? This fun and interactive workshop shares ideas and strategies on how to be an assertive and effective team member. Partici-pants will be challenged to take advocacy to the next level.

TEEN SUMMIT FACILITATORS

William Vann Pastor Iasis Christian Center Young Life Urban Director

Urban League of Kansas Education Coordinator

William (Bill) Vann, Project Ready Coordinator for Wichita North High School, is a sought after preacher,

teacher and author. He has taught men’s seminars across the country. Bill is the senior Pastor at Iasis Chris-

tian Center in Wichita, Ks. Prior to becoming a pastor he served as Vice-Chairman over youth services for

the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Inc for the states of Kansas, Colorado, and Missouri. For over 20

years he has been involved in the design, support and implementation of programs to strengthen and encour-

age young people. In the last 5 years he has directed his emphasis towards the plight and hopelessness that is

plaguing young men in our society. Although Bill focuses his concentration in the lower economic tier, he

believes that every young man has seed potential to become great.

Kareem Collins Urban League of Kansas Lead Education Coordinator

Kareem Collins became a member of the ULK Project Ready program in 2008, and since January of 2011,

Kareem Collins has been placed in the role of Lead Education Coordinator, as well as the Project Ready

Coordinator for Wichita Southeast High School. In his 3 years with ULK, he has played a pivotal role in the

reinvention of the Project Ready program, and has been instrumental in promoting and understanding for

the importance of developing systems that have the capacity to capture important information for improved

reporting of important demographic and outcomes that help to ensure proper agency performance, and allow

funders a better understanding of the return on investment they receive. In his time serving in the Project

Ready program, Kareem has proven himself an invaluable resource for both staff and the youth he serves. In

2005, Kareem earned a B.A. with an emphasis in Ethnic Studies and Sociology, and brings with him nearly 10

years of tireless work in the fields of education and mentoring in a variety of community and institutional

settings.

Paris Lipsey Urban League of Kansas Workforce Placement and Retention Coordinator

Paris Lipsey-Coley, PHR is the Placement and Retention Coordinator at the Urban League of Kansas. She

has been with the organization for two years with a focus on job readiness and placement. Paris has a Bache-

lor of Science degree from Friends University and several hours towards an MBA. She will start the Master

of Science in Organization Development at Friends University in August 2012.

David Gilkey Urban League of Kansas

Do You Want to Live of Die Program Coordinator

David Gilkey is the founder and director of the Do You Want to Live or Die program (D. Y. W. T. L. O. D.). Mr. Gilkey is a gang prevention specialist who shares his life experiences of incarcera-tion and substance abuse in order to help at-risk youth avoid his mistakes. Mr. Gilkey is a member of the Wichita Gang Coalition and Real Men Real Heroes and was the Wichita NAACP Person of the Year in 2008. Gilkey was co-presenter at the Governor’s Conference for Juvenile Justice in 2009. Currently, Gilkey works in four area high schools. He has been recognized as a vital asset to our community by the Department of Corrections, the Center for Health and Wellness, Tabernacle Church, St. Mark United Methodist Church, and Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church.