Submission
NSBA’s 72nd Annual Conference will feature keynote speeches by CNN news anchor Soledad O'Brien, Khan Academy founder Sal Khan, and Harlem Children's Zone President Geoffrey Canada. More than 5,000 school board members, administrators, and other educators are expected to attend the April 21-23 conference in Boston.
The conference has more than 200 sessions on topics that are critically important to school leaders. These include federal legislation and funding, managing schools with tight budgets, the legal implications of recent court cases, new research and best practices in school governance and 21st century skills. Attendees also will have numerous opportunities to meet colleagues from around the country and share ideas. Additionally, the conference will feature one of the largest educational expositions, with more than 300 companies showcasing the latest in innovative products and services for school districts.
Expanded education technology programming is scheduled this year, with sessions focusing on STEM education, virtual learning and technologies to better manage a district's operations. Site visits are planned to three tech-savvy Boston area schools – Plymouth North High, Whittier Regional Technical High, and TechBoston Academy.
History and the future will come together at Harvard University when participants tour the historic campus, followed by a virtual briefing from Arizona students and educators via a high-tech TelePresence classroom. Additionally, a visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab will showcase how emerging technologies affect daily life for even the youngest generation.
Saturday's general session on April 21 will feature O'Brien, who has reported breaking news from around the world and has produced award-winning documentaries. Anchor of CNN's new morning show, "Starting Point with Soledad O'Brien," she also is a special correspondent for the network. Her documentaries include "Black in America 4: The Promised Land-Silicon Valley," "Don't Fail Me: Education in America," and "Unwelcome: The Muslims Next Door." A strong believer in the power of education and mentoring, O'Brien commits considerable time and support to the foundation she and her husband founded that awards 10 college scholarships to underprivileged young women from across America.
Khan, whose innovative approach has accelerated learning for students around the world, headlines Sunday's general session on April 22. Khan has more than 2,300 popular videos available via the Internet, mainly focused on mathematics and science. Khan has worked closely with public schools in California, where his teaching methods have been integrated with classroom instruction to enhance student engagement and achievement.
Canada will headline the Monday, April 23 general session. Nationally recognized for his pioneering work helping children and families, Canada has made the Harlem Children's Zone into a national model for education reform. Canada is passionate about the need to turn our nation's attention toward investing in public education to provide a quality education for all students.
For more information or to register for NSBA's Annual Conference, visit here www.nsba.org/conference.