2023 Presentations
Monday, March 13th :: Pre-Conference
| Time | Room | Strand | Title | Description | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Habersham & Tuxedo, 4th Floor | Pre-Conference Governance Training Program |
The GCSA Charter Schools Conference is the only conference opportunity that can also satisfy annual-training requirements for both locally and SCSC-approved charter schools. GCSA is a State Board of Education Approved-Training Provider for Charter Schools, allowing GCSA’s governance training to fulfill legally-required training requirements for both local and state charter schools. Conference sessions that also fulfill governance training requirements are identified in the Conference Schedule. Board members are responsible for ensuring the sessions they attend align to their local-governance training plan or SCSC requirements, as applicable. The Pre-Conference Governance sessions on Monday afternoon will offer charter boards and their members two training opportunities that satisfy legally-required governance training topics. Click here to register for the Pre-Conference Governance sessions |
Gregg Stevens, VP of New School Development & Christa Thomas, VP of School Excellence, Georgia Charter Schools Association | |
Tuesday, March 14th |
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| Time | Room | Strand | Title | Description | Presenter(s) |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Peachtree, 3rd Floor |
Expansion & Replication
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Facility Financing 101 | A high-quality facility that meets the needs of students and the academic program remains one of the most significant challenges for school leaders and their board. Add COVID to the mix, and we have a facility landscape that can be confusing and difficult to navigate. Join us for a panel where we will first discuss the facility financing landscape in Georgia and then dive into crucial lessons in determining school facility budgets, important considerations in reviewing leases and contracts, reviewing management companies, and establishing viable boards. We will also discuss red flags that could derail sustainability and hear from a school leader who went through the process of securing facilities financing. |
Emily Castillo-Leon, Founder and Executive Director, Ethos Classical Charter School; Cameron Quick, Director, Facility Resource Center; Rebecca Salvo, SVP, Charter Schools Development Corporation; Khaliff Davis, Senior Director, Reinvestment Fund; Amir Ali, Director, Low Income Investment Fund |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | West Paces, 4th Floor |
Innovation
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Multilingual Family Engagement That Empowers, Builds Community and Informs Practices | Do you want to increase engagement for multilingual families? Ensure initiatives positively impact diverse students? Include multicultural stakeholders in school decisions? Discover how International Community School has creatively elevated the voices of multicultural families while building a unique community. After evaluating current support programs, you will learn practical ideas for implementing structures, practices and policies to promote equitable and authentic family engagement. | Charlotte Flores, Director of Community and Culture, International Community School |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Habersham, 4th Floor | Operations and Finance | Open Meetings, Open Records, and Can We Do That? | This session will examine open records and open meetings laws in Georgia, and the situations that frequently confront charter schools in both contexts. This includes specially called meetings, executive sessions, and resolving employee and stakeholder concerns. | Christopher Adams, Partner, Krevolin & Horst, LLC |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Ansley, 3rd Floor |
Policy & Advocacy
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Encouraging Quality Authorizing: Georgia’s Principles and Standards for Charter School Authorizers | In 2017, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation requiring the creation and implementation of the Georgia Principles and Standards for Charter School Authorizers. The standards and principles are designed to encourage high quality charter school authorizing by establishing a common set of expectations, along with accountability for authorizers that fail to perform adequately. The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Education will provide an update on the standards and the evaluation. | Katie Manthey and Lauren Holcomb, State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Tuxedo, 4th Floor |
School Governance (Governance Training)
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A Board’s Guide to Strong Financial Policies | Gregg Stevens, VP of New School Development, Georgia Charter Schools Association | |
| 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | East Paces, 4th Floor |
Operations and Finance
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The New Charter School’s Guide to Pre-Launch | Your charter application has been approved…and now the hard work continues as you prepare for opening day! In this session we will address important finance, operations, and governance topics for new school leaders and board members, including managing cash flow, understanding financial statements, and navigating challenges with facilities, personnel, and student recruitment. Our panel of experts and distinguished school leaders will share their experiences, lessons learned, and things to avoid as you prepare to welcome students. |
Josh Pinto Taylor – Founder, The Anchor School; Siobhan Martin- Business Manager, EdTec; Terence Washington- Business Development Manager, EdTec |
| 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM | Habersham, 4th Floor |
Expansion & Replication
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Growing Your Impact Through Replication and Expansion | Through the Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative, Georgia is encouraging the scaling of high-performing charter schools. This session will provide an overview of the replication and expansion process, key factors to consider, examples of successful replications and expansions, and supports available for schools. | Kristen Easterbrook, Director of Charter Development, State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia; Gregg Stevens, VP of New School Development, Georgia Charter Schools Association; Michele Neely, CEO, State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia |
| 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM | Tuxedo, 4th Floor |
Innovation
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Building Better Summers: Reimagining Summer Learning with Evidence-Based Practices |
With the right tools, schools have the power to leverage the freedom that summer provides and then use that freedom to inspire, ignite, and innovate for students and educators alike. This session is designed for school and program leaders looking for ways to support evidence-based planning within their summer learning programs. Attendees will walk away with three key strategies they can begin using right away to build a dynamic and powerful summer learning experience. | Christine Mattke, Director, Summer Learning Program, Westside Atlanta Charter School |
| 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM | Ansley, 3rd Floor |
Policy & Advocacy
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This presentation will help charter school leaders, their boards, and their attorneys understand the obligations Title IX imposes on them, from notice and training through investigation and resolution of complaints. Special focus will be made on practical tips and best practices for implementing policies and conducting required investigations. Changes in the proposed regulations, which are anticipated to become final in early 2023, will also be previewed. | Barclay Vallotton, Attorney, Krevolin & Horst, LLC | |
| 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM | East Paces, 4th Floor |
Policy & Advocacy |
2023 GCSA Policy & Advocacy Update: All The Latest from the General Assembly |
We’re nearing the end of another legislative session, and it’s once again been another hectic year of discussion and debate over education policy and funding. Bonnie Holliday, GCSA’s Chief Strategy Officer, will provide an overview of the General Assembly’s actions and efforts that impact charter schools, as well as the respective roles of GCSA and schools in advocating for policies that support charter schools and their students. |
Bonnie Holliday, CSO, Georgia Charter Schools Association |
| 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM | Chastain, 4th Floor |
School Performance
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Who Run the World-Girls? | There is truth to the idea that girls and boys learn differently. The reality is that girls’ school experience is significantly different. Therefore, their learning during the school day is significantly different. To be more specific, boys and girls have profoundly different styles of learning. One must understand their physical development, learning styles and gender socialization. This session will provide attendees with effective girl strategies that will make a difference in their schools.. | Charcia Nichols, Head of School, Ivy Preparatory Academy; Pelita Merideth, Dr.Frances Mack |
| 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM | West Paces, 4th Floor |
Operations and Finance
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Enrollment Communications 101: Preparing Your Application Launch Campaign & Seeing it Through | During the session, we’ll walk participants through the key tenets of a successful enrollment communications campaign– from launching your campaign with a big splash, to nurturing families along the way, and opening your doors fully enrolled on the first day of school. Participants will learn tips and tricks for launching that campaign with the support of a communications firm and seeing that work through following that level of support with the communications team that they have built internally. |
Andrea Brown, Strategic Director of Communications, SMJ Communications; Monique Carruthers, Executive Director, ZEST Preparatory Academy; Renee Davis, Director of Operations |
| 9:50 AM – 10:50 AM | Peachtree, 3rd Floor |
Operations and Finance
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Our session will focus on Apply APS Charter, a central application platform for families seeking admission to APS charter schools. The session will explore how APS and participating schools worked together to develop the system and key data and takeaways from implementation. Attendees will gain an understanding of how a district and individual schools can collaborate to increase accessibility and transparency in enrollment and communication to provide better outcomes for all. |
Matt Underwood, Executive Director – Office of Charter + Partner Schools, Atlanta Public Schools – Office of Charter + Partner Schools; Janet Tomko, Enrollment Manager, Atlanta Classical Academy & Northwest Classical Academy; Donica Johnson, Director of School Services, Wesley International Academy; Taylor Garcia, Performance Data Manager, Atlanta Public Schools Office of Charter + Partner School |
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| 1:50 PM – 2:50 PM | East Paces, 4th Floor |
Innovation
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From Field Trip to Field Experience | The mission of the Kindezi Schools is to provide every child—regardless of background, need, or identity—a holistic genius awakening education built on family-sized classrooms, conscious diversity, and scholarly excellence. We do not deny geniuses an opportunity to experience learning outside of the classroom. Field lessons are designed to bring content to life. Participants will learn how to maximize the flexibility of the charter schools’ class size and partnerships, to turn Field Experiences into a reality for their students. | Faith Wilbanks, Director of Humanities, The Kindezi Schools; Lola Onikoyi, Assistant Principal, The Kindezi School of Old Fourth Ward, Jewel Strawberry, Teacher, The Kindezi School Old Fourth Ward |
| 1:50 PM – 2:50 PM | Peachtree, 3rd Floor |
Operations and Finance (Governance Training)
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Open Governance 211: Beyond the Statutes | Gregg Stevens, VP of New School Development, Georgia Charter Schools Association | |
| 1:50 PM – 2:50 PM | West Paces, 4th Floor |
Operations and Finance (Governance Training) |
Participants will learn how to prepare for a successful annual budgeting process, how to work with your school leader in preparing for state, local, federal and grant revenue, how to budget for personnel and other expenses, and how to manage the budget to actual performance throughout the year. This session will also detail the role of the Finance Committee and Governing Board in accountability and compliance. |
Leslie Gabbianelli, COO, Georgia Charter Schools Association |
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| 1:50 PM – 2:50 PM | Tuxedo, 4th Floor |
School Performance (Governance Training)
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Charting a New Course in Academic Performance: Using Data for Leader/Teacher Coaching | Do you want to learn more about how to implement an effective, data-driven coaching cycle in your school? Do you want strategies on how to incorporate data analysis cycles with your teachers and leadership team? Creating a culture of data is essential to adequately addressing unfinished learning and acceleration with our students. Teachers also feel supported and developed leading to stronger retention when they have intentional coaching opportunities provided to them. Attendees will leave the session with concrete strategies that can be readily implemented to enhance your school’s culture of data. | Christa Thomas, VP of School Success, Georgia Charter Schools Association |
| 1:50 PM – 2:50 PM | Habersham, 4th Floor |
School Performance
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Inclusion Works! Celebrating Neurodiversity in a Charter School Environment | Come learn how to make your classroom environment and instruction more accessible to children with special needs! With 1 in 45 children today diagnosed with autism, the chances are good that you have had or will have a child with autism in your classroom. Best practices for creating a more inclusive educational environment will be discussed and you will learn how a school where half the population is neurodiverse helps all students to thrive both academically and socially. |
Matthew Tyson, Principal & CEO, Tapestry Public Charter School; Dr. Nicole Allen, Assistant Principal, Tapestry Public Charter School; Ms. Maria Kepler, Assistant Principal, Tapestry Public Charter School |
| 1:50 PM – 2:50 PM | Ansley, 3rd Floor |
Expansion & Replication
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A Conversation on Replication in GA’s New Charter Landscape | This session will focus on how high performing charter schools can use replication as a tool to reach more families, communities, and students. We will briefly go over the prerequisites to replicate with the SCSC and how the process works. Afterwards, a panel of 3 distinguished school leaders will discuss their experience with the process, obstacles to avoid, and the overall benefits that the school has realized. |
Terence Washington, Business Development Manager, EdTec; Dr. Artesius Miller, Executive Director, UAFA Charter Network; Craig Cason, Executive Director, DuBois Integrity Academy Charter School; Ehab Jaleel, Executive Director, Amana Charter Network |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Ansley, 3rd Floor |
Expansion & Replication
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“I Think I’m a Clone Now”: How to Replicate and Expand a Successful Charter School Model
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Your charter school is going gangbusters, with a robust waiting list and constant calls from officials around the state begging you to bring your model to their communities. What do you do next? This session will explore the various components of successful replication and the action steps necessary for establishing a second site. Our panel of experts will discuss an array of topics surrounding replication and expansion, such as facilities finance, corporate structure, & succession planning. |
Rob Fortson, Partner, Gilbert Harrell; Dr. Artesius Miller, Executive Director, UAFA Charter Network; Matthew Kirby, President, Liberty Classical Schools; Ehab Jaleel, Executive Director, Amana Charter Network |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | West Paces, 4th Floor |
Innovation
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Leading the Way with Executive Function Curriculum: Creating Self-reliant Students Using Personalized Curriculum | Sucheta Kamath, Founder, ExQ, shares a new focus on teaching Executive Function to help students become resilient, self-determined learners. We’ll showcase how we implemented EF training with our strategic partner, Dr. Noris Price, Superintendent, Baldwin County; present the onboarding process; best practices for optimal student growth; and progress measures to ensure that every student is equipped with a personalized learning plan and the cognitive skills to achieve self-directed goals. |
Sucheta Kamath, CEO & Founder, ExQ |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | East Paces, 4th Floor |
Policy & Advocacy
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Inspiring Innovation Through Educator Voice | The purpose of AAE’s Inspiring Innovation through Educator Voice is to help educators understand that charter school advocacy begins with a successful school culture of advocacy. Our noble educators are not only experts in their field, but they are inspiring the future, and their voices are a necessary component of crafting sound education policy, informing public opinion, and maintaining an education profession that is personally fulfilling for all professional educators. |
Candace Inghram, Director of Outreach, Association of American Educators; Dana Williams, State Director, Association of American Educators; Amanda Harris, Teacher, Ivy Preparatory Academy; Rashaun Holliman, Board Chair, Ivy Preparatory Academy |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Tuxedo, 4th Floor |
School Performance
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STEAM Certification: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How? | Have you heard about STEAM Certification and wondered if it would be right for your school? Are you interested, but don’t know where to start? Have you started the process, but are not sure if you are ready or how to prepare for the final visit? Come learn about the ins and outs of STEAM Certification from a school that is fully certified PreK-12. |
Courtney Bryant, Director of Fine Arts and STEAM, Drew Charter School; Nuri Rashied, STEAM Assistant, Drew Charter School |
| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Peachtree, 3rd Floor |
Operations and Finance (Governance Training) |
Monitoring Financial Performance |
Gregg Stevens, VP of New School Development, Georgia Charter Schools Association |
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| 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Habersham, 4th Floor |
Operations and Finance
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Professional School Employees Deserve to Retire with Financial Dignity | Attracting and Retaining “exceptional employees” by offering a significant value-added employee retirement benefit at No Costs to the GA Charter School. |
Rodney Keyes, Executive National Director, Charter School Retirement Plans, ValuTeachers, Inc. |
Wednesday, March 15th
| Time | Room | Strand | Title | Description | Presenter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:05 AM -12:05 PM | East Paces, 4th Floor |
Expansion & Replication
|
CSP Update |
|
Gregg Stevens, VP of New School Development, Georgia Charter Schools Association; Michele Neely, CEO, State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia |
| 11:05 AM -12:05 PM | Ansley, 3rd Floor |
Innovation
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Equity Design Lab |
Equity has become both a targeted focus as well as a new jargon word in the education community. We believe in it, but how do we achieve it? In this interactive workshop, participants will work in collaborative teams and implement the Stanford Design School’s Design Thinking Framework using equity-based challenges to design real-time, innovative solutions to some of our nation’s most pressing challenges.
|
Vashaunta Harris, consultant, National Charter Schools Institute |
| 11:05 AM -12:05 PM | Tuxedo, 4th Floor |
Policy & Advocacy
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Grow awareness and support for your school by learning how to effectively communicate with lawmakers and policy leaders. We will examine the latest charter school polling data, go over key messages by audience, and share best practices for engaging with lawmakers face-to-face and through social media. |
Michelle Wirth, Sr. Director of Communications & Shabaaka Smalls, Digital Manager, Georgia Charter Schools Association | |
| 11:05 AM -12:00 PM | Habersham, 4th floor |
School Performance
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Even the best teams can’t always come to an agreement, including IEP Teams. This session will review the different types of dispute resolution in the special education process. During the session, we will discuss how to respond when you receive notice of a formal challenge as well as the tools available to hopefully avoid escalation of often minor disagreements. |
Lauren Greer, Partner, Gilbert Harrell Sumerford & Martin; Beth Morris, Counsel | |
| 11:05 AM -12:05 PM | Peachtree, 3rd Floor |
Operations and Finance
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Litigation Update: Recent Developments in Charter School Funding Disputes with Local Authorizers |
This session will discuss several recent developments in charter school funding litigation in various parts of the state related to funding under the Charter Schools Act, as well as federal funds allocated through IDEA and Title II. |
Rob Fortson, Partner, Gilbert Harrell Sumerford & Martin; Barry Lollis, CEO, Savannah Classical Academy |
| 11:05 AM -12:05 PM | Chastain, 4th Floor |
Operations & Finance
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Developing a Scalable IT Strategy |
This session will cover the key items that can make or break a school’s overall IT strategy with the long-term in mind. |
Connor O’Neill, Sales Director, Technology Lab; Emily Castillo Leon, Founder, Ethos Classical Charter School |
| 11:05 AM -12:05 PM | West Paces, 4th Floor |
School Performance (Governance Training)
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Academic Accountability: Tracking Contractual Goals Through Progress to Goal Meetings |
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Christa Thomas, VP of School Success, Georgia Charter Schools Association |