Program at a Glance
A Message from the Organizing Committee
Conference Highlights
Conference Agenda
Pre-Conference Workshop
Keynote Speakers
Featured Speakers
Your Feedback
A Message from the Organizing Committee
The Organizing Committee is proud to bring to the school administrators, teachers, college faculty, college education mayors, community leaders, and non-profit organizations of North Carolina an exciting program with the participation of successful practitioners at the national, state and county level in ESL programs, self-esteem development, parental involvement, and linguistically/diverse populations as a positive resource.
We are very excited to have Dr. Jaime A. Castellano,
Education Program Specialist with Arizona Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition Services. Dr. Castellano is one of the leading national experts in gifted education in the identification, assessment, and education of culturally and linguistically diverse and low-income status students. He has additional expertise specific to Hispanic students and English language learners (ELLs). He has assumed leadership responsibilities with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), where he currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors and Leadership Council; the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), where he currently serves as the National Chair for Diversity Initiatives and as Co-Chair for the Special Populations Network; and the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), where he currently serves as Chair of the Gifted Education Special Interest Group (SIG).
Keynote Presentation: “Culturally Competent School Leaders: What Teachers and Administrators Who Work with Hispanic/Latino Students Should Know.”
We are also proud to have Aída Walqui, Ph. D., Director, Teacher Professional Development Program, WestEd which includes QTEL, the Quality Teaching for English Learners, focused on the development of adolescent academic uses of disciplinary English. She has taught in the Division of Education at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and at the School of Education, Stanford University, where she coordinated the CLAD teaching credential. A native Peruvian, she received a Masters in Sociolinguistics from Georgetown University, and her Ph D in Language, Literacy, and Culture from Stanford University. Aída has ample experience in the field of second language teaching in elementary and secondary schools as well as at the university level nationally and internationally. She is the author of several books, including Access and Engagement, Program Design and Instructional Approaches for Immigrant Students in Secondary School, an ethnographic study of English learners in U.S. high schools. Her main area of interest and research is teacher expertise in multilingual academic contexts and how to promote its growth across the continuum of teacher professional development.
Keynote Presentation: “Who are our Hispanic students and how do we address their needs through quality education programs?”
In addition to the conference, this year we will also be offering a Pre-Conference Workshop on Thursday, October 16th from 8:30 AM- 4:30 PM.
The Pre-Conference Workshop is titled: "Quality Teaching with Hispanic Students: What does it entail?" - Aída Walqui, Director, Teacher Professional Development Program, WestEd. More information below.
We look forward to seeing you at both the Hispanic Achievement Conference 2008 and the Pre-Conference Workshops on October 16th and 17th at the McKimmon Center on the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.
Sincerely,
Hispanic Achievement Conference 2008 Organizing Committee
Conference Highlights
Target Audience and Participants
- Superintendents
- Assistant Superintendents
- Principals
- Assistant Principals
- Counselors
- Teachers
- Other Administrators
- Community Leaders
- Non-profit Organizations
- College Faculty responsible for training in the field of Education
- College Education Majors
Registration Guidelines:
Registration to the conference (includes continental breakfast and lunch):
By September 15, 2008 is $70.00
After September 15, 2008 the registration fee is $90.00.
Undergraduate Students $50.00.
Registration for the Pre-conference workshops (includes lunch): $65.00
Please register before October 8th for the workshops if you plan to attend.
You can submit your registration form electronically (preferred) or by regular mail.
If you are paying by check or money order, please send registration payment with a copy of your registration to:
NC Society of Hispanic Professionals
Hispanic Achievement Conference
8450 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 209
Cary, NC 27513
If you are paying online via paypal, submit your registration form as you normally would and the confirmation screen will have a Paypal option.
All paid registrations are non-refundable.
Cancellations:
All registrants are responsible for associated fees unless registration is cancelled by October 6th, 2008. Cancellations may be made via phone only.
For more information about registration or questions, please call, send a fax or an e-mail to: mailbox@TheNCSHP.org,
Phone: (919) 467-8424 Fax: (919) 469-1785
Accommodations:
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Brownstone Hotel and Conference Center located at 1707 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh, NC 27605. Rooms can be reserved at the discounted rate of $85 for a single and $92 for a double. In order to take advantage of this special rate you must make your reservation no later than Wednesday, September 24, 2008. To make a reservation call the hotel directly at (919) 828-0811 and be sure to say you are with the NC Society of Hispanic Professionals block.
Pre-Conference Workshop
Thursday, October 16, 2008
8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
“Quality Teaching with Hispanic Students: What does it entail?”
By Dr. Aída Walqui
Current achievement data for Latino students in schools nationwide indicate that their education needs to be strengthened and accelerated. Based on research, development, and implementation in American school contexts, the keynote will discuss five principles that underlie quality language and subject matter socio-culturally appropriate teaching. When enacted, these principles make possible deep and rigorous language and subject matter classes characterized by “high challenge and high levels of support.” In these classes teachers view their students as capable and legitimate academic participants, whose potential is ripened by the deliberate application of teacher expertise. Each of these principles will be explained and illustrated with video clips from middle and high school classes with Latino students.
Topics to be covered during workshop:
o Theoretical and research based presentation
o Exploration of a pedagogical unit that develops students and teachers vision of what is possible and makes it a reality
o Video clips to support implementation
o Reflection on pedagogy
o Planning and enactment of demanding academic classes
Meet In-service requirements: A Certificate of Participation will be provided for continuing education.
The seminar includes: The registration fee includes seminar materials, a Certificate of Participation, lunch, and refreshments.
Registration for the Pre-conference Workshop (includes lunch): $65.00
Please register before October 8th for the workshops if you plan to attend.
You can submit your registration form electronically (preferred) or by regular mail.
If you are paying by check or money order, please send registration payment with a copy of your registration to:
NC Society of Hispanic Professionals
Hispanic Achievement Conference
8450 Chapel Hill Road, Suite 209
Cary, NC 27513
If you are paying online via Paypal, submit your registration form as you normally would and the confirmation screen will have a Paypal option.
All paid registrations are non-refundable.
Cancellations:
All registrants are responsible for associated fees unless registration is cancelled by October 6th, 2008. Cancellations may be made via phone only.
For more information about registration or questions, please call, send a fax or an e-mail to: mailbox@TheNCSHP.org, Phone: (919) 467-8424 Fax: (919) 469-1785
Conference Agenda
Hispanic Achievement Conference Agenda
Friday October 17, 2008
7:45 - 8:30 AM
Registration
8:30 - 10:00 AM
Opening Ceremony
Keynote Presentation:
Dr. Jaime A. Castellano
10:00 - 10:20 AM
Exhibitors Visit
10:25 - 11:25 AM
Concurrent Sessions I
11:30 - 12:30 AM
Concurrent Sessions II
12:30 - 1:15 PM
Lunch
1:15 - 1:30 PM
Exhibitors Visit
1:30 - 2:30 PM
Concurrent Sessions III
2:30 - 3:45 PM
Keynote Presentation: Dr. Aída Walqui
3:45 - 4:00 PM
Adjournment for the Day
Keynote Speaker - Morning
Dr. Jaime A. Castellano - Education Program Specialist with the Arizona Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition Services
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION • 8:30 AM-10:00 AM • Room 1c & 1d
We are excited to have Dr. Jaime A. Castellano, Education Program Specialist with Arizona Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition Services. Dr. Castellano is one of the leading national experts in gifted education in the identification, assessment, and education of culturally and linguistically diverse and low-income status students. He has additional expertise specific to Hispanic students and English language learners (ELLs). He has assumed leadership responsibilities with the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), where he currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors and Leadership Council; the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), where he currently serves as the National Chair for Diversity Initiatives and as Co-Chair for the Special Populations Network; and the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE), where he currently serves as Chair of the Gifted Education Special Interest Group (SIG).
Dr. Castellano has also served on the graduate faculty of Florida Atlantic University and Lynn University, both in Boca Raton, FL; as well as Arizona State University-West. He has taught graduate courses in educational leadership, gifted education, special education and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). During his career in the public schools of Illinois and Florida, he has served as a special education teacher, bilingual special education teacher, an ESL teacher, a 5th grade teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of gifted education, Title VII director, and administrative assistant superintendent.
He has written three books and dozens of chapters and articles on gifted education and continues to consult with school districts throughout the United States on the identification and education of low-income, diverse students in gifted education. He has also conducted extensive research in the area of intelligence testing. Jaime currently serves as an Education Program Specialist with the Arizona Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition Services.
The title of his keynote presentation is:“Culturally Competent School Leaders: What Teachers and Administrators Who Work with Hispanic/Latino Students Should Know.”
Abstract: Cultural competency is a state of mind and being that moves beyond conventional wisdom, assumptions of the mind, and traditional constructs of multicultural education. Cultural competency begins with the individual engaged in a process of revelation and truth about who they are and what they know or do not know about themselves, and their relationship with others. It is important to note, however, that in the context of a school, school district, or professional associations or organizations advocating for culturally and linguistically diverse students, educational and instructional leaders in the field must be brought together and engaged in a process that is inquiry-based; where the conversations and dialogue are open and honest; and where solutions for action and change are encouraged and welcomed. We must engage ourselves in a process of self-reflection, self-assessment, and a level of understanding of how we perceive others who are different from ourselves. This self-examination will help us gain a clearer understanding of our own experiences, boundaries, and challenges. Teachers of Hispanic/Latino students, as well as school-based and district-based administrators responsible for program implementation and evaluation may also benefit from this self-review process. The purpose of this keynote presentation is to engage the participant on the importance of, and discuss the relationship between cultural competency and working with Hispanic/Latino student populations.
Click Here to Download Dr. Jaime Castellanos' Keynote Presentation
The title of his concurrent session is: “Hispanic Students as Gifted and Advanced Learners.”
Click Here to Download Dr. Jaime Castellanos' Concurrent Session Presentation
Keynote Speaker - Afternoon
Aida Walqui, Ph.D. - Director, Teacher Professional Development Program, WestEd
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION • 2:30 - 3:45 PM • Room 1c & 1d

We are proud to have Aída Walqui, Ph. D., Director, Teacher Professional Development Program, WestEd which includes QTEL, the Quality Teaching for English Learners, focused on the development of adolescent academic uses of disciplinary English. She has taught in the Division of Education at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and at the School of Education, Stanford University, where she coordinated the CLAD teaching credential. A native Peruvian, she received a Masters in Sociolinguistics from Georgetown University, and her Ph D in Language, Literacy, and Culture from Stanford University. Aída has ample experience in the field of second language teaching in elementary and secondary schools as well as at the university level nationally and internationally. She is the author of several books, including Access and Engagement, Program Design and Instructional Approaches for Immigrant Students in Secondary School, an ethnographic study of English learners in U.S. high schools. Her main area of interest and research is teacher expertise in multilingual academic contexts and how to promote its growth across the continuum of teacher professional development.
Click Here to Download Keynote Presentation
The title of her keynote presentation is: “Who are our Hispanic students and how do we address their needs through quality education programs?”
Abstract: Hispanic students in American schools are not a monolithic group. They vary along a wide variety of indicators, ranging from socioeconomic factors to school- and family-related issues. All Latinos, however, can benefit from rigorous, accelerated instruction, and from participation in deliberately scaffolded activities. The presentation will address the features that define a quality education, and will provide video examples of a “pedagogy of promise” in action from diverse school contexts in the United States.
Featured Speakers
**Presentations are for ALL grades and ALL audiences unless otherwise noted.
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Dr. Andrew Behnke - Professor, North Carolina State University. "Latino Family Engagement: How to Effectively Engage and Connect with Latino Parents and Youth." This interactive workshop will focus on multiple factors contributing to successful engagement of Latino families. Participants will gain a greater understanding of barriers to service faced by Latino families and how to overcome these. They will learn how to work with youth and parents to reduce the risks of: dropout, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, gang involvement, and so on. We will provide attendees with hands on tools and provide suggestions of effective interventions that have been proven to help Latino families. Handouts and resources will be provided. The learner will:
- Gain a greater understanding of Latino diversity in NC and how it influences working with Latino families.
- Learn how specific collaboration with key partners can improve service delivery and buy in.
- Develop a plan to better serve Latino audiences through what they do in their agency and position. - Dr. Ken Babineaux - Education Consultant, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. "Changing the Way We Do Business Through Parent/Family Empowerment." Stubborn achievement gaps exist between students of North Carolina and definite root causes perpetuate these gaps. To address these causes and assist parents in helping children be successful, the Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Section promotes parent/family empowerment through a training entitled Changing the Way We Do Business in the Village through Parent/Family Empowerment. Topics include self-esteem, behavior and self-discipline, language development, home study skills, parent-teacher conferences, and knowledge is power (covers accountability, testing, etc.). Come preview this training document (which is set up in a train-the-trainer model) and see if this training can benefit your school or organization.
- Dr. Jaime A. Castellano - Education Program Specialist, Arizona Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition Services. “Hispanic Students as Gifted and Advanced Learners.”
As our collective knowledge level increases about giftedness among Hispanic students, so must our knowledge about how their unique characteristics and cultural considerations can be infused in the classroom. Genuine access to an enriched and diverse curriculum can provide equal educational opportunities to actualize their gifted potential into skills, abilities, and advanced knowledge levels. More and more school districts across the United States are beginning to discover the importance of matching the needs of the students to the most appropriate delivery model while maintaining the integrity and respect of their ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. As a system, schools have a responsibility to push forward their best, brightest, most able students representing all walks of life. For our Hispanic students, this also means recognizing their specific ethnic identity and honoring the cultural and linguistic contributions they bring to the classroom. In this session, the diversity of gifted Hispanic students is examined; the challenges of gaining access to gifted education will be presented through the Perseverance Model; and a discussion highlighting intelligence and high achieving Latino students will be provided. -
Martha H. Dobson - ESL Teacher, Yadkin County Schools. “Strategies for Building Success in SIOP classrooms." There are 8 components to a SIOP lesson plan. I will present interactive strategies for building background knowledge, for comprehensible input, for increasing interaction, and for increasing thinking skills.
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Ms. Rachel Galanter and Molly Hayes -Family Support Specialist, Durham Exchange Clubs’ Family Center. “Engaging Parents in Language Development." (Elementary) Children learn the language skills that support their success in the classroom at home. Measures of 3 year old accomplishment predict third grade school achievement. Spanish speaking parents are often very supportive of school success, but are unaware how the talking and play they do at home to build their children’s vocabularies in Spanish correlates closely with IQ. In this presentation we will briefly review some research regarding language skills and school success before reviewing a model for a parenting workshop using the CARRO model for parents to talk more with their children during play. Ideally this parenting workshop could be easily implemented by school counselors or social workers for parents of ESL students.
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Ms. Nhora Gomez-Saxon -Spanish for Native Speakers Consultant & Jennifer Lupold Pearsall- Second Language Specialist, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. “Boosting Academic Rigor for Heritage Speakers.” We must challenge our heritage Spanish speakers to perform at their highest levels, to use and build upon the resources they bring with them. It is the right thing to do! Speakers will define academic rigor, discuss how the Spanish for Native Speakers classes are closing the gap and helping students to succeed in challenging AP classes. This session will also provide an overview of resources and classroom vignettes.
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Dr. Ellen Graden - Associate Professor, Meredith College. “ESL Certification in North Carolina.” How can I become a K-12 ESL teacher in North Carolina? This session will give an overview of the various routes to licensure and the college and universities offering licensure programs.
- Mr. Kenton Griffin - CEO, Dream Builders Communication, Inc. “Mission Critical: Real Students, Real Problems, and Real Solutions. ” Another long day of lesson plans that could not be completed or a week of being disrespected, misunderstood while the workload continues? How do you fix it? Dream Builders Communication, Inc. (DBC) continues to have major success with school systems across the country assisting in increasing test scores, decreasing oppositional behavior and providing practical skills to teachers that may be applied daily to assist students who are giving up on education, life and themselves. The session will focus on managing students, engaging Latino/Hispanic students and families and strategies for staying on task with class work, homework and testing. DBC will provide participants with tools in “relating versus debating,” cultural diversity training and the proper attire to assist students to aspire. Finally, DBC will share strategies on how to obtain, maintain and retain momentum in and out of the classroom.
- Mrs. Anne Marie Gunter - Second Language Consultant, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. “Specialized Spanish Language Program and Resources in Public Schools.” There are many specialized programs for Spanish-speaking students in North Carolina’s public schools that are designed to help students develop their communication skills in Spanish and honor their home culture. Dual language/immersion, Spanish for Native Speakers, LinguaFolio and the International Spanish Academy programs will be represented by panel members who will speak about their history, impact, and future.
- Dr. Deborah Long and Mr. Darris Means - Director and Assistant Director Elon Academy, Elon University. “Building Bridges Together: The Elon Academy College Access Program.” (High School) This session will provide participants with 1) a better understanding of college access; 2) a rationale to provide college access opportunities for all people, particularly school-aged Hispanic students; 3) an overview of Elon University’s partnership with the local college; and 4) an overview of the impact of the Elon Academy on the Hispanic community in Alamance County. Audience participation required.
- Dr. Diana Lys, Dr. Marjorie Ringler, and Ms. Debbie O'neal - ECU college of Education. “Improving Academic Language Development Through School-University Partnership.” Collaboration between university faculty and public school teachers and administrators is essential to successfully implement strategies that support academic language development. In light of today’s increasingly diverse classrooms, all content teachers are also ESL teachers. This session will highlight a two-part professional development program aimed at introducing teachers to the SIOP model of instruction and providing them with ongoing implementation support throughout the academic year. Successes and challenges of the program will be shared with suggestions for future programs.
- Ms. Yasmin W. Metivier - President, Panoltia, Inc.“Beyond Bilingualism and Biculturalism-Interpreting in US Schools."
In today’s schools, with their ever increasing Spanish speaking population, the probability of a bilingual teaching assistant or a foreign language teacher, or any other school employee being asked to interpret is very high. But is being bilingual enough? The answer, in a word, is an emphatic no. To effectively serve our schools and our Spanish speaking students and their parents it takes more, much more! During this presentation you will learn that it takes more than being bilingual and bicultural to be an effective interpreter, and how to work with an interpreter.
- Ms. Susan Milliken - Executive Director, Futures for Kids (F4K).
“F4K-Career plans, Graduation Projects and More!"
Learn how your students can use F4K’s electronic portfolio to build and maintain their NC Graduation Projects (NCGP), document all their career exploration activities, upload and share relevant files, log mentoring conversations, and create a career plan. Most important, students and parents can use F4K to talk with hundreds of Career Coaches and employers across the state to provide relevance to their education. As educators, group your students by their NCGP advisors, track students’ progress, advise them on class selections and ensure all of your students have a plan!
- Dr. Maria Teresa U. Palmer - Director of Multicultural Student Center, North Carolina A&T State University. “Redefining our Roles to Insure the Success of Immigrant Students: What Teachers, Counselors and Administrators must Do." This presentation will help educators think of the different needs that immigrant students bring to the school community and of the role they can and must play in meeting these needs. My presentation is based on the research I conducted in NC and in a thorough study of research conducted in the US and Canada in the last 20 years, with particular attention to the work of Jim Cummins, Lisa Delpit and Angela Valenzuela.
- Mr. Danya C. Perry - Field Services Specialist, Comunities in Schools of North Carolina. “Got Gangs? Understanding the Current Street Gang Culture." This session will focus on the importance of understanding the seductiveness of gangs and gang-related activities to our youth. Historically, gangs have provided youth with a solid family structure that is oftentimes lacking in dysfunctional families today. The session will also highlight early warning signs and risk factors for gang involvement. A specific emphasis will be placed on opportunities to mobilize the community, which includes the collaboration of schools, faith, law enforcement, and other youth-serving professionals.
- Mr. Dwight Sanchez - LEP Coordinator, Communities in Schools (Charlotte). "A Closer Look at Ourselves: Who are We?" This session will focus on the importance of teachers’ cultural understanding and parental involvement for Latino students to access all resources available to them. It will also explore the families’ role in school life as well as the need to be socially cognizant of factors interfering with educational performance. Appropriate measures will be presented demonstrating how the school system should work to establish trust and faith within the families, making the classroom a welcoming and engaging learning experience for students and their families.
- Mrs. Nancy Scoggin - LEP Facilitator. "Starting a Sheltered Program at the High School Level. " Drawing on the success story of the Winston Salem Forsyth County schools, this session will demonstrate how to begin implementing a sheltered program from scratch, including administrator buy-in, teacher training in SIOP, ongoing support, role of counselors and role of the community.
- Ms. Tabelech Shipp - Founder and Director, MY Gems Science Center. "Fun Ways to Explore Multicultural Science for Multicultural Learners." To promote scientific literacy and awareness for children of the Hispanic community, MYGEMS will provide the teachers of the conference with techniques that will 1) help students think critically and develop the ability to use higher order thinking skills in science education; 2) enhance students understanding of the different areas of science and visualize the real-life applications of science; and 3) help students gain knowledge and problem solving skills while utilizing technology.
- Ms. Debora Sydnor - Section Chief, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. "Promoting Cultural Responsiveness in Public Education."During this session, participants will explore cultural responsivity as it applies to educators. In education, cultural responsivity involves creating equitable opportunities for all students. As a result of the activities and information shared, participants will: review your own cultural beliefs and behaviors so you can broaden your cultural responsivity to other people’s (students’) cultures, understand the impact of culture on individuals and systems - why does it matter, develop a diversity perspective - understanding the developmental process of becoming a culturally responsive educator.
- Dr. Aida Walqui - Director and Teacher of Professional Development Program, WestEd. “Spanish for Native Speakers. ” (Given in Spanish) This session presents the proposal that it is extremely important to continue the development of the mother language of Hispanic students. Based on research and practice, the speaker will substantiate the proposal with selected study units. The participants will be involved in activities which model this vision of quality teaching. In cases where pedagogical demonstrations are in Spanish, the practice should be equally adapted to the teaching of English as a second language.
- Donna Weaver - Spanish Services Coordinator , College Foundation of North Carolina. “Click CFNC.org, Connect Latinos to College & Careers.” (Middle School- High School) This session will focus on ways educators and advocates may use free resources from CFNC.org and CFNC spanish services to connect students to college and careers.
- Mr. Jorge Zeballos - Latino Community Coordinator, Guilford College.“Cosmic Race, Rainbow People and other Myths: Race and Racial Identity in the Latino/a Community."
This presentation will explore the historical and contemporary forces that impact the racial identity and construct of Latinas and Latinos. Participants will also discuss ways they can use this information to support and affirm Latina and Latino students in developing a healthier sense of racial identity that embraces all ancestries.
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