ASCD Holds 66th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, March 26-28 in San Francisco, Calif.

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 3, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thousands of educators from around the globe, including teachers, principals, superintendents, and school board members, will join colleagues and experts at ASCD's 66th Annual Conference and Exhibit Show to share practices and strategies for 21st century education.

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Running from March 26 to 28, 2011, in San Francisco, Calif., the conference provides educators with valuable professional development essential to improving student achievement in their own schools, districts, and communities.

"The theme 'Bold Actions for Complex Challenges' will help conference attendees explore today's dynamic challenges, engage in powerful conversations, and identify the next steps necessary to grow a world-class education system," said ASCD Executive Director Gene R. Carter. "Schools and districts need to integrate technology, reach out to diverse communities, and advocate for sound policy to ensure we're constantly committed to educating the whole child. By sharing what's working in our schools and in the greater education community, we can move fearlessly—and in unison—toward an education system that meets the needs of every learner."

The three-day conference will feature over 500 sessions on topics ranging from promoting higher achievement for urban learners to moving from research to practice. Real-world urban district successes will be highlighted by a variety of sessions, including a panel featuring Linda Nathan, Baruti Kafele, and Tim King, three principals revered for reversing dropout rates and championing student achievement. Kadhir Rajagopal, a 2011 California Teacher of the Year, will also share his model for inner-city student motivation and classroom achievement.

Nearly 60 sessions will focus on technology, and attendees will learn not only about digital advances that can be applied in the classroom, but also how to implement technology plans in their schools and districts. Multiple sessions, including the urban education panel, will be live streamed free of charge from the Moscone Center for online audiences. Three sessions will be interactive and moderated through ASCD EDge®, the social networking community for professional educators. Educators around the world will access the live stream through the online version of Conference Daily, ASCD's official conference newspaper. The online edition will be available prior to, during, and after the conference, allowing on- and off-site audiences to tune in virtually for daily events, conference updates, and session highlights.

At Whole Child Central, an official resource for educators on implementing a whole child approach to teaching and learning, attendees will be able to explore resources, talk with experts about implementing whole child strategies, meet with other attendees to share successes and challenges, and participate in a live Whole Child Podcast featuring Washington Post journalist Jay Mathews. Attendees will also be able to meet educators from Quest Early College High School, our 2011 Vision in Action Award winning school.

The conference is made possible, in part, by sponsors including Corwin, Pinnacle by Global Scholar, College Board, Scientific Learning, Global Partnership Schools, and media sponsor Edutopia.

In addition to attending sessions, educators can explore the conference's Exhibit Hall, which includes instructional tools, technology offerings, and displays of new classroom products for every grade level and subject. The ASCD Center in the Exhibit Hall will offer opportunities to browse ASCD books, preview professional development DVDs, and participate in an ASCD Member Appreciation Day on Sunday. Membership day festivities will include Apple iPad raffles and photo booth experiences, such as allowing members to have their photograph taken and printed on the cover of Educational Leadership magazine.

General Session Speakers

• Chip Heath, Stanford University. Drawing from his blockbuster book, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, Chip Heath will reveal a research-based framework to help educators change things in tough times, whether the change is something very small or complex and systemic. Find out how to start change efforts, break through resistance, and make change stick.
• Peter H. Reynolds, FableVision. Creativity champ Peter Reynolds is a New York Times best-selling author and illustrator and founder of FableVision Learning, which creates technology tools to inspire young writers, artists, and thinkers. He is known worldwide for illustrating the Judy Moody series (soon to be released as a feature film), and his "classroom classic" books, The Dot, Ish, and The North Star embody his mission to inspire all learners to bravely express who they are—and their vision for who they hope to become.
• Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Harvard University. All people, to some degree, experience some burnout. So are there ways that educators can move beyond burnout to compose, invent, and reinvent the path that they are on? Author and philosopher Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot will talk about the search that all people are on for meaningfulness and purposefulness. Join her as she discusses how educators can maintain energy for the profession year after year.

Other Distinguished Speakers

• Kenji Hakura, Stanford University. Kenji Hakura will discuss key shortcomings in federal policy for English language learners and address important changes in identification, assessment, accountability, and instructional capacity in the context of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization and other policies that affect this group.
• Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, U.S. Department of Education. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education and former district superintendent Thelma Melendez will share the Obama administration's priorities for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, including insights related to effective teachers and leaders, higher standards, new assessments, better data, and school turnaround strategies.

Conference speakers are available for on-site or follow-up interviews, which can be arranged by ASCD's communications staff. Members of the media can register to attend the conference by completing the media registration form.

Founded in 1943, ASCD is a nonprofit educational leadership association that develops programs, products, and services essential to the way educators learn, teach, and lead. We provide expert and innovative solutions in professional development, capacity building, and educational leadership. ASCD's membership comprises more than 160,000 principals, teachers, superintendents, professors of education, and other educators from 148 countries. Our association also has 58 affiliates throughout the world.

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