Joan Harrell

IPS and NUA: Believing, Achieving, And Succeeding

Grade level: All

Joan is an Elementary Director in the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS). She is the former principal of a school in IPS that demonstrated higher academic performance then suburban schools in the state.

Dr. Elaine Hill

Using African American Poetry to Raise Academic Potential

Elaine has been an educator in the Birmingham City Schools for thirty-four years. During her tenure she has served as a high school English department chairperson, Reading and Language Arts Program Specialist, and currently serves as the Executive Director of Professional Development and Grants. While teaching high school, she taught English at all levels- remedial to Advanced Placement. Dr. Hill has conducted collaborative research projects with local university professors, presented at the Alabama Council of Teachers of English (ACTE), National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and CCC. She is the board chair for the National Conference of Community and Justice (NCCJ), a member of the Toni Morrison Society, and a graduate of Leadership Birmingham.

Bonnie Houck

Literacy as Access: Serving African American Learners

Grade Level: All

Bonnie Houck has been an educator for over twenty years, serving as an elementary classroom teacher, a middle school social studies teacher, a middle and high school language arts teacher and a building level reading specialist at the elementary and middle school level. Currently, Bonnie is the reading specialist for the Minnesota Department of Education and teaches undergraduate reading and language arts courses. Bonnie is completing her doctorate and studying reading leadership. In addition, Bonnie serves on the Advisory Board for the Minnesota Academy of Reading and the University of Minnesota Kerlan Collection.

Dr. David Jackson

Boys Learning from Men

Grade Level: All

David Jackson is currently the Dean of Education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. His broad experience as a teacher, an administrator, and as a university professor provides a unique perspective in what steps need to be taken to draw young men into our teaching profession.

Mitch Jacobson

Curtain Up on Readers/Writers Theater! Engaging Strategies for Promoting High-Level Thinking

Grade levels: All

Mitch Jacobson teaches at Richfield Intermediate School, a first ring suburb just south of Minneapolis. Richfield Intermediate School houses 850 diverse learners in grades 3, 4, and 5. Mitch teaches 5th grade.

Renee Jesness

My Life Plan

Grade Level: 6 to 8

Renee Jesness has a background in English and is a media specialist. She created the online learning program for Minneapolis Public Schools.

Dr. Dan Jett

Urban-Suburban Voluntary Integration District: Against All Odds

Grade Level: All

Dan Jett is a Ph.D. educator with a record of success in leading schools, departments and school districts. Experienced administrator in school districts with socio-economic and racial diversity and committed to a high level of student achievement for all students. A collaborative yet decisive leader, a strategic thinker and planner, an educator of almost boundless energy and optimism, exceptional integrity and trustworthiness, and a sense of humor and openness that makes him a very approachable leader.

Dr. Jill Johnson

School Wide Improvement is Possible at the High School Level

Grade Level: All

Jill is the Principal of Richfield Senior High School. A first-ring suburban district located south of Minneapolis, MN. This is her 20th year in education. She has worked at all levels in education, including classroom teacher, dean of students, assistant principal, principal, and assistant to the superintendent.

Steven M. Jongewaard

Means and Ends of Education in a Democracy: Public Policy and the Achievement Gap

Grade Level: All

Steven Jongewaard is Professor of Education at Hamline University. He also teaches part time at Macalester College. His career spans three decades, as an elementary teacher in Minneapolis and in Brazil, as a Model Cities program director, and as a teacher trainer. He and his wife Candace, and ELL teacher, live in St. Paul.

Mary Kirchhof

Intervention Education Review

Grade Level: 9 to 12

Mary Kirchhof is currently the Literacy Coordinator of the Edina Public Schools, and an adjunct instructor at Hamline University, St. Paul Minnesota. International conferences. Mary’s strengths include literacy, special education, mentoring/coaching, and staff development.

Dr. Jane Kise

Using Cultural Expectations To Promote Success

Grade Level: All

Jane Kise, Ed.D. is an educational consultant who has written over a dozen books, including Differentiated Coaching: A Framework for Helping Teachers Change (Corwin, 2006) and Differentiated Instruction Using Personality Type and Learning Styles (Corwin Press, 2006). Kise holds an MBA in finance and a doctorate in educational leadership.

Robert Kogane

Role of Principal in Creating a Literacy Focused School

Grade Level: 4 to 8

Robert Kogane has fourteen years as a classroom teacher in special education, reading and alternative education; nineteen years as an assistant principal and principal in three different middle and high schools. He also has two years experience as a program manager of leadership development of a large urban school district; Mentor for administrative interns, assistant principals, and new principals; Professional development planner for 150 building administrators; Mentor for administrative interns, assistant principals, and new principals; professional development planner for 150 building administrators; equity professional development planner for school district; supervisor for school based coaches; and. teacher for administrative candidates.

Joyce Kornegay

Merging Mathematical Intelligence With Linguistic Intelligence: A Powerful Partnership for Student Achievement

Grade Level: All

Ms. Joyce Kornegay Holds a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education From New Jersey City University and a Masters Degree In Urban Education from William Patterson University. She has certificates in ESL, Educational Administration, and Assistant Superintendent For Curriculum.

Ms. Kornegay is the Principal of Newark Public Schools District’s Fifteenth Avenue School, which services students in pre-school through grade seven. Under her leadership, her school has enjoyed greatly improved academic achievement. As a result of this improved achievement, Fifteenth Street School has received the Superintendent’s Academic Achievement Award for the past two years.

Rosalyn Korst

Structure by Design: Strategies for Competent Secondary Writing

Grade Level: 9 to 12

Rose Korst received her B.S. from Taylor University in 1973, her M.A. from Hamline University in 1999 and her International Baccalaureate Instructor certificate in 2002. In addition she is a certified trainer of trainers for David Hylerle’s Thinking Maps as well as Art Costa’s Habits of Mind. She is a writer at heart.

Courtney LaRoche

High Intellectual Performance in ALL Students

Grade Level: All

Courtney LaRoche, 8th grade Math, teaches at Wayzata Central Middle School. She has been involved with the NUA program for the past three years.

Allison Lee

Life Centered Career Education (LCCE) – A Comprehensive Functional Curriculum

Grade Level: 4 to 12

Allison Lee is a manager with The Council For Exceptional Children.

Christopher Leone

Finding Success and Tearing Down Barriers

Christopher G. Leone is the Assistant Principal of Hartford Magnet Middle School. He holds an undergraduate degree from Union College and graduate degrees from The Johns Hopkins University. In 2002, Mr. Leone became the first person at the JHU School of Professional Studies in Business and Education to simultaneously complete degrees in teaching and administration with a 4.0 average. A recipient of grants for improving non-fiction reading and writing across the curriculum, Mr. Leone has also written complete grade level social studies curriculum for a large urban district and a smaller private school. His data analysis and program implementation with standardized tests, and most recently with discipline, has yielded significant returns. In 2005, Mr. Leone joined HMMS as the Assistant Principal.

Kirsten Letofsky

Pre-Reading: How To Catch’em, How To Keep’em

Grade Level: 4 to 8

Kirsten is an experienced urban public school teacher and is a primary level literacy coach for Minneapolis Public Schools

Dr. Peg Lonnquist

Knock-Your-Socks-Off Secondary Strategies

Grade Level: 9 to 12

Peg Lonnquist, Ph.D., MAT is on the faculty at Hamline University. Peg has 30 years of experience in education including teaching at secondary and university levels, leading workshops for teachers and professors, and serving as an administrator. Through Imagine That! Consulting, Peg shares her passion for effective, brain-compatible, culturally responsive, energetic teaching that works!

Cynthia Lundgren

Pre-Reading: How To Catch’em, How To Keep’em

Grade Level: 4 to 8

Cynthia, who has teaching experience in urban public schools, is a professor in Second Language Teaching and Learning at Hamline University.

Ann Mabbott

Effective Program Models For English Language Learners

Grade Level: All

Originally and immigrant herself, Ann Mabbott, is now director of the Center for Second Language Teaching and Learning at Hamiline University. Special interests include program assessment, language proficiency assessment and literacy. In addition to teaching ESL and Bied licensure classes, she works with mainstream teacher to improve the education of immigrant children.

Augusta Mann

Touching the Spirit: How Successful Urban Teachers Use Culture in Achieving Educational Excellence for Underperforming African American and Other Students

Augusta Mann is a consultant in urban education. She is recognized for her programs and materials in intensified teaching to accelerate learning for students whom our schools are failing to educate to levels of excellence. She has over 40 years of experience as a successful classroom teacher, reading teacher, professional developer and manager and designer of professional development services in urban school districts across the U.S.

Diana Mann

Origami, International Language, as a Tool to Increase Literacy

Grade Level: All

Diana Mann is a retired New York City teacher with over 30 years experience. After retiring, she taught graduate courses for teachers needing their master’s degree. Today, and for the last 9 years, she has had the opportunity to continue learning, working with teachers, and working in classrooms as a consultant for the National Urban Alliance.

Linda Mansfield

Using Technology in Reading: Integrating Interactive Whiteboard Technology in Reading to Measurably Improve Student Achievement Using Technology in Reading

Grade Level: All

Linda is a teacher with the Youngstown School District in Youngstown, Ohio.

William Martin

Magnificent Classrooms-Magnificent Schools

Grade Level: All

Bill is a principal whose ability to help teachers create shared visions has earned “Blue Ribbon” honors in two states.

Hamid Masheye

Origami, International Language, as a Tool to Increase Literacy

Grade Level: All

Shelia McGuire

Curtain Up on Readers/Writers Theater! Engaging Strategies for Promoting High-Level Thinking

Grade levels: All

Sheila McGuire teaches at Richfield Intermediate School, a first ring suburb just south of Minneapolis. Richfield Intermediate School houses 850 diverse learners in grades 3, 4, and 5. Sheila works with Title I students.

Billie McQuillan

Literacy as Access: Serving African American Learners

Grade Level: All

Billie McQuillan is currently the Supervisor of Curriculum and Standards for Saint Paul Public Schools. Billie has served as a reading and language arts teacher, and building and district administrator for over twenty-five years in a large urban district. Great Urban Schools has awarded Billie recognition for her teaching. Billie has spoken on effective teaching practices at numerous local and national conferences.

Jerry Michel

Building Better Readers: Making Comprehension Instruction Effective and Authentic for Students

Grade Level: Pre K to 8

Jerry Michel, Director of Professional Development for Gretchen Courtney and Associates, serves as a long-term literacy consultant to many schools in the Chicago metropolitan area and throughout the region. He has been actively involved in literacy education for over twenty years as a teacher, curriculum author, children’s literature specialist, and literacy consultant.

Katie Moe, Colleen Murphy, Ross Downing, Adam Tillotson, Darcy Bovitz

Incorporating Cultural Relevance into Curriculum

Grade Level: 9 to 12

Together Colleen Murphy, Ross Downing, Adam Tillotson, Darcy Bovitz, and Katie Moe have over thirty years of teaching experience. They have provided instruction in the disciplines of English, Social Studies, Reading, Special Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences and represent two different National Urban Alliance cohorts at Wayzata High School. This dynamic team is committed to life long learning and collaboration with colleagues to provide high intellectual performance for all students.

Diane Morrone

Secondary Reading Strategies

Grade Level: 4 to 12

Diane works for Learning Point Associates in Naperville, Illinois. She is a former elementary classroom teacher, reading specialist and professional development facilitator.

Mary Norris

Structure by Design: Strategies for Competent Secondary Writing

Grade Level: 9 to 12

Mary Norris received her B.A. in 1975 from Saint Olaf College; her M.A. from Saint Mary’s in 2001 and holds a Gifted and Talented certificate from Hamline University. Mary is a certified Ruby Payne instructor, Pathwise observer, a Heyerle Thinking Maps as well as Dr. Art Costa trainer of trainers, and a diehard grammar and writing teacher.

Maggie Pagan

Leadership for Literacy for English Language Learners

Grade level: All

Maggie Pagan, M.Ed., Ed.S., is the National ELL Manager for Rigby Professional Development. Maggie has published several articles and chapters on the topic of working with English Language Learners, Cross-Cultural Communication, and Working Effectively with Newcomers. She has also authored a PD seminar, Leadership for Literacy for ELLs.

Dr. Roger B. Peckover

Transforming Urban Student and Organizational Learning: Principals at Work in the LaSallian Association of San Miguel Schools

Grade Level: 4 to 12

Dr. Peckover is currently the Brother Louis DeThomasis Endowed Chair for Education at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He has extensive background working with teachers and schools implementing and assessing practices promoting successful learning for all students.

Robert Probst

We’ll Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends: Capitalizing On The Social Dimension In Teaching Reading

Grade Level: 4 to 12

Robert Probst is a Research Fellow at the Center for Urban Education & Innovation, Florida International University. Previously, he was an English teacher in Maryland, Supervisor of English, Norfolk, Virginia. He is the author of Response and Analysis, Elements of Literature, and Chapters in Into Focus: Understanding and Creating Middle School

Readers, Literature Instruction, Handbook of Research on Teaching English Language Arts.