Agenda

Joseph Welsh Elementary School is starting it's 4th year of utilizing the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People as it's Leadership/Character Education focus. After the staff read, The 8th Habit, the staff and School Council invited Muriel Summers, Principal of A. B. Combs School from Raleigh, North Carolina to Alberta for a two day inservice. Muriel's school was featured in, The 8th Habit and is also featured in great detail in Stephen R. Covey's recent book, The Leader In Me. Joseph Welsh School was honored to be mentioned in that book. Last May, Sean Covey visited Joseph Welsh School for their Leadership Day. About 150 teachers and administrators from all across Alberta and Canada were treated to a day of activities highlighting Sean Covey, and the students of the school.

Joseph Welsh School's mission statement is, "Leaders For Life - Achieving Academic Excellence And Global Citizenship".

The presentation will highlight this evolving journey including getting started and hopes for the future.

About the presenters: The presentation will be done by a team from the school that includes; Terry Lakey grade 4 teacher, Grace Page grade 5 teacher and AISI coordinator, Charese Jones grade 5 teacher and principal Mike Fritz. All four presenters have visited A.B. Combs School, trained as facilitators of the 7 Habits Program, and presented throughout Central Alberta. They continue to be enthusiastic advocates of creating leaders at all levels in their school, Kindergarten to grade 5.

Mike Fritz
Principal
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

Terry Lakey
Teacher
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

Grace Page
Teacher
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

Charese Jones
Teacher
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

In this working session, participants will identify and discuss key issues arising from the keynote session and any questions they may have concerning the implementation of character education in K-12 schools and classrooms. Issues of leadership, communication and assessment of effectiveness will also be discussed.

Avis Glaze
Author and Educator

Dr. Avis Glaze is known as an international leader in the field of education. As one of Canada’s outstanding educators, she has been recognized for her work in leadership development, student achievement, school and system improvement, character development and equity of outcomes for all students. As Ontario’s first Chief Student Achievement Officer and founding CEO of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, she played a pivotal role in improving student achievement in Ontario schools.

It is her strong belief that all children can learn with the proper supports and effective teaching. For her, poverty is not destiny. She is convinced that, as educators, we now know the strategies that are effective in improving student learning. Her primary focus in education is on building capacity to ensure that all students achieve, regardless of background factors or personal circumstances. She has been a tireless advocate for equity of outcomes for all students and for the enhancement of public education. It is her core belief that educators play a fundamental role in sustaining democracy. The professional learning of those who work in schools must be a government priority, as it currently is in Ontario. Her focus is on maximizing the talent of students, teachers and administrators by developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and dispositions necessary within an informed, literate and caring society. Her major assertion, based on her experience as a leader in Ontario’s literacy strategy implementation, is that we can, indeed, improve results without rancour or ranking.

Dr. Glaze completed two Master of Education programs – one in educational administration, a second in guidance and counselling, and a Doctorate in Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. She also has training in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Advanced Facilitation, and the Assessment of Emotional Intelligence. She has taught at all levels of the K-12 education system, in rural and urban areas, in public and Catholic schools, and at the elementary, secondary, community college and university levels. She has worked as a classroom teacher, special education teacher, guidance counsellor and secondary school administrator. Avis has been a superintendent of schools in several school districts, an Associate Director of Education with the York Region District School Board and Director of Education of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

A student's educational environment can be defined by the quality of three factors; cognitive, emotional and physical. All of these factors can also contribute in a significant way to the character development of students. In this workshop Jan explores an often overlooked factor that influences student character development and learning – the physical environment. Recent research studies have strongly supported the position that shaping the physical environment can have a positive impact on both staff and students beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours, as well as on student achievement.

In his presentation Jan shares real life stories that demonstrate how to shape the classroom and school-wide physical environments. Including how to:

• Use the environment to reinforce expectations for good character
• Involve students in shaping their physical environment
• Shape the physical environment to support the imbedding character development into curriculum goals, service learning, and assessment and evaluation
• Improve the quality of the physical environment in a way that changes student behaviour and raises academic achievement
• Create a safer learning environment with less vandalism, bullying, aggressive and disrespectful behaviour

Jan Olsson
Author and Principal
Huntsville High School

Joseph Welsh Elementary School is starting it's 4th year of utilizing the 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People as it's Leadership/Character Education focus. After the staff read, The 8th Habit, the staff and School Council invited Muriel Summers, Principal of A. B. Combs School from Raleigh, North Carolina to Alberta for a two day inservice. Muriel's school was featured in, The 8th Habit and is also featured in great detail in Stephen R. Covey's recent book, The Leader In Me. Joseph Welsh School was honored to be mentioned in that book. Last May, Sean Covey visited Joseph Welsh School for their Leadership Day. About 150 teachers and administrators from all across Alberta and Canada were treated to a day of activities highlighting Sean Covey, and the students of the school.

Joseph Welsh School's mission statement is, "Leaders For Life - Achieving Academic Excellence And Global Citizenship".

The presentation will highlight this evolving journey including getting started and hopes for the future.

About the presenters: The presentation will be done by a team from the school that includes; Terry Lakey grade 4 teacher, Grace Page grade 5 teacher and AISI coordinator, Charese Jones grade 5 teacher and principal Mike Fritz. All four presenters have visited A.B. Combs School, trained as facilitators of the 7 Habits Program, and presented throughout Central Alberta. They continue to be enthusiastic advocates of creating leaders at all levels in their school, Kindergarten to grade 5.

Mike Fritz
Principal
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

Terry Lakey
Teacher
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

Grace Page
Teacher
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

Charese Jones
Teacher
Joseph Welsh Elementary School
Red Deer Public School District

"The internet is like a knife. It's a valuable tool that we use every day – but used incorrectly or irresponsibly, it can be dangerous. It can cut you, hurt you and it can hurt others." With the explosion of online tools like MSN, MySpace, Facebook and the easily accessible use of cell phones and personal communication devises, kids must come to understand that there are appropriate ways to communicate and relate to each other when using any technology. Join Rob as he takes you on a tour of a number of websites that provide videos, information and interactive experiences for students, teachers and parents alike.

Robert Cowie
Principal
Glenmore Christian Academy
Palliser Regional Schools

A student's educational environment can be defined by the quality of three factors; cognitive, emotional and physical. All of these factors can also contribute in a significant way to the character development of students. In this workshop Jan explores an often overlooked factor that influences student character development and learning – the physical environment. Recent research studies have strongly supported the position that shaping the physical environment can have a positive impact on both staff and students beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours, as well as on student achievement.

In his presentation Jan shares real life stories that demonstrate how to shape the classroom and school-wide physical environments. Including how to:

• Use the environment to reinforce expectations for good character
• Involve students in shaping their physical environment
• Shape the physical environment to support the imbedding character development into curriculum goals, service learning, and assessment and evaluation
• Improve the quality of the physical environment in a way that changes student behaviour and raises academic achievement
• Create a safer learning environment with less vandalism, bullying, aggressive and disrespectful behaviour

Jan Olsson
Author and Principal
Huntsville High School

This presentation is based on Hal's long-awaited new (Spring 2008) book of the same title. Both the book and the presentation are for teachers at all grade levels, and they're upbeat, lively, and funny! The focus is on creating a "Caring Community" on the campus and in the classroom. It's about helping kids develop solid character traits while maintaining high academic standards. It's about bringing out the best in them: positive attitude, good manners, kind words, hard work, and clean humor. Urban, the author of the best-selling LIFE"S GREATEST LESSONS and an award-winning public school teacher for 35 years, will share with us his simple, practical, and do-able strategies for helping teachers become their best and for bringing out the best in their students.

Hal Urban
Teacher, Author and Speaker
www.halurban.com

Hal Urban was born in San Francisco and grew up in the northern California town of Redding. He went to college on an academic/athletic scholarship, attending the University of San Francisco, where he made the Dean's Honor Roll every semester, played Division I basketball, was a student body officer, and president of his fraternity.

Urban continued his education at USF, earning a California teaching credential, a Master's degree in history, and a Doctorate in education. He did post-doctoral work at Stanford University in the Psychology of Peak Performance.

He was a teacher for thirty-six years: full time at San Carlos and Woodside High Schools, and part time at his alma mater, the University of San Francisco. He won numerous awards at both levels, including the Character Center's National Educator of the Year award in 1999. Students at USF awarded him the Lifelong Learning Award in 1988 and the Most Supportive Professor Award in 1990. He won a Distinguished Teacher Award at San Carlos High and was Teacher of the Year twice at Woodside High. He served as a Mentor Teacher five times in his school district.

Dr. Urban has been on the speaking circuit since 1995. He has traveled more than a million miles, and has made more than a thousand presentations in forty states and in five foreign countries. One of his presentations was a keynote address in the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. He speaks to teachers at all grade levels, students of all ages, and parents. He has keynoted at several state and national conferences. In addition, he speaks to people in business, health care, service organizations, and places of worship.

This presentation will give you easy to use ideas for the classroom and school that address many different character traits or qualities. Lots of ideas, from how to start a character education program to motivating students and staff to make a program successful, will be presented. Their philosophy centers around the idea that when students are engaged, terrific learning opportunities happen both socially and academically.

Jolaine Kunz
Teacher
Dorothy Dalgliesh School
Palliser Regional Schools

Jodi Gurr
Teacher
Dorothy Dalgliesh School
Palliser Regional Schools

This presentation combines practice and research on the role of the principal in implementing, developing and sustaining embedded character education programs in elementary-middle schools. Long-term observations and interviews with principals in three public schools, as well as 10 years of leader experience in such settings provide the background material. We will describe the experience of becoming a school of character from the leadership point of view: what works, what doesn't, and moving from planning into reality.

About the Speakers Veronika Bohac Clarke is Associate Professor at the University of Calgary where she teaches courses and conducts research on character education and spirituality. Donna Crawford is a former principal and current educational consultant working in the fields of character education and alternative public schools. Darlene Unruh has worked in character schools as a leader for the last 10 years. She is currently opening a brand new school, thus starting the process of becoming a school of character once again from the beginning.

Veronika Bohac Clarke
Associate Professor
University of Calgary

Donna Crawford
Former Principal & Current Education Consultant

Darlene Unruh
Principal
Calgary Board of Education

This presentation is based on Hal's long-awaited new (Spring 2008) book of the same title. Both the book and the presentation are for teachers at all grade levels, and they're upbeat, lively, and funny! The focus is on creating a "Caring Community" on the campus and in the classroom. It's about helping kids develop solid character traits while maintaining high academic standards. It's about bringing out the best in them: positive attitude, good manners, kind words, hard work, and clean humor. Urban, the author of the best-selling LIFE"S GREATEST LESSONS and an award-winning public school teacher for 35 years, will share with us his simple, practical, and do-able strategies for helping teachers become their best and for bringing out the best in their students.

Hal Urban
Teacher, Author and Speaker
www.halurban.com

Hal Urban was born in San Francisco and grew up in the northern California town of Redding. He went to college on an academic/athletic scholarship, attending the University of San Francisco, where he made the Dean's Honor Roll every semester, played Division I basketball, was a student body officer, and president of his fraternity.

Urban continued his education at USF, earning a California teaching credential, a Master's degree in history, and a Doctorate in education. He did post-doctoral work at Stanford University in the Psychology of Peak Performance.

He was a teacher for thirty-six years: full time at San Carlos and Woodside High Schools, and part time at his alma mater, the University of San Francisco. He won numerous awards at both levels, including the Character Center's National Educator of the Year award in 1999. Students at USF awarded him the Lifelong Learning Award in 1988 and the Most Supportive Professor Award in 1990. He won a Distinguished Teacher Award at San Carlos High and was Teacher of the Year twice at Woodside High. He served as a Mentor Teacher five times in his school district.

Dr. Urban has been on the speaking circuit since 1995. He has traveled more than a million miles, and has made more than a thousand presentations in forty states and in five foreign countries. One of his presentations was a keynote address in the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. He speaks to teachers at all grade levels, students of all ages, and parents. He has keynoted at several state and national conferences. In addition, he speaks to people in business, health care, service organizations, and places of worship.

This presentation will give you easy to use ideas for the classroom and school that address many different character traits or qualities. Lots of ideas, from how to start a character education program to motivating students and staff to make a program successful, will be presented. Their philosophy centers around the idea that when students are engaged, terrific learning opportunities happen both socially and academically.

Jolaine Kunz
Teacher
Dorothy Dalgliesh School
Palliser Regional Schools

Jodi Gurr
Teacher
Dorothy Dalgliesh School
Palliser Regional Schools

This presentation combines practice and research on the role of the principal in implementing, developing and sustaining embedded character education programs in elementary-middle schools. Long-term observations and interviews with principals in three public schools, as well as 10 years of leader experience in such settings provide the background material. We will describe the experience of becoming a school of character from the leadership point of view: what works, what doesn't, and moving from planning into reality.

About the Speakers Veronika Bohac Clarke is Associate Professor at the University of Calgary where she teaches courses and conducts research on character education and spirituality. Donna Crawford is a former principal and current educational consultant working in the fields of character education and alternative public schools. Darlene Unruh has worked in character schools as a leader for the last 10 years. She is currently opening a brand new school, thus starting the process of becoming a school of character once again from the beginning.

Veronika Bohac Clarke
Associate Professor
University of Calgary

Donna Crawford
Former Principal & Current Education Consultant

Darlene Unruh
Principal
Calgary Board of Education