2021 MDE Back-to-School Conference
The Minnesota Department of Education
and
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators

2021 Back to School Conference: Reconnecting
Wednesday, August 4, 2021
8 - 10 am
Convened Virtually - No cost but you must register
Register online!

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 2020 Available Handouts
 Tuesday, August 11

GENERAL SESSION
Anchoring our Work during COVID-19
Susan Klammer, Epidemiologist at the Minnesota Department of Health, School Liaison for the COVID-19 Response
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BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Round 1
School Year 20-21 Planning for Students with Disabilities: Overview on Health and Education Programming, Due Process, Funding Issues and Guidance for Delivering Direct Student Support Services
Presenters: Robyn Widley, MDE, Director, Special Education; Denise Herrmann, MDH, Child Health Consultant, Child, and Teen Checkups; Marikay Canaga Litzau, MDE, Director, Compliance, and Assistance; Sara Winter, MDE, Supervisor, Compliance, and Assistance; Paul Ferrin, MDE, Supervisor, Special Education Funding; Tom Delaney, MDE, Supervisor, Special Education
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Restorative Practices in Schools: Building and maintaining relationships
Presenters: Nancy Riestenberg, Restorative Practices Specialist, School Climate Center; Rebecca McCammon, Restorative Practices Program Coordinator, St. Paul Public Schools, Office of School Support 
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PreK-3 in Current Times—New Tools to Support Your Work
Presenters: Mike Brown, Early Learning Services Education Specialist; June Reineke, Early Learning Services Education Specialist; Elizabeth Vaught, School Support Educator Development and Evaluation
Presenter(s): Andre Prahl, Director of Agency Finance; Michael Diedrich, ESEA Policy Specialist
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CARES Act Funds in Education
Presenter(s): Andre Prahl, Director of Agency Finance; Michael Diedrich, ESEA Policy Specialist 
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BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Round 2
Partnership During Pandemic
Presenters: Leah Larson, State Libraries LSTA Grant Coordinator; Edina Public Schools Media Staff - Steve Buettner, Sean Beaverson, Sara Swenson, and Mike Walker 
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Examples From the Field: Comprehensive School Mental Health Quality Improvement Initiatives in All Three Scenarios
Presenter: Lisa Hoogheem, Student Support Specialist
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State-District Partnerships: Developing Implementation Capacity to Improve Equitable Outcomes
Presenters: MDE - Carolyn Cherry, Supervisor, Results and Improvement-Special Education; Eric Kloos, Assistant Director, Special Education; and Osseo Area Schools Jan Bitzer, Student Services Coordinator; Kate Emmons, Director of Student Services; Cory McIntyre, Superintendent
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Responding to COVID and Serving Families and Communities through the Full-Service Community Schools Model
Presenters: Dennis Duffy, School Improvement Supervisor; Jackie Blagsvedt, School Improvement Program Specialist; June Reineke, Early Learning Services Education Specialist; Julie Ruzek, Coordinator of Family and Community Partnerships, Rochester Public Schools
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BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Round 3
State of State Assessment System
Presenter: Jennifer Dugan, Director, Statewide Student Assessment and Data Analytics
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Serving School Meals in a COVID-19 World
Presenter: Debra Lukkonen, MDE School Nutrition Program Supervisor
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COVID-19 Testing Process
Presenters: Meredith Vadis, Regional Administrator, Metropolitan Council, and State Testing Workgroup Lead; Grace Arnold, Deputy Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Commerce
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HANDOUT - REGIONAL STAFF
HANDOUT - BILLING

Leading with a Learner Lens
Presenters: Ann Mitchell, Principal Leadership, School Support Panelists: Dr. Shawn Harris-Berry, Associate Superintendent, Minneapolis Public Schools; Yusuf Abdullah, Principal, Patrick Henry High School; Rachel Udstuen, Superintendent, Spring Grove Public Schools
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BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Round 4
Reflecting on Distance Learning to Inform Planning for the Effective Use Technology with Title, IV, Part A
Presenters: Sarah Carter, STEM/Computer Science Specialist/Title IV, Part A Co-Program Specialist Lead; Kate Beesch Title IV, Part A Program Specialist Lead
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Equity and Civil Rights in Education
Presenters: Irina Vaynerman, Minnesota Department of Human Rights Deputy Commissioner; Dr. Lanise Block, Minnesota Department of Human Rights Education Equity Consultant and Founder/CEO of Sankore Consulting
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We Are a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) – A focus on Truancy, Attendance, and Grades
Presenter: John Gimpl, State Implementation Specialist
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Ed-Fi and Staff Support
Presenters: Sharon Peck, School Finance Supervisor; Tara Chapa, School Finance Technical Support Specialist; Susan Anderson, Brainerd Public Schools; Sonja Rowland, Bemidji Area Schools; Mark Bjornrud, Schoolcraft Learning Community; Miriam Janechek, PhD, Public Engagement & Outreach | Statewide Student Assessment and Data Analytics
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Wednesday, August 12

BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Round 1
What is Ed-Fi?: Now and the Future
Presenters: Gayra Ostgaard, Data Management Coordinator, Data Analytics; David Reeg, IT Development Supervisor; Sharon Peck, School Finance Supervisor; Tara Chapa, School Finance Ed-Fi Technical Support; Avisia Whiteman, Early Education Research Analyst; Karen Millette Data Analytics Project Manager; Susan Anderson, Brainerd Public Schools; Sonja Rowland; Bemidji Area Schools; Mark Bjornrud; Schoolcraft Learning Community
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Reimagining Assessment and Data Practices to Guide Learning for All Students During the Pandemic
Presenters: Kendra Olsen, Outreach Specialist Statewide Student Assessment and Data; Ann Mitchell, Principal Leadership School Support; Ben Barton, Superintendent of Princeton Public Schools; Donna Roper, Director of Research and Evaluation Edina Public Schools; Michael Walker, Director of Black Student Achievement Minneapolis Public Schools; Jessica Town-Gunderson, Director of Teaching and Learning – Princeton Public Schools
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How to build relational trust and dismantle systems and expectations that divide schools and families
Presenters: Jackie Blagsvedt, School Improvement Program Specialist, Jeanne Dickhausen, Head Start Collaboration Director
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Increasing Achievement for Multilingual Learners in Greater Minnesota
Presenter: Dr. Amy Young, EL Specialist, School Support
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​BREAKOUT SESSIONS - Round 2
CDC and MDE assistance in fall school reopening activities after the spring distance learning period due to COVID-19
Presenters: Bobbie Burnham, Assistant Commissioner; Sheila Oehrlein, Supervisor, Youth Development and Health Promotion Team; Margo Chresand, RN, LSN, MPH, MS, Education Specialist; Gail Anderson, MPH, Project Coordinator; Terri Swartout, School Health Coordinator; Mary Thissen-Milder, Ph.D., Physical Education Consultant; Jeremy Vann, School Health Services Coordinator
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Promising Practices in Distance Learning for Students with Disabilities
Presenters: MDE - Carolyn Cherry, Supervisor, Results and Improvement-Special Education; Eric Kloos, Assistant Director, Special Education; Dan Torrez, Alternative and Preventative Services Specialist, Special Education; UofM - Jana Ferguson, Check & Connect Project Coordinator
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