State Principals Conference

State Principals Conference
December 7-8, 2022
Cornhusker Marriott - Lincoln, NE
Preregistration is closed.  Drop by the onsite registration table to join.

This annual event brings together elementary, middle, and secondary principals from across the state for professional development and networking.

Wednesday, December 7, 2022
12:30     Registration and Exhibits Open

1:00       Welcome
              Legislative Update with Dr. Mike Dulaney and Kyle McGowan, NCSA
             #PrincipalRodeo
This participant-driven session is designed to provide professional development for the unique needs of principals.  Registrants will be contacted ahead of time for topic ideas to best utilize time. Join us at the #PrincipalRodeo to learn about the hottest topics and developments in the principalship! 

2:30      Break and Exhibit Visit

3:00      Concurrent NSASSP and NAESP Legal Sessions

4:00      Social at Sideshow Spirits
After an afternoon packed full of information, you deserve some fun! Join your colleagues from across the state at Sideshow Spirits for beverages, snacks, and camaraderie. 

5:30      Dinner on your own

Thursday, December 8, 2022
8:00     Continental Breakfast and Exhibits Open

8:30     Welcome & Building Culture with Todd Nesloney
Todd Nesloney is the Director of Culture and Strategic Leadership for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA). He has also served as an award-winning principal of a PreK-5th Grade campus of over 775 students in a rural town in Texas. He has been recognized by the White House, John C Maxwell, the Center for Digital Education, National School Board Association, the BAMMYS, and more for his work in education and with children. Todd co-authored, Kids Deserve It!, a runaway hit. Since then he has authored, Stories From Webb, Sparks in the Dark with Travis Crowder, and, When Kids Lead with Adam Dovico. His children’s book, Spruce and Lucy was also released in March 2020. He hosts the podcast, Tell Your Story and is very active on social media under the moniker Tech Ninja Todd. He is passionate about doing whatever it takes for our students and helping others tell their story.

10:15   Select-a-Session I
Know Better, Do Better
Brittany Sullivan, Norris Public Schools
This session provides an opportunity to gain the perspective of a new school administrator, providing her insight and inspiration through her own top 10 meaningful takeaways of what it means to be a school leader...drawing on her "why" and connecting it to the "how". In hopes of challenging others to identify...what do you live by, in going the distance for others in education?

Because Teachers Need More Than a Jean Day
Andrew Easton, ESUCC
With educator burnout at an all-time high, it's imperative schools support their staff with more than the appreciated yet arbitrary jeans days and extra classroom work time. This session explores five practical alternatives that school leaders can implement to enhance the health and wellness of the staff they serve. Making these measures a priority enhances a district's ability to build a culture that will retain and attract good teachers to your school(s).

Tell Your Story 
Todd Nesloney
Time after time we find ourselves getting lost in stories. We go on adventures, suffer heartache, celebrate wildly, and suspend belief as we consume the story of others. But how often do you find yourself sharing YOUR story? Letting others experience your journey. In this session, Todd Nesloney will share with you pieces of his story and how important it is for others to experience yours. He'll share practical ways that you can take that first step, tools you can use, and ways to overcome that fear and self-doubt. Why? Because every story matters.

New Brain Leadership: Supporting Learners with Neurodiversity (Slides)
Paige Parsons, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Schools
Ever wonder what it's like to spend the day in the brain of someone with neurodiversity? Maybe you wish you had better strategies to support your students with ADHD, sensory disorders, or other processing needs. Come join this session that will have hands-on examples, quality discussion, and strategies that will support your students with neurodiversity in your classroom. You'll hear the good, bad, and hopeful straight from a neurodiverse school administrator that's trying to function in a neurotypical school.

11:15   Select-a-Session II
Collaborative Student Problem-Solving at Thayer Central
Eric Hoops, Thayer Central Elementary Schools
Thayer Central Elementary School is committed to ensuring all students learn at high levels and learn the necessary social skills to be productive members of society. Thayer Central Elementary School has established a Collaborative Problem-Solving Team to meet the needs of students that need additional intervention to be successful in the school setting. Through the implementation of a clearly defined process, the Collaborative Team has assisted several students to experience success in the school setting. This session will describe the process used to form this team, as well as the procedures that are used by the team to assist students to learn at high levels and be productive members of society.

Secondary (7-12) MTSS Process…Just Gimme the Guts
Jen Hagen and Jaime Camden, St. Paul Public School
In this session, St. Paul Public School's 7-12 Principal and School Counselor will share their MTSS process with participants...where they started, where they are now, and where they hope to be by next school year. All digital resources will be shared with participants to leave with "guts" in hand.

Advocacy: Sharing Our Stories
Brandon Mowinkel, Anna Thoma, and Patrick Moore, NSASSP
Erin Sieh, Erin Gonzalez, and Mark Johnson NAESP
When it comes to policymaking, principals' voices need to be heard. However, many administrators are hesitant to become involved for various reasons. However, Legislators and Congressional members need to hear from those directly involved in leading school buildings. The NAESP & NSASSP 2022 National Advocacy Team members will share their advocacy experiences and give tips on getting started and staying engaged in local, state, and national advocacy efforts.

5 Ways to Become a Better Leader (Slides) (Handout)
Hannah Miller, TeamMates Mentoring Program
Backed by years of research, the Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment has revolutionized the way people interact with one another. The TeamMates Mentoring Program's strength-based model has made it possible for adults and students to connect through what makes them uniquely awesome. Hear from TeamMates' Marketing and Recruitment Manager, Hannah Miller, on ways to better connect with your staff through powerful questions, strengths-based leadership, and community engagement.

12:00   Awards Lunch

1:15     Select-a-Session III
Making the Shift: Moving ELA Instruction from Journeys to CKLA
Sarah Sell and Heather Wendelin, Crete Public Schools
The 2019-2020 school year was the year that Crete Public Schools was scheduled to adopt a new PK-5 ELA resource. The adoption was postponed. Then March 2020 happened and everything changed. Come learn about our "journey" as we transitioned from Journeys to CKLA during the height of the pandemic and the instructional shifts that came with it.

Tobacco Free Schools: Supportive Strategies for Creating and Sustaining 100% Tobacco-Free School Environments (Handout)
Amy Roberts, American Heart Association-Nebraska
Is tobacco use an issue in your school district? As youth tobacco use has increased over the past several years, schools have increasingly become one of the “front lines” of the youth vaping epidemic. This session will provide you with an overview of the strategies, model language, and tools you need to create and sustain a 100% tobacco-free school environment. At the end of this session, attendees will have a better understanding of the tools and resources available to either create or update your school tobacco use policy and how the American Heart Association can support your school in becoming a 100% tobacco-free school.

Collective Efficacy: From Buzzword to Reality
Anna Thoma, Millard Public Schools
This session will dive into what collective efficacy is, why it is important and how leaders can promote collective teacher efficacy in their buildings. We will look at the theory and research behind collective efficacy and then work to build a bank of strategies to implement to foster the environment that enables collective teacher efficacy in the school setting. Leaders will leave with concrete ideas of how to continue building collective efficacy when they return to their buildings.

Leadership: Supporting Mindset, Culture, and Buy-In
Scott Sturgeon, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Using concepts and strategies from the book, Yeah, But What About This Kid, participants will learn how to support positive changes in mindset, school culture, and staff buy-in, specifically in addressing student behaviors.