Do you look at your students and wonder why they aren't making academic gains? Do you wonder why students aren't attending school and staff have given up? The presenters worked with three diverse secondary schools to rewrite the playbook for student and staff connectedness. The resulting climate of these buildings have shown staff and students that everyone benefits when the entire community works together. This session will allow participants to engage in the strategies used with the staff at these schools. Additionally, participants will create a plan to begin or enhance the work of connecting staff as a catalyst for change.
Jessica Graziano is a veteran teacher with over two decades of experience supporting both students and schools in diverse socio-economic settings. She has made it her life’s work to promote equity for all students. Her recent work as a Title I teacher has put her at the center of the struggle for great schools for all students and communities. She supports youth to earn their diplomas and make small changes in their present reality to encourage significant changes in their future. She recently published her book, “Don’t Skip the BBQ” a resource for building connections as an instructional leader.
Andranel Brown attended a variety of schools on three continents and is familiar with the fun and struggles that accompany being the “new kid”. During her senior year of high school, her teachers went on strike to advocate for legislation that would support students and the desire to support teachers and improve the American education system took root. After tiring of driving bus tours in National Parks, she decided to follow her calling to support young people pursue their dreams and earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. In addition to teaching language arts to middle school students at a Title I School, Andranel helped found Anchorage STrEaM Academy and supported teachers and administrators with school improvement as an Instructional Coach. She has worked as a full-release early-career teacher mentor in Oregon and has recently returned to the classroom as a high school English teacher in the most diverse high school in the country.