Teams will focus on one of five topics:

• "Building the Professional Learning Community: Getting It Started and Keeping It Going," with acclaimed international speaker and consultant Pam Robbins
• "How to Implement and Sustain PBS in Your School," with nationally-respected consultant Dr. Dale Myers  
• "The Struggling Reader: Narrowing the Achievement Gap," with celebrated educator and author Quality Quinn
• "Planning and Implementing a Quality Writing Program for Your School," with respected researcher and educator Peter Bellamy
• "Mathematics: Designing Your School/District Mathematics Program to Maximize Student Success and Meet State Expectations, with the Oregon Math Leaders Cadre

"The theme of this year's conference, 'Together We Can,' indicates that we can become the best educational leaders by learning from each other," COSA Professional Development Director Colin Cameron says.  "Additionally, we can be our best as school districts if we choose to work together and align programs and resources K-12.  We're better and stronger when we work together and learn together."

Following the conference's first day, which is devoted to the work of school teams, the second and third days will focus on sharing the best practices in Oregon so that principals learn to better lead improvement efforts in academics, school climate and other areas of focus.  Principals will also meet with legislative leaders and experts to learn how they can more effectively influence state policy and decision-making.

The second day of the conference (Tuesday, January 16) will kick off with keynote remarks from Robbins, and will feature special OASSA and OESPA luncheons and awards ceremonies.  Breakout sessions for Tuesday and Wednesday will include:

• Data Driven Reading Improvement (Stan Paine)
• Planning for Reading Instruction (Brian Gander)
• High School Reading (Darin Drill)
• Statewide Assessment Update (Doug Kosty)
• Achievement Standards Review (Barbara Wolf)
• Professional Learning Communities/Reform for NCLB (Eric Swenson)
• Hazing and Harassment (Bill Bowers)
• Differentiated Instruction (Cathy Chenail)
• Writing Achievement (Mary Palmer Nowland)
• Breaking Ranks, Middle School and High School (Erin Hamilton)
• Reading Observation Strategies (Janis Shade)
• Legislative Influence (Chuck Bennett) 

Registration for the full conference and/or the first day only is available online.  For more information, please contact Colin Cameron.

The conference is being held at the beautiful, new Salem Conference Center.  Click here to make your hotel reservation.  Enter Attendee Code “COSA” to access room reservations at the special conference rates.