Agenda

We have a powerful day of learning, meeting new people, and action planned for you! We’ll transition between whole group sessions and small group conversations, as well as time for networking and taking action. 

8:30–9:10

Registration

Education and civic engagement organizations from across the region will be set up at tables waiting to talk with you about their work + how you can get involved!

9:15-10:15

Where Education Policy is Made

We’ll kick off the day together talking about what policy is made at the local and state levels. As we always say, to be an effective advocate, you have to know who to advocate to!

10:30-11:30

Keynote with US Representative Greg Landsman

Learn straight from someone in the thick of national policy making about the impacts of Congressional legislation on our schools.

 

11:30-12:10

Lunch & Relationship Building

Get to know other advocates and elected officials! The bigger your network, the louder your voice!

12:10-1:10

Breakout Sessions!

Choose from:

  • Re-Imagining School

  • Follow The Money

  • How To Craft Your Message

  • Mental Matters: Supporting Student Mental Health

1:20-2:20

Breakout Sessions!

Choose from:

  • What’s Happening At The State Level

  • Organizing 101

  • Embracing Neurodivergence

  • Chat with School Board Members & District Administrators

 

2:30-3:30

Breakout Sessions!

Choose from:

  • Organizing in the Suburbs

  • What Makes A Good School?

  • Election Awareness

    Why School Boards Matter

3:40-4:00

Get Involved + Take Action!

Help spread the word about this year’s school board elections, and come away with questions to ask candidates.

We’ll also all make action commitments, declaring what we will do with our new knowledge and network!

4:00-4:30

Candidate Meet & Greet, and Happy Hour

Come meet candidates for school board and ask them questions, or stay to mingle and continue building relationships with other committed advocates from across the region!

 
 

Breakout Sessions!

12:10-1:10

Choose from:

  • Re-Imagining School

    • Jeff Stec

    • The education system may seem set in stone, but hear from students and others who are reimagining what school could look like and offer.

  • Follow The Money

    • John Espy, Jennifer Wagner

    • Find out how school and district budgets are determined, how they work, and where the money goes, including levies and 5-10 yr. Forecasts.

  • How To Craft Your Message

    • Elisa Hoffman

    • Speaking up is an important part of advocacy, and this session will train you on how to make your voice heard.

  • Mental Matters: Supporting Student Mental Health

    • Erin Saul, Susan Shelton

    • Student mental health is critical in their education, and this session will teach you to identify ACES and about using social-emotional learning to support students.

Breakout Sessions!

1:20-2:20

Choose from:

  • What’s Happening At The State Level

    • Rep Dani Isaacsohn, Katie Hofmann, Rachel Coyle,

    • Learn about key events from 2023 involving the statehouse and state board of education regarding education policy and actions you can take to influence policy at the state level. 

  • Organizing 101

    • Jessica Moore

    • Learn how to organize your friends, neighbors, and community around education issues that matter to you.

  • Embracing Neurodivergence

    • Find the ways neurodivergent students can be supported and included in their schools, including special education resources and community support.

  • Chat with School Board Members & District Administrators

    • Anthony Smith, Lauren Worley,

    • Learn what school board members are responsible for and how they make decisions from current and former school board members.

Breakout Sessions!

2:30-3:30

Choose from:

  • Organizing in the Suburbs

    • Julie Womack

    • The suburbs have seen an increased anti-equity push by extremists, and this session is all about how to organize in your suburban community for a safe, equitable school district.

  • What Makes A Good School?

    • Indi Ekanayake, Christopher Grant, Stacey Hill-Simmons

    • Instead of what’s not going well, this session is designed to give you a look at what’s working inside various schools from leadership who are leading the charge.

  • Election Awareness

    • Ethan Nichols, Nate Brown

    • Find out when and how to vote in Greater Cincinnati, who is on your ballot and what they stand for and why it’s important to vote.

  • Why School Boards Matter

    • AJ Crabill (tentative)

    • Learn why student outcome-focused school boards are so rare and how to hold your local school boards accountable on student achievement.

 

Breakout Sessions!

12:10-1:10

Re-Imagining School

  • Jeff Stec

  • The education system may seem set in stone, but hear from students and others who are reimagining what school could look like and offer.

Follow The Money

  • John Espy, Jennifer Wagner

  • Find out how school and district budgets are determined, how they work, and where the money goes, including levies and 5-10 yr. Forecasts.

How To Craft Your Message

  • Elisa Hoffman

  • Speaking up is an important part of advocacy, and this session will train you on how to make your voice heard.

Mental Matters: Supporting Student Mental Health

  • Erin Saul, Susan Shelton

  • Student mental health is critical in their education, and this session will teach you to identify ACES and about using social-emotional learning to support students.

 

Breakout Sessions!

1:20-2:20

What’s Happening At The State Level

  • Rep Dani Isaacsohn, Katie Hofmann, Rachel Coyle,

  • Learn about key events from 2023 involving the statehouse and state board of education regarding education policy and actions you can take to influence policy at the state level. 

Organizing 101

  • Jessica Moore

  • Learn how to organize your friends, neighbors, and community around education issues that matter to you.

Embracing Neurodivergence

  • Find the ways neurodivergent students can be supported and included in their schools, including special education resources and community support.

Chat with School Board Members & District Administrators

  • Anthony Smith, Lauren Worley,

  • Learn what school board members are responsible for and how they make decisions from current and former school board members.

 

Breakout Sessions!

2:30-3:30

Organizing in the Suburbs

  • Julie Womack

  • The suburbs have seen an increased anti-equity push by extremists, and this session is all about how to organize in your suburban community for a safe, equitable school district.

What Makes A Good School?

  • Indi Ekanayake, Christopher Grant, Stacey Hill-Simmons

  • Instead of what’s not going well, this session is designed to give you a look at what’s working inside various schools from leadership who are leading the charge.

Election Awareness

  • Ethan Nichols, Nate Brown

  • Find out when and how to vote in Greater Cincinnati, who is on your ballot and what they stand for and why it’s important to vote.

Why School Boards Matter

  • AJ Crabill (tentative)

  • Learn why student outcome-focused school boards are so rare and how to hold your local school boards accountable on student achievement.