Workshop Presenters VIRGINIA BLAIS Virginia is a lower school EAL teacher at Taipei American School. She has been teaching EAL for 15 years and has taught in the USA, Spain, Nepal, and Taiwan.Virginia has also worked as a curriculum consultant for WIDA and developed professional learning opportunities for the implementation of the WIDA framework in international school settings. She has helped to pilot an academic language portfolio for English language learners and trains teachers in developing inter-rater reliability for working with the WIDA rubrics and assessments. She has facilitated an EARCOS Weekend Workshop and the WIDA Summer Academy for international school teachers. She has a BS in biology and Spanish from Syracuse University, a BS in multi-disciplinary studies, and a MAT in ESOL with a certificate in professional development and teacher training from the School for International Training. LORI BOLL Lori is an experienced special education leader with a personal connection to individuals with disabilities. In 2003, her son Braden was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. This milestone event changed her focus from teaching elementary students to advocating for all children and all learners. In Shanghai Lori worked as a program director for a school focused on students with special needs and went on to co-found another school, SHINE Academy (www.ShineAcademy.Asia), also for students with special needs. Lori has two graduate degrees, one in reading education and the other in special education and has been teaching for over 20 years in international schools around the world and in the United States. She is currently an academic support counselor at Concordia International School, Shanghai, but has accepted a new position as middle school learning support teacher at International School Bangkok beginning in August 2015. JILL BROMENSCHENKEL Jill is a teaching and learning specialist with a passion for student engagement, professional collaboration, and serving diverse learners. She has teaching, administration, and instructional coaching experience in the US and international schools in Asia. Jill began her career as a classroom teacher and has been an ELL teacher, K12 ELL coordinator, district literacy and integration coordinator, regional specialist, and middle school principal. She now works closely with schools to develop systems for student language immersion and academic access, social media and technology connections, and collaborative professional learning. She is also a part of Alan November’s November Learning Team and a presenter at local, regional. and international conferences. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in learning technologies with Pepperdine University. Jill claims many places around the world as ‘home’, is never done traveling and connecting, and is happy to be tracked down on twitter as @jillbromen. KATHY CASSIDY Kathy is an award-winning grade one teacher from Canada who is passionate about literacy and about connecting her classroom with the world. Her students regularly learn from and with people and classrooms from around the world. Kathy has a classroom blog and her students each have their own blogs which are digital portfolios reflecting their learning in all subject areas. These portfolios include images, video, podcasts, and other evidence of their learning. Kathy is an Apple Distinguished Educator, an author, and speaker.
MARILYN GEORGE Marilyn has been the associate executive director of the Accrediting Commission for Schools, the Western Association for Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), since 1987. In addition to her knowledge of international accreditation and ongoing school improvement her areas of expertise are school curriculum/instruction/assessment and professional development. As the associate executive director, her responsibilities for the entire ACS WASC region include: working with international, national, and state governments, ACS WASC partner associations, school districts and individual schools in developing and refinement of overall policies, understandings, and detailed procedures; creating/ refining accreditation criteria, materials and processes; developing/ conducting/ facilitating training for all visiting committees/school leaders; training of trainers; supervising and organizing visiting committees and improving related office operations; advising and working with educators and professional associations; and assisting the executive director with numerous tasks/issues. Prior to joining ACS WASC, she has taught at the K-12 and college levels and has been a professional development specialist, a trainer, a consultant, and a high school district administrator of professional development and state/federal programs. She has given presentations and written articles and other publications in the areas of staff development, mentoring, and accreditation. Her degrees are from Westminster College (B.S.), University of Wisconsin, Madison (M.S.), and University of California Los Angeles, UCLA, (Ed.D.). MATTHEW GLOVER Matt is a full time author and consultant. He is the author of four books, including most recently, Projecting Possibilities for Writers: The How, What, and Why of Designing Units of Study, K-5 which supports teachers in designing units of study based on a stack of mentor texts. He is also the author of Engaging Young Writers, and the co-author with Katie Wood Ray of Already Ready and Sit Down and Teach Up, a video enhanced e-book that includes video clips of writing conferences with young children. Mr. Glover is currently working on a book with Kathy Collins focused on emergent readers. He is a frequent presenter at conferences and in school districts across the US on topics related to supporting children’s intellectual growth and development. Matt has been an educator for over 20 years, including 12 years as the principal and instructional leader of Creekside Early Childhood School. mattglover@me.com
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EARCOS Teachers’ Conference 2015
