22^nd Annual HSTW Staff Development Conference

Dear District, School and Teacher Leaders:

The theme for this year’s conference is Skills for Success in the 21st Century.

The purpose of the 22nd Annual HSTW Staff Development Conference is to inform state, district, school and teacher leaders about practices in high schools and middle grades schools that will increase high school completion rates and postsecondary and workplace success of students.

It is important that high school students facing graduation are ready for postsecondary education and a career. The preparation for life after high school begins in the middle grades and extends through the 12th grade. Attend and learn how to build transitions from the middle grades to high school and from high school to further education and careers; how to motivate students to want to succeed; and how to increase student success.

We invite high school and middle grades school teachers and leaders who are making progress towards increasing the success and achievement of all students to submit proposals to present. It is important to share with the entire HSTW/MMGW network your school’s or district’s best practices, successful strategies and school improvement techniques.

I encourage you to send a team of school and teacher leaders from your school; district office; and cooperating middle grades school, high school and postsecondary institution. Please also look at the pre-conference workshops. These in-depth training sessions allow participants to focus on a single topic and develop individualized plans of action to take back to the school or district.

We look forward to seeing you in Nashville.

Gene Bottoms
Senior Vice President
Southern Regional Education Board