September 23, 2016

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Steven R. Staples, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT: 2016 AdvancED Annual Fall Conference

The Virginia AdvancED Council extends an invitation to all division superintendents, principals, assistant principals, instructional leaders, and teachers to attend the 2016 AdvancED Annual Fall Conference entitled  Discover. Improve. Succeed.  The conference will be held October 24-25, 2016 at the Renaissance Portsmouth-Norfolk Waterfront Hotel.

The AdvancED conference will reveal the new AdvancED Performance Standards and review protocol to guide institutions through a personalized and meaningful improvement experience. Topics will include the following:

• Introduce new AdvancED Standards for Quality for institutions hosting an External Review in the 2017-18 school year and beyond
• Demonstrate methods of quality evidence collection in preparation for the External Review
• Present AdvancED's new certification for STEM schools

Small group and general sessions will provide opportunities to foster ingenuity, build relationships, and encourage collaborative learning.  Keynote Speakers will include Dr. Billy K. Cannaday, President of the Virginia Board of Education, Mr. Elliott Southard, the South Carolina Principal of AdvancED's first STEM certified institution, and Dr. Leslie Ballard, Director of the AdvancED Indiana office.  Institutions that have recently hosted an External Review will present sessions on their experiences and process for evidence gathering.   

For details and registration, visit the conference site at: http://www.cvent.com/d/xfqd7v.  Take advantage of the early registration by October 3, 2016. Lodging at the Renaissance is available at the state rate by mentioning "AdvancED conference."  For questions about the conference please contact AdvancED staff listed on the registration site.

SRS/CAH/pk