WCPSS 2026 Summer Leadership Conference

WCPSS 2026 Summer Leadership Conference

2026 WCPSS Summer Leadership Conference Onward Together - Leading with Compassion and Courage

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

7:30am EDT

Arrival / Sign-In TBA

8:30am EDT

Navigating New Waters: Empowering International Ambassador Teachers to Find Their Flow Sanford Conference RoomCally Weller • Mayra Szeto • Jen Pitarra Best Practices and Tools for Giving Effective Feedback (New APs) Room 19Dr. Maria Rosa Rangel Using Change Models to Decrease Barriers and Improve Collaboration Room 15Shejuanna Jacobs Coaching Without Taking Over: Unlocking PLCs Through Strategic Questioning Room 14Renee Puckett Support to Impact: Cultivating Mentor Coordinators as Leaders Fuquay-VarinaMayra Szeto • Bridgette Crose • Jaime Mousty • Jennifer Ouellette • Paul Scholl The Power of 2: Less Process, More Impact in PLCs Room 17Erin Thaler Restorative Mindset ApexMichele Woodson • Lisa Allred From Awareness to Action: Leading for Change Room 13Jodie Damrauer • Dr. Trina Clinkscales • Melissa Oliver • Monica Gibbs • Niko Schutte Tapping into Resiliency FiresideAndre Collard New Oracle Reporting Hub Room 16Jimmy Ewing • Himaja Nanduri • Laura Barnes • Jeff Alford

9:30am EDT

9:45am EDT

Opening / General Session Main Auditorium

11:05am EDT

11:15am EDT

1 Minute Meeting Student AuditoriumMary Hemphill LETRS in Context: Where the Science of Reading Meets the Classroom Fuquay-VarinaLara Randby What Actually Works: Increasing Book Circulation Among Elementary Student Subgroups and Other Positive Outcomes Sanford Conference RoomKendra Allen • Elc Estrera • Susan Bock A Bloom(s), a Hat(tie), and a Gem(ini) Walk Into a Classroom. What happens next? ApexTanya Churchill • Dawn Vinson Phones, Screens, and Face-to-Face: Mastering Customer Care Everywhere Room 19Susan Pullium • Dr. Eric Chancy • Louis Ambrico Leveraging Lists to Improve your Workflow Room 16Andre Collard Every Student Counts: Restructuring the ALC to Reduce Suspensions, Increase Academic Engagement, and Support SEL Growth Room 14Anne Marie Adkins • Jesse DiMartino High-Capacity Calm: A Wellness Reset for Leaders Who Carry a Lot Room 15Dr. Kendra King Weaving Support to Retain Beginning Teachers Room 13Rozanne Todd • Meg Kovacs • Alicia Chin • Molly Todd Critical Procedural Update: Security Standard Response Protocol FiresideChristian Yun Lunch (Staggered) TBA

12:25pm EDT

School Library Data Dashboards: Working with your librarian to visualize the impact of your library program Fuquay-VarinaKendra Allen • Kristel Behrend • Susan Bock Ole Pete Key Session Main AuditoriumOle Pete Key Connected Leadership: A Case for Microsoft Teams in School Communication Sanford Conference RoomCharles Patton Student Assignment: A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma Room 16Dr. Eric Chancy • Haley Dodson Rowing in Rhythm – A Faculty Voyage to Wellbeing FiresideBonnie Mwanda • Neti Hopkins • Megan Corey

1:25pm EDT

1:35pm EDT

Building Buy-in & Navigating Resistance in PLCs Room 13DeJuana Richardson Leading with Compassion: Mindsets that Empower People and Systems Room 17Dr. Phil Echols It's Posted Where, Now? Room 16Dr. Julie Crain The Whole Principal, The Whole School: Leading with Wellbeing and Belonging FiresideDr. Jennifer Lecorchick • Michelle Bell How Can Your School Operate More Sustainably? Sanford Conference RoomLaura Wood Future Proof Student AuditoriumMary Hemphill Steering School Success in Dynamic Environments: Part 1 (TITLE 1 ONLY) Room 14Dr. Kim Burton Unlocking Insight: Mastering Your Family Engagement Dashboard (Title 1 ONLY) Room 19Dr. Kim Burton Pouring into People: Wellness, Connection, and Culture Room 15Dana Penick

2:45pm EDT

Board Policy Bingo! Room 16Dr. Julie Crain "E" is for.... Expanding Family Engagement SIP Indicators beyond E1.06 Room 17Laura Dieudonne

7:30am EDT

Arrival / Sign-In Lobby

8:30am EDT

From Triage to Transformation: A Coaching Framework That Reaches Every Teacher Room 15Stacy Goode Take a Pass on the Programs: An Instructional Culture in Support of Reading Room 19Kelly Schuler • Dr. Julie Malcolm From Data to Dialogue: Advanced Strategy & Impact Planning (TITLE 1 ONLY) Room 16Dr. Kim Burton StarPower FiresideMary Bohr • Dr. Janeen Perry-Campbell

The Leadership Mirror: Who You Are Is How You Lead Student AuditoriumDr. Ruth Steidinger Stop Trying to Manage Your Time! Room 13Frederick Buskey Breakfast as an Operational Strategy: How Morning Meals Strengthen School Systems, Culture, and Student Outcomes Holly Spring Conference RoomTiffany Lawrence From Data to Dialogue: Empowering Hispanic Families as Partners in Student Success (on a budget) Room 16Rene Alford • Mary Campbell • Vonda Martin Jenkins Charting the Road Map of Reporting in Student Information Fuquay-VarinaSandi Hunnicutt Steering School Success in Dynamic Environments: Part 2 (TITLE 1 ONLY) Room 14Dr. Kim Burton

10:00am EDT

10:10am EDT

Placing Text at the Center to Increase Student Literacy Outcomes Room 16Laura Abraham • Gioia Perry A District Digital Literacy Progression: From Kindergarten to Graduation in 10 Questions Sanford Conference RoomKendra Allen • Charles Patton • Susan Bock • Kristel Behrend Principal’s Monthly Report - Understanding the PMR and How the Data Impacts Your School Holly Spring Conference RoomSandi Hunnicutt The Dissertation Roadmap: Tools, Timelines, and Tactics Room 19Dr. Syreeta Smith • Dr. Shawn D. Johnson • Terrance Hinnant Leading with Courage: Navigating Complexity Without Being Overwhelmed Room 17Dr. Phil Echols Observation and Feedback: Turning Classroom Observations into Teacher Growth Student AuditoriumEric Sanchez Proactive Leadership: Preventing Employee Misconduct Fuquay-VarinaCarla Withrow • Jerry Griffith If Only You Knew: Courageous Listening for Compassionate Leadership FiresideDr. Brooksie B. Sturdivant The World Has Changed, Leading with Adaptability ApexDr. Leigh Ann Alford-Keith AI Starts with Leadership: Setting Clear Expectations for Schools Room 13Pam Batchelor • Charles Patton • Chris Zirkle EXCELLING in Effectiveness and Effieciency: You're Already Working Harder, You May As Well Work Smarter Room 15Lauren Haynie

11:40am EDT

11:45am EDT

100% Room 19Dr. Eric Chancy From Management to Impact: Leadership Behaviors that Improve School Outcomes Room 13Rob Epler • Eric Fitts • Courtney Wall Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP®) Training for Administrators Holly Spring Conference RoomValeria Murray • Jennifer Halsey • Laurie Dillman EVAAS for School Leaders Room 17Spencer Ziegler • Mellisa Smith Navigating Employee Relations: A School's Perspective Fuquay-VarinaSally Pitofsky • Dominique Teasley • Valerie Sanders • Pete Acosta Designing for All: UDL as a Leadership Lever for Equity Sanford Conference RoomKatherine Heywood • Walter Tallman Section 504 Services: Effective Supervision and Support by School Leaders Room 16Joseph Man • Pamela Baker Home Court Advantage: Building a Winning Wellness Ecosystem FiresideDamien Smith Shared but Secure: Navigating the New WakeID Portal and Google Safety Best Practices Room 15Megan Maurer • Eric Hoth Lunch (Staggered) TBA

12:45pm EDT

Timely and Effective Feedback: Using Evaluation Systems to Strengthen Performance Room 14Kenneth Collishaw • Chris Lassiter High-Impact Instructional Strategies (HIIS) in Digital Environments Sanford Conference RoomWanda Hanley • Kurt Hurelbrink Strength in Numbers: Navigating the Doctoral Journey Together Room 19Dr. Julie Crain • Dr. Leigh Ann Alford-Keith • Lindsay Lewis What Leaders Need to Know About Supporting Strong SISP Teams Holly Spring Conference RoomSharhonda Cooper _ Staff - CounselStudentSrv EVAAS for Central Service Leaders Room 17Spencer Ziegler • Mellisa Smith Instructional Leadership: Real Coaching in Five Minutes (or less) Room 13Frederick Buskey Leading for Growth: Managing Teacher Performance with Clarity and Confidence Fuquay-VarinaMaureen Hanahue Policy: Guardrails or Gates? Room 16Dr. Julie Crain High-Capacity Calm: A Wellness Reset for Leaders Who Carry a Lot Room 15Dr. Kendra King Everything Happens Somewhere: Using Location to Support Students and Schools FiresideRob Siwiec • Sadie Barker • Ryan Cooper

1:45pm EDT

1:50pm EDT

From Compliance to Growth: Building a High-Impact Feedback Culture ApexJesse Gore • Stephanie Orosco • Kamilla Wright • Danielle Pompey The New ELA Standards: What Lies Ahead Room 13Ashley Clark • Meghan Clark Creating a Culture of Data Use Room 17Spencer Ziegler • Mellisa Smith The Performance Playbook: Evidence, Feedback, and Accountability in Action for Classified Employees Fuquay-VarinaKelly Holland So You're on the Board Agenda... Room 16Dr. Julie Crain More Than Compliance: Building a Culture of Accessibility Sanford Conference RoomJessalyn Saunders • Kurt Hurelbrink • Elizabeth Walton Your Body Called - It Wants Better Ergonomics FiresideJustine Henderson • Annika Vecchi The Leadership Link: Tools, Roles, & Realities for Tech Success Holly Spring Conference RoomKelli Holden • Amber Pearce

2:50pm EDT

3:00pm EDT

Closing / General Session Main Auditorium