MASC/MASS 2016: Speakers - Shella Dennery

Shella Dennery, PhD, LICSW, is the Program Director of the Boston Children’s Hospital Neighborhood Partnerships Program (CHNP), the community behavioral health program in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Dennery directs a comprehensive behavioral health program that provides services to Boston area schools and community health centers. The program provides prevention focused activities, early intervention services, and clinical assessment and treatment services to students in their educational home. In addition, Dr. Dennery oversees the Training and Access Project (TAP). TAP provides high quality professional development and consultation to educators, administrators, and school staff. The goal of the project is to help build schools capacity to better address the social, emotional, and behavioral health needs of their students, staff and community.

She has spent the majority of her career working as a school social worker in the Boston Public Schools and teaching and consulting on behavioral health related topics in community settings. Dr. Dennery has extensive experience uniting parents, schools, and neighborhood organizations to help strengthen the social and emotional health of children and adolescents. She holds a PhD from Smith College and an MSW from Simmons College. She also holds two post-master’s certificates in child and adolescent therapy and advanced clinical supervision from Smith College. Dr. Dennery is adjunct faculty in social work at both Simmons College and Smith College, and is an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

MASC/MASS 2016: Speakers - Jessica Minahan

Jessica Minahan is a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA), author, special educator, and consultant to schools internationally. Since 2000 she has worked with students who struggle with mental health issues and challenging behavior in public school systems. She specializes in training staff and creating behavior intervention plans for students who demonstrate explosive and unsafe behavior. She also works with students who have emotional and behavioral disabilities, anxiety disorders, or high-functioning Autism. Her particular interest is to serve these students by combining behavioral interventions with a comprehensive knowledge of best practices for those with complex mental health profiles and learning needs.

She is a blogger on The Huffington Post, the author of The Behavior Code: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Teaching the Most Challenging Students, with Nancy Rappaport (Harvard Education Press, 2012), and author of The Behavior Code Companion: Strategies, Tools, and Interventions for Supporting Students with Anxiety-Related or Oppositional Behaviors (Harvard Education Press, 2014). She holds a BS in Intensive Special Education from Boston University and a dual master’s degree in Special Education and Elementary Education from Wheelock College. She has a certificate of graduate study (CGS) in teaching children with Autism from the University of Albany and received her BCBA training from Northeastern University in Boston. She is sought-after internationally to speak on subjects ranging from effective interventions for students with anxiety to supporting hard-to-reach students in full-inclusion public school settings.

MASC/MASS 2016: Speakers - Dr. Nick Covino

Dr. Nicholas Covino, the president of William James College, is a practicing psychologist who, before his current position, was the Director of Psychology and Director of Training at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston for 20 years. He is past-President of the Society for Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, a member of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute and a former faculty member at Harvard Medical School.

His clinical career has been devoted to caring for the psychological needs of medical patients and engaging in long-term psychotherapy with adults. His research interests have mirrored his clinical work and he is the author of 28 journal articles and book chapters in behavioral medicine and psychotherapy. Trained in behavioral medicine and in psychoanalysis, Covino's work at William James College is the latest chapter in this career. Since becoming president in 2002, he has led the school in new directions, while maintaining its underlying mission and values, which are focused on serving the underserved and meeting the needs of a changing society. In the eleven years since he took office, the school has grown from a single-degree institution to one that now grants 12 separate master's and doctoral degrees.

His commitment to training professionals who can help the most vulnerable in our society has given rise to such programs as the school's Lucero Latino mental health program and a new academic track for children and families called Children and Families of Adversity and Resilience.

In recent years, the need for more mental health professionals who understand the traumas faced by veterans of current wars has shaped the school's mission to become a center of excellence for the training of veterans and others who want to help that population heal from the invisible wounds of war. Collaborating with student and faculty veterans and other veterans, Covino has helped to create the Train Vets to Treat Vets Program, which has received funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the past two years, and a new soon-to-be-launched military curriculum.

Dr. Covino was also among a select group of alumni to receive the University of Denver’s 2010 Alumni Masters Scholars Award in April, 2010.

MASC/MASS Conference: 2016 Exhibitors

MASC/MASS 2016: Conference Schedule

The following is a partial schedule for the 2016 MASC/MASS Joint Conference and is subject to change. To view the latest schedule information, detailed session descriptions, speaker information and create your own customized schedule, get the new MASC Events app for Apple and Android devices.

Note: The  icon next to a session indicates that a ticket is required to attend. This is typically in the case of the lunch and dinner programs.

Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Wednesday, November 2

11:00am

Conference Registration Opens

MASC Delegate Registration

12:30pm - 1:40pm: Panel Session I

Small Rural and Regional Districts: Fiscal and Enrollment Challenges (Cape Cod)

SEL: Moving from Compliance to Cultural Implementation (Hyannisport West)

Planning for Success: DESE Multiyear Improvement/Annual Action Plan (Hyannisport East)

MassKids: Implementing the New Safe Child Standards (Barnstable 1)

Virtual Learning: Creating Regional Capacity to Expand Opportunities for All (Barnstable 3)

Interest Based Bargaining (Centerville)

Social/Emotional Learning: A Priority Through the Education Pipeline (Centerville)

Universal Design for Learning (Orleans)

Working Together for Student Success (Ballroom)

1:50pm - 3:00pm: Panel Session II

Innovative Practices to Social-Emotional Learning (Hyannisport West)

New Superintendent Induction Program: Ensuring a Smooth Transition (Hyannisport East)

DESE: Report from the Civic Learning and Engagement Task Force (Barnstable 1)

Planning for Continous Improvement (Barnstable 3)

Foreign Exchange Students: Challenges and Benefits (Centerville)

Improve Outcomes with Student Survey Feedback (Cape Cod)

Budget Development (Orleans)

Policies You Need (Bass River Alcove)

2:45pm - 3:10pm

MASC Resolutions Clinic (Ballroom)

3:00pm - 7:00pm

Exhibit Hall Open

3:15pm

MASC Delegate Assembly (Ballroom)

3:25pm - 4:00pm: Partner Presentations

Using Analytics to Change Public Perception and Win Support (Cape Cod)

3:25pm - 4:30pm: Panel Session III

What Educational Collaboratives Can Do for You (Cape Cod)

Innovations in Global STEM Programming (Barnstable 1)

Engaging Community Stakeholders in Emergency Operations Planning (Barnstable 3)

Candidate Performance Assessment: Impact on Mentoring, Hiring Evaluation and Preparation Processes (Centerville)

4:30pm - 5:00pm

MASS Business Meeting (Hyannisport West)

5:00pm - 6:30pm

Reception with Exhibitors (Exhibit Hall)

Sponsored By: Mirick O'Connell

7:00pm: Dinner ProgramTicket Required

Wednesday Keynote Dinner (Bass River)

Greetings: Mitchell Chester, Massachusetts Commissioner of Education
Keynote Address: Rev. Liz Walker, Former TV Journalist & Humanitarian
"Getting Unstuck: What I Have Learned About Poverty and Education", Teaching resilience to urban children and combating trauma in their lives and communities.
Special Presentation: of the Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill Award to Michael Cavanaugh of the Pathfinder Regional Vocational School Committee Sponsored By: Scholastic

9:00pm - 12:00pm

Meet Your Colleagues Social (Bogey's)

Musical Guest: The Cape Cod Slackers

Thursday, November 3

7:30am - 11:30am

Registration Open

7:30am - 3:00pm

Exhibit Hall Open

7:50am - 8:40am: Partner Presentations

Working with your Community and the MSBA to Achieve a School Building Solution(Orleans)

Independent Reading and the Whole Child: Creating Pathways for Literacy at School, Home, and in the Community (Barnstable 3)

8:00am - 8:40am: Partner Presentations

The Redesigned SAT, Khan Academy, and AP Program Updates (Barnstable 1)

7:30am - 9:30am

Continental Breakfast with Exhibitors (Exhibit Hall)

Sponsored By: Sodexo

8:45am -10:00am: Panel Session IV

Strategies for Children: Implementing Pre-K Programs and Building Capacity (Cape Cod)

Vocational Technical/Agricultural Education: Best and Emerging Practices (Bass River)

Building Blocks for Learning: Connection Between Social/Emotional Health and Academic Achievement (Hyannisport West)

Families in Crisis: Addressing Social and Emotional Needs of Students and Families (Hyannisport East)

Code of Conduct: Establishing a Positive Behavioral Intervention Support Model (Barnstable 1)

Charter School Reform Update (Barnstable 3)

NEASC Accreditation Process: A New and Improved Model (Centerville)

MCAS 2.0: An Update (Ballroom)

10:00am - 10:45am

Coffee with Exhibitors (Exhibit Hall)

10:00am - 10:35am: MASC Division Meetings

Division VIII (Bass River Alcove)

Division IX and Minority Caucus (Hyannisport East)

10:45am - 12:00pm: General Session

SEL and the Mental Health Needs of Children, In and Out of the Classroom (Ballroom)

Guest Speakers: Dr. Nicholas Covino, Nadja Reilly, Shella Dennery

12:00pm - 1:00pm: Thursday Lunch Program Ticket Required

Networking Luncheon (Bass River)

Sponsored By: Colliers International

1:00pm - 2:30pm

Ice Cream Social with Exhibitors (Exhibit Hall)

1:15pm - 2:15pm: Partner Presentations

Social Emotional Learning: How Threats Shared on Social Media Impacts Time on Task and Everyday Learning (Centerville)

Measuring Social and Emotional Learning (Barnstable 1)

Community Eligibility Program: A Boost for Students AND School Budgets (Barnstable 3)

2:00pm - 5:00pm

Registration Open

2:30pm - 3:45pm: Panel Session V

Special Education Transportation: Cost-Savings Strategies (Cape Cod)

School Building Authority Update (Hyannisport West)

School Law 101 (Hyannisport East)

Social/Emotional Learning: Educational Collaborative Initiatives (Barnstable 1)

Advocacy and Media Strategies (Barnstable 3)

Superintendent Contracting: Do's and Don't's (Orleans)

Best Practices in the Boardroom (Centerville)

Supporting Transgender Students: Laws, Policies and Best Practices (Ballroom)

4:00pm - 5:15pm: Panel Session VI

Recovery High Schools: Best Practices (Cape Cod)

Special Education Issues Update (Barnstable 1)

School Law 201 (Hyannisport West)

Budget Oversight: It's Your Responsibility! (Hyannisport East)

OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits): What Every District Needs to Know (Centerville)

Virtual Education: Family Engagement for Student Achievement at MA Virtual Academy (Orleans)

Evaluating the Superintendent (Barnstable 3)

Chapter 70: What It Is, How It Works, 21st Century Challenges (Ballroom)

5:30pm - 6:30pm

Presidents' Reception (Lobby Lounge)

6:30pm: Thursday Dinner ProgramTicket Required

Thursday Night Banquet (Bass River)

Sponsored By: Social Sentinel Guest Speaker: Comedian Jimmy Tingle, Comedian, Harvard graduate, occasional presidential candidate
"Jimmy Tingle for President"

Friday, November 4

7:30am - 11:30am

Registration Open

7:30am - 9:30am

Continental Breakfast (Ballroom Foyer)

Sponsored By: BoardDocs

9:00am - 3:00pm

COSCAP Workshop Registration Required (Cape Cod)

View Agenda

9:00am - 10:15am: Featured Panel

Between a Rock and a Calm Place - Behavioral Intervention Strategies (Ballroom)

Guest Speaker: Jessica Minahan

9:00am - 10:15am: Panel Session VII

MIAA: New Initiatives (Barnstable 1)

Creating a New Path for Assessments (Barnstable 3)

L.E.A.P. Program (Centerville)

Addressing Violence in Our Schools: From Bullying to Dating Violence (Orleans)

Transparency in Budget Presentation (Osterville)

10:30am - 11:45am: General Session

Questions School Committees can Ask in Pursuit of Excellence with Equity and some Common Answers (Ballroom)

Guest Speaker: Ron Ferguson, Author, Economist and Senior Lecturer in Education and Public Policy at Harvard University

12:00pm: Friday Lunch Program Ticket Required

Leadership Luncheon (Bass River)

Guest Speaker: Mo Cunningham, Associate Professor of Political Science, UMASS Boston and Co-Founder and Contributor to WGBH's MassPoliticsProf blog

1:45pm - 2:30pm: MASC Division Meetings

Divisions I & II (Hyannisport East)

Division III (Hyannisport West)

Division IV (Barnstable 1)

Division V (Barnstable 3)

Division VI (Centerville)

Division VII (Bass River Alcove)

2:30pm - 3:45pm: Panel Session VIII

School Committee Self-Evaluation (Hyannisport East)

Small District Issues (Barnstable 3)

ESSA and the Arts (Barnstable 1)

Parliamentary Procedures (Orleans)

Sustaining Strong School Committee/Superintendent Relationships (Osterville A)

Legislative Update (Ballroom)

Family Engagement (Hyannisport West)

Courageous, Compassionate Leadership (Centerville)

New Member Orientation: Part I (2:30pm - 5:00pm) (Grand Ballroom)

Multigenerational Communications (2:30pm - 5:00pm) (Osterville B)

4:00pm - 5:15pm: Panel Session IX

Social Media: How to Use it Effectively (Osterville B)

Edward M. Kennedy Institute - Senate Immersion Model (Barnstable 1)

Student Activity/Revolving Funds: Audit Guidelines (Orleans)

Promoting a Maker Mindset (Barnstable 3)

What the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Means for Your District (Ballroom)

5:00pm - 5:45pm

Past Presidents' Council Meeting (Room 104)

6:00pm - 7:00pm

MASC Life Member/Award Recipient Reception (Lobby Lounge)

7:00pm: Thursday Dinner Program Ticket Required

MASC Leadership Awards & Life Member Banquet (Bass River)

Saturday, November 5

9:00am - 10:15am

Students and Social Media (Cape Cod)

Learning Beyond the Classroom - Student Internships (Hyannisport West)

Focus on Students: Dual Enrollment Opportunities (Barnstable 1)

Roles (and Responsibilities) of the Chair (Bass River Alcove)

New Member Orientation (Part II)(Hyannisport East)

Mindfulness in the Classroom (Barnstable 3)

10:30am - 11:45am

Hot Topic! Early Start Times for Schools (Hyannisport West)

Students Mentoring Students (Barnstable 3)

Looking for a Leader: Superintendent Searching (Bass River Alcove)

Students in Poverty (Cape Cod)

Have You Done Your Homework Yet?? (Barnstable 1)

12:00pm - 1:00pm: Saturday Lunch Program Ticket Required

Student Voices Luncheon (Bass River)

MASC/MASS 2016: Speakers - Rev. Liz Walker

Liz Walker is a minister, award winning journalist and activist for community healing and cross cultural and interfaith dialogue. Hers is a powerful voice of healing and hope. She is in demand as a keynote speaker around the world.

Reverend Walker is currently Pastor of Roxbury Presbyterian Church, a dynamic faith community with a 130 plus year history of making a difference in one of Boston's most challenging neighborhoods. RPC under Reverend Walker's leadership is home to the Cory Johnson Trauma Project, an innovative program that addresses the epidemic of post-traumatic stress in a low income African American community too often overrun by violence. The Trauma Education Project works to increase community awareness of PTSD as well as improving access to mental health services, and empowering community members with the skills to cope with and respond to PTSD.

Reverend Walker's calling as a minister is the latest and highest reach of a life journey which includes 11 years of humanitarian work in one of Africa's most troubled countries and 21 years as Boston's first African American Television News Anchor on WBZ TV.

In the summer of 2001, Reverend Walker traveled to Sudan as a reporter on a fact-finding mission on the controversial slave trade there. It was a life changing experience. Sudan is the scene of the worst human rights atrocities in the world. So outraged by what she witnessed in the sub Saharan, Reverend Walker co-founded the humanitarian organization "My Sister's Keeper" which focuses on economic and educational initiatives for Sudanese women and girls. In 2007 "My Sister's Keeper" built a Girls' school in the village of Akon, Sudan, the first of its kind in that region. On the first day of school, 1000 girls enrolled. Despite persistent violent conflicts and political upheaval in the region, the school continues to operate today.

While in Sudan, Reverend Walker facilitated healing conversations among women from competing tribes and ethnicities in war torn regions that have never known peace. She helped found the Sisterhood for Peace Initiative which supports the growth of a network of diverse Sudanese women committed to collaborating across race, religion, ethnicity and geography to promote peace and justice.

Reverend Walker shot her own video and produced a number of television reports about Sudan and a documentary called "A Glory from the God" which profiles the work of " My Sister's Keeper". Her 31-year television news career resulted in two Emmy's and an Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in her field.

A graduate of Harvard Divinity School, Reverend Walker has long been actively involved in many community service organizations and projects. She helped found the Jane Doe Safety Fund, a multi-million dollar statewide anti-violence initiative that works on policy and supports domestic abuse shelters and safe houses around the Commonwealth.

Reverend Walker is a member of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization and serves on the Board for the New England Chapter of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. She has also served on the Board of Trustees for Andover Newton Theological Seminary, the Tufts Health Foundation and Board of Overseers for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She has been awarded honorary degrees from numerous institutions including University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth, Boston College, Simmons College, Salem State University and Bridgewater State University.

Liz Walker's is one of the world's most healing voices. From her poignant words after the Boston Marathon Bombing to her Sunday sermons at RPC, her daily radio show on WROL 950AM, to her inspirational and motivational speeches before audiences around the globe, Liz Walker offers vitally important instruction on hopeful living in challenging times.

For more information visit www.lizwalker.tv