BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ddaysoftware.com//NONSGML DDay.iCal 1.0//EN BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND:20260909T200000Z DTSTAMP:20260705T210047Z DTSTART:20260909T123000Z LOCATION:5171 Eisenhower Pkwy Macon\, GA 31206 US SEQUENCE:0 SUMMARY:2026 SSTAGE Fall Conference - Sponsors & Exhibitors UID:fd3d165d-4bb6-412a-852c-e1b92418ffd4 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

2026 SSTAGE Fall Conference

September 9\, 2026 | Anderson Conference Center\, Macon\, GA | 8:00am &ndash\; 4:00pm

MTSS Mastery: Advancing Literacy and Learning

Featuring:

Dr. Shaun Woodly

(Founder/Author/Speaker&ndash\; Teach Hustle Insp ire) \;

Dr. Ge ne Kerns

< span style="font-size: 11pt\; background-color: transparent\; font-weight: 700\; font-variant: normal\; vertical-align: baseline\; white-space: pre- wrap\; font-family: "\;times new roman"\;\; color: #000000\;">(Aut hor of Literacy Reframed/Thought Leader/VP &\; Chief Academic Officer&n bsp\; &ndash\; Renaissance Learning)

Shawn Blanchard

( Mentor/Author/Speaker/VP of Learning &\; Development &ndash\; Fullmind Learning)

Jeannie Morris

(Assistant Director GaMTSS &mdas h\; Office Whole Child Supports&mdash\;Georgia Department of Education)

Colleen Jones

(2026 SSTAGE STAR Award Winner&ndash\;Principal&ndash\;Central Middle School&ndash\;Carroll County School District)

Dr. Jeff Washington

(Principal&mdash\;Eagle Springs Elemen tary&mdash\;Houston County)

Abou t the Conference: \;

The conference will featu re \;presentations that explore MTSS and Whole Child approaches that m eet students where they are balancing academic limits and expectations wit h student behavior and wellbeing. MTSS\, when done with fide lity\, sparks the desire to learn through evidence-based classroom managem ent strategies that empower extraordinary educators and the students they serve. As educators\, we delve into Georgia&rsquo\;s Early Literacy Act (H B 538) and the latest work of the Georgia LIteracy Council using the Scien ce of Reading and Adolescent Literacy strategies and evidence-based instru ction to empower our students in mind\, body\, and spirit to reach their f ull potential and to pursue their true purpose in life. Featured speakers\ , Dr. Shaun Woodly\, Dr. Gene Kerns\, and Shawn Blanchard will empower edu cators with discussions about modern classroom culture\, high expectation\ , and state literacy mandates. (BONUS: All attendees will receive a copy o f Dr. Woodly&rsquo\;s book\, The League of Extraordinary Educators. \; \; \;\n

About the Presenters: \;

Dr. Shaun Woodly is a nationally recognized educator\, speaker\, and creator of The Sc ience of Modern Classroom Management\, a science-based behavior management and student engagement framework that blends principles of behavior scien ce with practical strategies to transform behavior and boost student succe ss. A former Teacher of the Year and 15-year veteran educator\, Dr. Woodly has dedicated his career to helping schools transform the way they approa ch classroom management and student engagement. He&rsquo\;s trained thousa nds of teachers across the country to understand the science of behavior a nd use it to design learning environments where students naturally thrive. By embracing this shift from management to design\, he helps educators cr eate classrooms where disruption isn&rsquo\;t just managed\, it&rsquo\;s p revented\, and where engagement isn&rsquo\;t just hoped for\, it&rsquo\;s engineered. He is a two-time bestselling author and the founder of Teach H ustle Inspire\, a movement empowering educators with the tools to break th rough traditional barriers\, embrace proven approaches\, and create classr ooms where every learner thrives.

Dr. Gene Ker ns is a third-generation educat or with teaching experience from elementary through the university level a nd K-12 administrative experience. He currently serves as Vice President a nd Chief Academic Officer of Renaissance Learning. With more than 20 years of experience in leading staff development and speaking at national and i nternational conferences including South by Southwest (SxSW) EDU\, London& rsquo\;s Westminster Education Forum\, the ASU/Global Silicon Valley (SGV) Summit\, the 42nd Annual Mexico TESOL Conference\, and the Global Educati on Technology Forum of China. His former clients include administrators&rs quo\; associations across the country and the Ministry of Education of Sin gapore. Gene received his bachelor&rsquo\;s degree and master&rsquo\;s deg ree from Longwood College in Virginia and also holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from the University of Delaware with an emphasis in Education Lea dership. His most recent work has been focused on assessment and literacy. His first book\, inFormative Assessment: When It&rsquo\;s Not A bout a Grade is published by C orwin Press in both English and Arabic. His second book\, Unlock ing Student Talent\, was relea sed by Teachers College Press in December of 2017. His newest book\, Literacy Reframed\, was r eleased in 2021 through Solution Tree.
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Shawn Blanchard From humble beginnings on Detroit's west side to earning multiple mathematics degrees\, Shawn Blanchard's journey is one of remark able achievement. He has not only adopted youth but also led a math depart ment to rank in the top 5% in NYC\, taught at prestigious colleges such as the University of Michigan\, and served on the Mayoral Cabinet of Detroit as the Director of Youth Services. During his tenure\, he secured over $7 million in funding to create jobs for more than 5\,600 young people\, lau nching the "Grow Detroit's Young Talent" youth employment initiative. Shaw n also served as the Detroit Mayor's Office Liaison for President Barack O bama's "My Brother's Keeper" (MBK) initiative. In addition\, he served on several boards\, including the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings Littl e Caesars Arena Community Board. \;Dubbed the "Mentorship Specialist" b y Forbes Magazine\, Shawn is a best-selling\, national award-winning autho r\, and a highly sought-after speaker. From his personal success he has cr eated a publishing company and taught thousands how to become author speak ers. His compelling TEDx Talk and appearances on CNN\, Essence Magazine\, Black Enterprise\, and other platforms have solidified his reputation as o ne of America's top millennial influencers. Shawn received the Presidentia l Community Service Award from President Barack Obama and in 2024\, he was honored with the prestigious Educator of Excellence Award by the State of South Carolina and has recently become the Vice President of Learning &am p\; Development at the Ed Tech company\, Fullmind Learning.
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Jeannie Morris is Assistant Director for the Office of Whole Child Supports at the Georgia Department of Education. In this role\, she manage s the Georgia Multi-Tiered System of Supports (GaMTSS) team and has been c harged with leading efforts to integrate the academic\, behavioral and wel lbeing supports within a multi-tiered system of supports. \; Prior to this position\, Jeannie served as the School Climate Program Manager for a short time and served as a School Climate Program Specialist supporting F DRESA\, HGRESA and OKRESA. Before joining the GaDOE\, she was a long-time employee of FDRESA serving as a GLRS director\, GNETS director\, and GNETS site coordinator. Prior to her experience at GNETS\, Jeannie taught speci al education and also served as a teacher of gifted and talented students.
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Colleen Jones has been an educator for 20 years and currently serves as Central Middle School Principal. While serv ing as an elementary principal\, Mrs. Jones found a deep love for Ed. Tech \, supporting struggling learners\, and data analysis to support students in setting goals for their own success. Mrs. Jones is passionate about stu dent achievement. As the lead learner of Central Middle School\, Mrs. Jone s is committed to seeking ways to energize teachers and motivate students to grow and reach their personal goals. Mrs. Jones believes that every stu dent has more potential than they realize\, and through goal setting\, har d work and consistent adult coaching and support\, students can reach thei r full potential in life. Her mottos are hustle hope and sling dopamine ev eryday. Your energy is the thermostat to your school. Central Middle schoo l was recently named a AMLE national school of distinction. This is an hon or that only 84 schools internationally hold. \;
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Dr. Jeff Washington\, Principal\, Eagle Springs Elementary Scho ol in Houston County\, brings over 20 years of experience across multiple facets of education\, including educator\, instructor\, coach\, assistant principal\, principal\, and mentor. His diverse background has equipped h im with a deep understanding of student achievement\, school leadership\, and community engagement. His work has been recognized by prestigious awar ds\, including the School Bell Award\, the Jimmy Stokes Distinguished Serv ice Award\, and most recently\, Dr. Washington is honored to be named the 2026 NAESP Georgia&rsquo\;s National Distinguished Principal. Driven by pa ssion for student success and a dedication to empowering future leaders\, Dr. Washington continues to make a lasting impact both within his school a nd throughout the greater educational community.

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R egistration Will Include:

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Access to pre senter-provided resources\, continental Breakfast\, catered Lunch and Morning and After noon Snacks\, SSTAGE Membership for Non-Members ($100-Annual Membership)\, &\; a copy of The League of Extraordinary E ducators by Dr. Shaun Woodly \;

Lodging Link (coming soon )

Agenda Link (coming soon)

Questions? Email Joan Whitehead-Freeman at j whitehead@gael.org. \;

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Can cellation Policy for the 2026 SSTA GE Fall Conference is as follows and acknowledgement is required during re gistration:
\nTo cancel participation for an event\, SSTAGE must receive written notice (email jwhitehead@gael.org) seven calendar days prior to th e scheduled workshop/conference. An administrative fee of $25.00 will be c harged for cancellations. Requests for a refund must be received in writin g at least seven calendar days prior to the start of the conference and mu st be addressed to jwhitehead@gael.org. SSTAGE encourages participants to find a substitute. Replacements will be welcome\, and there will be no cha rge to transfer a registration to a colleague for the event. Advance notic e of replacements is preferred. If an individual registers and does not at tend the event\, he/she will be marked as a "no show" and the full confere nce fees shall apply. Registrants are responsible for payment. Refunds wil l not be made for &ldquo\;no shows&rdquo\;. Refunds and reimbursements wil l not be transferable to other workshops or conferences. In the event of i nclement weather which may impede or prevent conference attendance\, or wh ich may give cause to fully cancel the conference\, a credit will be provi ded to the registrant or school/system. Refunds will not be made for confe rence cancellations due to COVID-19\, severe weather or weather events whi ch may cause the conference to cancel. SSTAGE is not responsible for Unite d States Postal Service mail or electronic mail failures.
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