BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//ddaysoftware.com//NONSGML DDay.iCal 1.0//EN BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND:20250910T200000Z DTSTAMP:20260315T083842Z DTSTART:20250910T120000Z LOCATION: Macon\, GA US SEQUENCE:0 SUMMARY:2025 SSTAGE Fall Conference UID:3a217cc8-0be2-4836-a9d2-4cccc5175640 X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

2025 SSTAGE Fal l Conference

September 10\, 2025 \;| \;Anderson Conference Center\, Macon\, GA | \;8:00am &ndash \; 4:00pm

MTSS&ndash\;Academics\, Behavior\, &\; W ellbeing:

Improving WHOLE CHILD Outcomes Through PBIS\, THE SCI ENCE OF INSTRUCTION\, &\; the Science of Reading\n

Featuring:

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Dr. Tracy White
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(Founder&mdash\;President&mdash\;UPSTREAM E ducation For All\, Inc.)
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Dr. Gene Kerns
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(Author of Literacy Reframed/Thought Leader/VP &\; Chief Academic Officer-Renaissance Learning)
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Justin Hill
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( Deputy Superintendent&mdash\;Office of Whole Child Supports&mdash\;Georgia Department of Education)
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Amy Denty
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(Director of Literacy&mdash\;Office of T eaching and Learning&mdash\;Georgia Department of Education)
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Dr. Rondalyn Pinckney
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(GaMTSS Program Specialist&mdash\;Office of Whole Child Supports&md ash\;Georgia Department of Education)
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John O&rsquo\ ;Connor
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(CEO&mdash\;GREAT Instruction\, LLC--Author)
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Lamar Thomas
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(2025 STAR Award Winner&mdash\;Prin cipal&mdash\;Delta Innovative School&mdash\;Brooks County
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About the Conference: \;The conference will feature presentations that explore the transform ative power of education\, highlighting how every student can be empowered to lead a purposeful life through literacy supported by MTSS and Whole Ch ild approaches that address academics\, behavior\, and overall wellbeing. MTSS\, when done with fidelity\, ensures every student gets the support th ey need at the right time to live a successful life that will position the m to contribute positively to our communities. As educators\, we must stri ve to empower our students in mind\, body\, and spirit to reach their full potential and to pursue their true purpose in life. Whole child supports address the barriers of trauma that may exist while building student confi dence to persist with resilience. Effective instruction\, informed by data \, allows educators to provide different levels of support based on studen ts&rsquo\; unique needs and address barriers to learning and improve stude nt performance. Featured speakers will empower educators to collaborate\, make data-based decisions\, and align their efforts to improve student out comes. \;
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Registration Will Include: \;Access to presen ter provided resources\, \;Continental Breakfast\, Catered Lunch and Morning and A fternoon Snacks \, &\; \;SSTAGE Membership for Non-Members ($100-Annual Members hip)\, and a copy of The Right Tools: A Guide to Selecting \, Evaluating\, and Implementing Classroom Resources and Practices by Dr. Towanda Harris (Upcoming SSTAGE Mini-Event presenter&mdash\;October 21\, 2 025)
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Registration Fees: $275 for 2025-2026 SSTAGE Members and $375 for non-member s. If you have more the 10 people attending from your district you qualify for the group registration discount ($225/member &\; $325/non-member). You must send Joan Whitehead-Freeman you spreadsheet with names and email addresses by August 22\, 2025 if you are interested in the this option.
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~~About t he Presenters~~:
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● Dr. Tracy White is a national keynote speaker\, and an educational change agent ded icated to creating equitable learning opportunities for over 40 years. Wit h decades of experience in curriculum development\, professional developme nt\, and strategic planning and leadership\, she has spearheaded local and statewide initiatives that drive deep systemic change. Dr. White&rsquo\;s work bridges research to practice\, empowering educators\, families\, and strategic partners to support lifelong learning for ALL. \;Currently\, White serves as the founder of Upstream Education for All\, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming life outcomes f or the marginalized in society by advancing the work of resolute nonprofit leaders who are defying the odds. The mission is rooted in the belief tha t education is the great equalizer\, and faith that it is possible to brea k generational cycles of disparity and create opportunity through strategi c and united nonprofit leaders with differentiated technical assistance an d support that remove barriers and ignite organizational impact.
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● Dr. Gen e Kerns is a third-generation educator with teaching experience fro m elementary through the university level and K-12 administrative experien ce. He currently serves as Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Re naissance Learning. With more than 20 years of experience in leading staff development and speaking at national and international conferences includ ing South by Southwest (SxSW) EDU\, London&rsquo\;s Westminster Education Forum\, the ASU/Global Silicon Valley (SGV) Summit\, the 42nd Annual Mexic o TESOL Conference\, and the Global Education Technology Forum of China. H is former clients include administrators&rsquo\; associations across the c ountry and the Ministry of Education of Singapore. Gene received his bache lor&rsquo\;s degree and master&rsquo\;s degree from Longwood College in Vi rginia and also holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from the University of Delaware with an emphasis in Education Leadership. His most recent work h as been focused on assessment and literacy. His first book\, inFormative A ssessment: When It&rsquo\;s Not About a Grade is published by Corwin Press in both English and Arabic. His second book\, Unlocking Student Talent\, was released by Teachers College Press in December of 2017. His newest boo k\, Literacy Reframed\, was released in 2021 through Solution Tree.
\n● Justin Hill is the Deputy Superintendent for the Office of Whole Child Support s for the Georgia Department of Education. The Office of Whole Child Suppo rts assists districts/schools and communities in identifying and addressin g student barriers to success while expanding learning opportunities. Ther e are three Interconnected units that focus on the whole child within the Office: Georgia Multi-Tiered \;System of Supports (GaMTSS)\, Student Health and Wellbeing\, and School Safety. The Office of Whole Child Supports is grounded in the belief that academic s\, behavior\, and wellbeing make up the &ldquo\;whole child&rdquo\; and G eorgia Multi-Tiered System of Supports (GaMTSS) is the system designed to help all children succeed by providing different levels of support based o n student needs to ensure that every student gets the support they need at the right time.
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● Amy Denty has served as Director of Literacy for the Georgia Department of Education since May 2023 and leads GaDOE&rsquo\ ;s coordinated literacy efforts\, including the training and implementatio n process for the new K-12 English Language Arts standards\; the agency&rs quo\;s work to support students with dyslexia\; the Literacy for Learning\ , Living\, and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) initiative\; and GaDOE&rsquo\;s r esponsibilities under the Georgia Early Literacy Act. Denty is a proven K- 12 educator with extensive experience supporting quality instruction\, pro fessional learning\, support for teachers\, and the development of robust literacy initiatives that ensure success for Georgia students.
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● Dr. Rondalyn Pin ckney is the Program Specialist for Georgia Multi-Tiered System of Supports in the Office of Whole Child Supports. Dr. Pinckney leads the imp lementation of Georgia&rsquo\;s Online MTSS/SST (GO MTSS/SST) Application. GO MTSS/SST is the web-based application provided by the Georgia Departme nt of Education that helps participating schools to document and monitor h ow students are responding to interventions within a Multi-Tiered System o f Supports.
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● John O&rsquo\;Connor\, a former SSTAGE President\, is the CE O of GREAT Instruction\, LLC\, and has led school improvement initiatives at the state and local level during his 30 plus years in public education. He began his career as a special education teacher serving students with orthopedic impairments in elementary and middle schools. O&rsquo\;Connor l ed statewide initiatives to improve the achievement and learning of studen ts with disabilities during the nine years he served at the Georgia Depart ment of Education. In local districts he has served as Assistant Director for Special Education\, Executive Director for Special Services\, Assistan t Superintendent for Student Services\, and Director for Interventions. O& rsquo\;Connor has written five books\, including his most recent\, the 2nd Edition of Great Instruction Great Achievement for Students with Disabili ties: A Road Map for Special Education Administrators. He has also written a textbook chapter (co-wrote)\, a desk guide\, and numerous articles. Sin ce retiring\, O&rsquo\;Connor has provided training\, school visits\, and coaching to hundreds of groups from Hawaii to South Carolina.
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● Lamar Thomas\, Principal of Delta Innovative School (2025 SSTAGE STAR Award winner) in Brooks County\, has b een recognized for his commitment to both educational leadership and stude nt success. Thomas has recently earned certification as a speaker and memb ership in the esteemed John Maxwell Leadership Team\, underscoring his com mitment to fostering leadership and his dedication to positively influenci ng students\, staff\, and the broader community. Thomas is currently servi ng as President of the Georgia Association of Alternative Education (GAAE) \, placing him at the forefront of alternative education where he advocate s for best practices and champions the unique needs of students across Geo rgia\, ensuring that ALL students receive the support they need.
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~~Tentative Agenda~~
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7:30-8:20 Registration\, Breakfast and Exhibit Area OPEN
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8:20-8:30 Welcome by SSTAGE Exec utive Director &\; President
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8:30-8:45 Greetings/Office of Whole Child Supports Updates Jus tin Hill
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8:50-9:05 G reetings/GO MTSS/SST Updates Dr. Rondalyn Pinckney
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9:10-9:25 Greetings/On the FrontLine Lamar Thomas
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9:30-10:15 SE SSION I &ndash\; Amy Denty &mdash\; K-12 Literacy Updates
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10:15-10:30 BREAK &ndash\; Exhibit A rea OPEN
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10:30-11:30 SESSION II &ndash\; Dr. Tracy White &ndash\; Literacy as a Human Right &n dash\; Our Collective Moonshot
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11:30-12:30 LUNCH (Served on Site) &ndash\; Visit Sponsors/Vend ors/Networking
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12:30 -1:30 SESSION III &ndash\; John O&rsquo\;Connor &mdash\; 15 Big Ideas for Effective MTSS
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1:35- 2:35 SESSION IV &ndash\; Dr. Gene Kerns &ndash\; The Science of Reading &a mp\; Knowledge
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2:35- 2:50 BREAK &ndash\; Exhibit Area OPEN
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2:50-3:50 SESSION V &ndash\; Dr. Tracy White &ndash\; Bo otstrapping is Not Reality &ndash\; Prepping Systems for Sustainability to Support Reading Success for ALL
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Q uestions? Email Joan Whitehead-Freeman at jwhitehead@gael.org. \;
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Cancellation Policy&nb sp\;for the 2025 SSTAGE Fall Conference is as follows and acknowledgement is required during registration:
\nTo cancel participation for an event\, SSTAGE must receive written notice (email jwhitehead@gael.org) seven calendar days prior to the scheduled workshop/conference. An admini strative fee of $25.00 will be charged for cancellations. Requests for a r efund must be received in writing at least seven calendar days prior to th e start of the conference and must be addressed to jwhitehead@gael.org. SS TAGE encourages participants to find a substitute. Replacements will be we lcome\, and there will be no charge to transfer a registration to a collea gue for the event. Advance notice of replacements is preferred. If an indi vidual registers and does not attend the event\, he/she will be marked as a "no show" and the full conference fees shall apply. Registrants are resp onsible for payment. Refunds will not be made for &ldquo\;no shows&rdquo\; . Refunds and reimbursements will not be transferable to other workshops o r conferences. In the event of inclement weather which may impede or preve nt conference attendance\, or which may give cause to fully cancel the con ference\, a credit will be provided to the registrant or school/system. Re funds will not be made for conference cancellations due to COVID-19\, seve re weather or weather events which may cause the conference to cancel. SST AGE is not responsible for United States Postal Service mail or electronic mail failures.
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