Aim high, achieve more. That’s the message of the speakers lined up for
the 2007 WSSDA’s Annual Conference. This year’s conference-goers can look forward to hearing from speakers who know firsthand the challenges — and rewards — of turning high ambitions into high achievement.
Jack Bacon
Opening the Conference will be Jack Bacon, one of the most requested speakers in the country on technology and the factors that shape human society. Bacon, who has been described as "a new Carl Sagan," is a distinguished lecturer at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In Bacon’s daily work, "the sky’s the limit" — literally — as he helps oversee the construction and operation of the International Space Station, one of the most complicated technical projects in history. With math and science taking on increasing importance in the dialogue on K-12 education, Bacon is sure to strike a chord with this year’s audience.
Dr.
Terry Bergeson
As in years past, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Terry Bergeson
will deliver the State of Education in Washington address during the Annual
Conference. Bergeson’s address, always a valuable source of information and insight, will take place Friday morning.
Andrea Peterson
On Friday evening, WSSDA welcomes Washington’s own National Teacher of the Year Andrea Peterson.
Peterson, a music educator in the Granite Falls School District (and a graduate
of Onalaska High School), is only the second music teacher to win the national
title in the 57-year history of the award. With her innovative teaching style,
she has demonstrated how the arts can provide an effective bridge between what
students learn in other classrooms. In her new role as 2007 Teacher of the Year,
Peterson will be sharing with the national education community — including
attendees of the WSSDA Annual Conference — her insights into student
achievement.
Bonnie
Dunbar
Another Washington success story, Bonnie Dunbar, will close the Conference Saturday morning with a powerful dose of inspiration. A graduate of Sunnyside High School, Dunbar logged more than 50 days in space as a NASA mission specialist astronaut. She recently retired from the NASA Johnson Space Center, having served as the payload commander on two flights, including the first space shuttle docking mission to Russian Space Station Mir. Dunbar currently serves as president and CEO of Seattle’s Museum of Flight, the largest private air and space museum in the world, with an education program that serves nearly 100,000 students per year. Dunbar’s presentation promises to fill attendees with renewed motivation to "reach for the stars."
Karen Mapp
Keynote speakers are not the only individuals who will be raising the level of excellence at this year’s Annual Conference. At the early-bird workshops slated for Wednesday, Nov. 14, Karen Mapp will be sharing her experience and expertise in family and community engagement. As a leader in Boston Public Schools and the Institute for Responsive Education, Mapp developed ways to use community engagement to support student achievement. Now a faculty member of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Mapp continues to focus on the role of partnerships in district success.
