February Conferences Bring Opportunities for TTU K‑12

By Leslie Cranford, Section Manager

With three relevant conferences to attend just in February, TTU K-12 staff members have stayed busy crisscrossing the state to spread the word about the programs and advantages of TTU K‑12.

The conferences included the Texas Counseling Association Professional School Counselor Conference (PSCC), the Digital Learning Annual Conference (DLAC) and the Texas Rural Schools Spring Conference (TRSSC/Region 13).

PSCC in San Antonio drew thousands of school counselors from around the state. This conference is designed specifically for professional counselors providing services in educational settings for elementary and secondary students. Sessions focused on topics such as ethics, child and adolescent counseling, student development, at-risk youth, LGBT issues, administration and leadership, crisis response and many more. Cari Moye, TTU K-12 principal; and Jeff Oldham, TTU K-12 assistant principal, presented a session on "Successful Online Learners." Other attendees included Brenda Shupe, senior academic advisor; and Israel Galvan, assistant registrar.

DLAC in Austin drew hundreds of participants from schools, districts, state agencies, NGOs, and companies that are dedicated to improving kindergarten through 12th grade digital learning. The conference was founded to fill a gap in professional opportunities for online and blended learning educators and administrators, aiming to bring together practitioners working on real change and designed for a wide range of attendees. Jared Lay, director of recruitment and international partnerships, represented TTU K-12 at the exhibit booth, offering information on TTU K-12 programs and services.

TRSSC in Georgetown/Austin comprised hundreds of representatives from rural schools around Texas. TTU K-12 participants included Justin Louder, interim superintendent; and Victoria Qin, regional and international student coordinator. Based in West Texas, TTU K-12 is uniquely qualified to address the needs of rural schools around the state and beyond. Attendees were able to engage in high-interest topics centered around findings from the Rural School Task Force and took away innovative tools and strategies for immediate application in their campus or district.