Breakout sessions are 60 minute presentations or workshops by a single presenter or team of presenters. They provide in-depth information on a topic and are often interactive. We have 12 breakout presentations led by 30 presenters across two sessions.
“Educational Equity” means the school system has taken active steps to remove barriers so that all students have the opportunity to access each of the opportunities made available by the school division. Oftentimes, the barrier is getting students to come to school and, once there, performing well; this is especially true for students who do not feel a connection to the school’s community and/or to at least one adult in the school. In order to remove this barrier, school staff must become aware of practices that preclude the feelings of safety and connectedness among our students towards our schools. This session will follow Zaretta Hammond’s culturally responsive teaching framework and address topics such as poverty as a circumstance rather than a “culture,” high expectations for all students, students’ voices in the classroom, creating an environment of safety, and the power of a caring teacher.
Jennifer Hilliard, Adeela Abdalleh, Jessica Kim, and Jordan Evans (Chesterfield County Public Schools)
Trained by Wendy McCaig of Embrace RVA and organized by Jennifer Hilliard, Communities in Schools Site Coordinator, a group of eight students set out to identify a subset of the Meadowbrook High School student population who needed to be empowered and gain more connection to their school. Meadowbrook (MBK) is one of the most diverse high schools in the region, and these students identified the ELL (English Language Learners) as their target group, and used a five question survey developed by Mrs. McCaig to interview ELL students in order to obtain information regarding their gifts (assets) and concerns about school. This session will detail how Embrace MBK students are using this data to affect change for ELL students in their school.
John Hendron, Krystle Demas, Morgan McMullin, and Andrea Burton (Goochland County Public Schools
In Goochland, our philosophy is that deeper learning experiences are appropriate for all students. Yet, ensuring access to these experiences is a challenge within a common environment of high-stakes testing. Improving the understanding of deeper learning methods by the building principal, classroom teacher, and technology coach in tandem will help produce a richer classroom experience for students where they can thrive in an environment steeped in collaboration, higher-order thinking skills, technology use, and real world applications of their understanding. In multiple iterations of our year-long study, instructional technology coaches were paired with a number of teachers at their school to develop and deliver lessons for all learners that encourage deeper learning outcomes for students. This session will share the methods used by researchers and the discovered impact on teachers' lesson plan development as well as the development of the Profile of a Goochland Graduate.
Making an Impact: Supporting Teacher Professional Learning and Collective Efficacy Through the Impact Team Model
Drew Baker, Holly Condon, and Elizabeth Terrier (Henrico County Public Schools)
In 2019 Henrico Schools piloted the Impact Team Program, establishing nine teacher-led teams in schools with diverse student populations seeking to explore student centered instruction (SCI) and build collective efficacy in practitioners. At the end of the program, teachers reported an increase in incorporation of SCI, ability to engage traditionally marginalized students, and their self-efficacy as instructors. Attendees in this session will be exposed to the Deeper Learning Model and Henrico Learner Profile as well as the Impact Team Model as a way to support teach-led professional learning on SCI and culturally responsive practice. Vignettes from team members will be shared with participants, featuring the work that was completed through the Impact Team and lessons learned during the process. Findings related to the benefits of the pilot year will be shared in depth, and a framework for incorporating similar professional learning strategies into other divisions or higher education communities will also be provided. The models for both SCI and the Impact Team Program are excellent starting points for any educator interested in learning how to close achievement gaps through dynamic classroom practice, teacher collective efficacy, and teacher-led professional learning.
Hillary Parkhouse and Jesse Senechal (MERC/VCU School of Education), Ejana Bennett, Jia Gui, and Robyn Lyn (VCU School of Education), Alexandra Merritt (VCU Developmental Psychology), Monica Manns, Alma Kenup, and Cara Jean O'Neal (Henrico County Public Schools), Shannon Macaulay (Chesterfield County Public School)
MERC in partnership with Henrico and Chesterfield Public Schools is currently leading teams of teacher action researchers in four secondary schools with the goal of promoting culturally responsive teaching practices. This two-year grant funded project is built on best practice principles of professional development related to cultural diversity. This session will begin with facilitated discussions on the findings of our recent regional survey work on this topic . We will then share information about the design of the action research model and examples of the school-based work already coming from this project.
Danielle Apugo (VCU School of Education), Ashlee Barnes and Sarah Jane Brubaker (VCU Wilder School), Jamie Cage and Nicole Corley (VCU School of Social Work)
Another day, another social media hashtag highlighting the criminalization of Black girls in America's schools. Despite these small scale--yet common--cyber protests, the question still remains: "How do both researchers and stakeholders cultivate the best possible approaches to understanding the unique experiences of criminalization towards Black girls in schools?" This interactive, discussion-based session proposes a multi-pronged, transdisciplinary research approach to examining the long-standing crisis of Black girls within the Richmond K-12 school context and beyond. Presenters ask that stakeholders also consider their own lived experiences as framing tools for authentic, in-depth discussions.
Why Does a School Need a Multicultural Student Association?
Diana Erazo, Samantha Martin, Aaliyah France, and Callie Burdette (Powhatan County Public Schools)
In 2017 through a joint effort between students and faculty, Powhatan Middle School established the Multicultural Student Association (M.S.A.). It is designated as a student led organization that promotes academic excellence, self-determination, self-worth, school spirit, and unity among the culturally diverse school community. It aims to foster an energetic, peaceful, and safe environment where all students from different cultures, ethnicities, and nationalities can interact, work together, and learn about each other. The M.S.A. has established programs and services that educate the students about diversity and equity, that celebrate the differences within the student body and that share in their similarities. This session will describe the development and impact of this program and how it supports a diversifying student body in the rural county of Powhatan.
Step Up!: Using Data to Explore Equity
Tiffany Hinton (Henrico County Public Schools), Lisa Abrams (VCU School of Education)
Come walk with us in exploring solutions for equity within schools! In Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS), Equity and Opportunity is a foundational cornerstone of the division's Strategic Plan. There is a collective effort of all stakeholders to reduce disparities among students from varying demographics and backgrounds through engaging, meaningful, and relevant experiences. To support this work, HCPS collaborated with faculty in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University to pilot a process for studying data trends with an equity lens. The process utilized a protocol for Equity Data Walks adapted from The Education Trust-West, as well as data analysis protocols from the Data Wise framework. This session will demonstrate this collaborative process for engaging with students and staff in analyzing data to identify areas of improvement related to equity in our schools. Participants will immediately be able to take what they learn and use these same activities with their own teams.
Ethnic and cultural matching of teachers to students has been found to be an effective practice for the various needs of students. When teachers understand the culture of their students it helps to support their teaching practices and behavior strategies used in the classroom. As students can connect with teachers, they serve as a role model for the students, especially students of color which can enhance student motivation, confidence, and effort in the classroom. This also leads to better attendance in schools and teacher retention. On the other hand, does ethnicity and culture really matter when most classes are made up of various ethnicities? There is a lack of teachers of color in education that does not allow for enough staff to match student ethnicity and culture. One program across the nation that works to supply more diverse teachers with specific training in urban education is the Teacher Residency program. This session will describe how this program works to prepare teachers for work in culturally diverse classrooms and retain them in their schools.
Capitalizing on the Strengths of English Learners Through Dual Language Programs
Melissa Cuba (MERC/VCU School of Education), Carolyn Waters, Kate Daly Rolander, and Andrew Harris (VCU School of Education)
This session will discuss recent English learner population trends throughout Virginia, with a focus on local school divisions that have experienced demographic changes over the past decade. These changes present both challenges and opportunities for schools and school professionals. When discussing these trends, participants will have an opportunity to actively engage and interact with data visualizations of local demographic changes. Presenters will share research on dual language programming as a recognized model that promotes both language acquisition and academic content mastery for both students who are learning English and for those whose native language is English. We will focus on how dual language not only prepares students to develop language proficiency and literacy in English and a partner language, but how it also enhances the potential for higher academic outcomes, higher post-secondary outcomes, greater cross-cultural competence, and positive cultural identity.
Tami Sober (VCU School of Education), Brionna Nomi (VCU School of Education), Luis Luna (Richmond Public Schools)
Many community advocates attempt to bring about change without a “lesson plan” for how to do so. A group of local teachers, parents, VCU professors & students will share the proven-effective community organizing framework they’re implementing, that moves beyond research expertise & mobilization to negotiate & leverage power with elected officials. Participants of this session will be introduced to the 4 Universal Tools for Organizing to Build Power: Individual Meetings, Power Analysis, Teaching & Training, and Action & Evaluation. Presenters will take a deep dive into one of these tools, and engage attendees in the use of the tools. Presenters will share case examples that highlight the educational equity outcomes brought about by community advocates who have implemented this organizing framework.
Kindergarten Countdown Camp: Making Kindergarten Readiness Accessible for All
Jeanine Mowbray (United Way of Richmond) and Yardley Farquharson (Dinwiddie County Public Schools)
In our service area, 1 in 7 students begin kindergarten without the skills necessary to learn and thrive in elementary school. A successful transition to kindergarten is crucial for students as it sets the foundation for their entire educational journey. Students who are unprepared for this transition, unfortunately, begin their academic career behind their peers because they lack basic readiness skills. This increases the likelihood of challenges throughout their educational career, particularly around critical milestones like literacy and high school graduation. In our search to bring Kindergarten Countdown Camp to the Greater Richmond area we found inequities in summer kindergarten readiness programs offered by school districts. Dinwiddie County Public Schools was excited to partner with the United Way to provide students with the opportunity to gain basic academic and social skills. Together we sought to provide access for families in the community through the implementation of a summer kindergarten readiness program: Kindergarten Countdown Camp (KCC). This session will discuss the mission of this program, how it is working to promote equitable student learning opportunities, and how it plans to expand to other divisions.
Ignite Sessions
Ignite sessions feature multiple presentations on a similar topic. Presenters each have 12-15 minutes to present their work and a session chair moderates a discussion with the audience at the end of the session. We have six ignite sessions featuring 20 presentations for our conference this year.
Preparing and Retaining Teachers in Metropolitan Richmond
Denise Bowes and Kerry Adkins (Chesterfield County Public Schools)
Recruiting and retaining teachers has become a national problem. The revolving door; teachers in and teachers out, can be closed if school divisions have leadership that embraces positive school culture, an excellent reputation, quality education equitable for all, and make personal connections. This session will describe findings of a research project conducted in a local school district to try to understand what separated them from the teacher shortage crisis that is nationwide. The research conducted and the findings may be of critical importance to educational researchers and practitioners who will be conducting future research about sustaining the teaching profession, especially as student learners become more diverse in schools.
Learn how the Office of Strategic Engagement (OSE) in the VCU School of Education can facilitate partnerships within our region through innovative approaches focused on relationships to build a culturally responsive community of educators. The OSE is focused on learning what the various needs are within each individual school/community culture to create a unique training experience that is sustainable in deliverability and impactful in implementation for others to learn and grow from in an effort to move the needle toward creating an equitable learning environment within our region, state and nation. This session will discuss these efforts by the OSE to build a network of strategic partnerships and professional learning opportunities to advance educational equity together.
David Naff (MERC/VCU School of Education), Brooke Good (VCU School of Education), and Meredith Parker (Powhatan County Public Schools)
This session will describe the research design for the MERC Teacher Retention study, which was informed by school division leaders, researchers at VCU, and MERC Conference attendees from 2018. This study has two phases. Phase one includes collection and analysis of regional teacher workforce data as well as a survey of workforce experiences by MERC school division teachers in 2020. Phase two involves an analysis of state and local policies designed to address teacher retention in our region, informed by evidence collected in phase one. Participants will learn more about how MERC plans to investigate the factors that help teachers stay in the profession.
Creating Equitable School and Classroom Environments
Discover how historical obituaries can help students learn to continually rediscover the categories of gender and race throughout history. The presenter will provide participants with four sample historical obituaries and direct participants to free, online databases where they can find additional primary sources from historical newspapers for their classrooms. This strategy is intended for middle and high school social studies classrooms. This session is particularly relevant for any educators who are looking to address gender and race more in their curriculum, but are not sure how to approach those topics beyond covering the contributions of women or people of color.
Strategies to Ensure Equitable Learning Environments
Jaime Stacy (Averett University)
This session will discuss how classroom management and the learning environment are connected. Participants will learn strategies to "Set the Stage" for equity in the classroom. This presentation will provide an overview of equity and its impact on the learning environment, examples of the issues the presenter has encountered along with evidence-based recommendations to address these issues.
Research shows that when teaching is structured to be culturally responsive and equitable in terms of gender disparities, student improvement becomes evident. This presentation will examine teaching strategies that helped cultivate an equitable learning environment for students whose cultural and/or gender identity differs from the societal norm. The session will describe efforts at Powhatan High School to promote a culture of equity through student engagement and empowerment.
JoAna Smith, Sharon Tamayo, Sydney Killion, Mallie Schneider, Emma Rice, Fariza Kareem, Maddie Aird, Daysia Thomas, Nicole Ludin, and Jovontae Smith (Chesterfield County Public Schools)
Hear firsthand from students how schools and classrooms can engage students from diverse backgrounds. Breaking Down Barriers is a student group with a teacher sponsor that educates members, the school and community about diversity and equity. This presentation covers perspectives and opinions of students at Midlo, including difficulties faced as an athlete, lower socio-economic status, learning disabilities, having teachers/administration that do not represent student culture, and physical identifiers. Research on each of these areas is shared as well as suggestions for teachers and administrators to support diverse learners.
Promoting the Current and Future Success of all Students
Elizabeth Baber and Shawn Abel (Chesterfield County Public Schools)
Increasing college readiness by providing exposure to higher-level coursework is essential to any education. This session will explore which data is relevant for understanding where growth is needed, how to use the data to increase enrollment in higher level courses, and how to support students in their pursuit of college and career readiness. Participants will receive the tools and knowledge to implement changes immediately within their schools to increase participation and retention of students in higher level courses.
The diverse needs of learners are increasing in secondary classrooms. It is important that teachers are not only aware of students' needs and backgrounds but are adjusting lessons to accommodate them. This session will describe efforts by teachers to promote communication and reading skills in English classrooms through groupling, leveled novel studies, and relationship building (restorative circles, student conferences, goal setting) to accommodate students' diverse needs. Presenters will discuss the perceived impacts of these efforts on student learning.
AP enrollment and exam performance outcomes for White students disproportionately surpass those for Black students. This session will discuss a case study that attempts to inform practice, policy, and programming toward more equitable enrollment outcomes for Black students. Participants will learn the implications of this study for research, policy, and practice, and learn how to promote access and success in advanced courses for students of color.
Meeting the Needs of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
This session highlights a cultural brokering intervention that connects minority families of children with disabilities receiving special education with other minority families trained as cultural brokers who provide emotional, informational, and systems navigational support. Research into VCUs cultural brokering intervention published in book chapters/articles reveal core components of an effective cultural brokering program.
Predictability of High-stakes Assessments Using ELP Levels
Jannette DuHart (Richmond Public Schools)
This presentation will discuss the results of a research using the ACCESS for ELLs and the Reading Standards of Learning assessments as instruments to quantitatively determine whether English Language Proficiency (ELP) overall composite scores could be used to predict the scores on the Reading SOL test. The collection of accurate and relevant data drives educational accountability systems in the U.S., and as such, understanding how these test data relate and interact will better inform academic decision-making processes when serving English Learners at the federal, state, and local level. By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to understand the applicability of a research study to impact instruction in the classroom. Participants will also be able to articulate the most significant characteristics of English proficiency and its impact on high-stakes assessments.
The notion of being “color blind” is quickly becoming an outdated practice for differentiating students. This session will focus on how to be a color brave teacher and ways to incorporate culturally responsive instruction into the classroom. Teachers will have an opportunity to reflect on current classroom practices and practice addressing difficult conversations. This presentation will help teachers understand the importance of culturally responsive instruction and how damaging silence around hot-topic issues can be. Ultimately, participants will grow in their cultural and self-awareness towards diversity and how to engage students in meaningful culture “talk.”
Student Transformation and Empowerment Program
Tim Sanders, Amanda Hach, and Caitlyn Carpenter (Henrico County Public Schools)
Too often in today’s “one size fits all” academic environment schools struggle to address the unique challenges of its students. The Student Transformation and Empowerment Project (STEP) recognizes this as well as a related concern, the fact that many young people have a difficult relationship with school. Too often this causes students to feel like they do not belong and makes them vulnerable to a myriad of negative outcomes. This presentation will describe how this program endeavors to reverse that cycle and ensure that every student has the same opportunity to use school as a vehicle to prepare them for a lifetime of success.
Adapted Peer Buddy Physical Education
Amber Foos, Sara Meade, Lynn Clayton-Prince, and Coya Bird (Powhatan County Public Schools)
This session will offer a closer look into the Adapted Physical Education course at Powhatan High School. This program is designed to modify and adapt activities completed in the standard P.E. class based on students' individual abilities. Students with disabilities are paired with non-disabled peers in a variety of games, activities, team sports, and individual sports while building relationships and developing social skills. The class breaks down social barriers while allowing everyone to interact, and empower each other no matter what challenges and adversity may accompany them. All students in the class are able to form a bond between a diverse group of individuals who all have a love and passion for others. This presentation will describe how this class has not only changed the lives of students with disabilities but the entire community.
Ashlee Lester and Amy Corning (MERC/VCU School of Education), Candace Simon Benn (NextUp RVA)
Equity and access are just as important in out-of-school spaces as they are in schools. Despite the fact that over 10.2 million students attend afterschool programs, significant opportunity gaps persist in these spaces, meaning that some students lack access to high quality afterschool opportunities. This session will describe how NextUP RVA was developed in order to address this opportunity gap in the Metro-Richmond area. At its core, NextUp is designed to provide middle school students with access to high quality afterschool opportunities. Presenters will discuss the promising behavioral and academic outcomes of students regularly participating in this program.
Understanding the Impact of Context and Community on Student Wellbeing
Doughnuts with Dads, Muffins with Moms: Providing an Inclusive Environment for Family Activities in Schools
Jada Brooks, Londyn Hackett, Marquelle Bowden, Kayla Daniels, Chelsi Harrison, Taleyah Floyd, Shayvonee Mullen, Ajaratu Vandy, Robin Hinton, Tayler Bryant, Nashai King, and Elizabeth Joseph (Virginia State University)
Family structures within the United States have become more diverse over the last several decades. Many school activities focus on one parent attending such as doughnuts with dads, muffins with mom, or father-daughter dances. Consideration should be given for more inclusive events such as Fun with Family and Friends or Coffee with Caregivers. This presentation will focus on changes in family structures in the local community and make suggestions on inclusive alternatives.
Adulting: The Value of Family and Consumer Science Programs in Schools
Jada Brooks, Crystal Wynn, and Patricia Lynch (Virginia State University)
Have you ever taken care of a child, prepared a meal, used a coupon, planned a party, prepared a budget, or put together an outfit? Family and Consumer Science (FACS), formerly known as Home Economics, has been a valuable asset to students in schools across the country for many decades. Topics related to nutrition, financial management, child development, fashion and apparel, among others are often included in secondary schools FACS curriculum. While these courses prepare a pathway for careers and/or higher education, they are also valuable in preparing life skills needed in adulthood. This presentation will focus on the decline in such programs in recent years and the need to rebrand and reestablish programs for students.
Amanda Lynch (Rethinking Resiliency) and Angel Reynolds (Richmond Public Schools)
Presenters will offer an interactive and multidisciplinary workshop that will explores how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) impacts learning and long-life health and well-being in children, adolescents and adults. Further discussion will be given on how our brain changes when we experience high levels of stress and how we can improve health outcomes, resilience for us and for future generations. An emphasis will be placed on toxic stress, secondary trauma, self-care, self-compassion.
This presentation will include an overview of ACE, a description of physical outcomes and possible effects on a person’s education, a description of emotional outcomes and possible effects on a person’s education, and offer some school-based supports to address the negative outcomes that are brought on by ACE. Each issue is a barrier for student in their ability to access the federally and state funded educational system. The presenter will offer practical recommendations for encouraging emotional learning and partnering with community partners. Such partners are ones that offer after school programs in safe environments, mindfulness training, and talk therapy.
12:20-1:00
Poster sessions are visual representations of research. Participants are able to view posters at their leisure in a gallery style session and speak to presenters about their work.
Video Use in Coaching: Teacher Perceptions and Implications for Practice
Nicole Peterson (VCU School of Education)
The presenter will model how video use within a coaching model supported teachers as they implemented evidence-based behavior management practices. Evidence gathered from semi- structured interviews conducted with teachers after participating in a 14-week intervention will be analyzed using qualitative methods to provide teacher perspective into video as a coaching tool.
A Cross-Cultural Review of Effective Professional Development of Teachers for Improving Student Motivation and Engagement in K-12 Schools in the United States, Europe and Asia
Preeti Kamat (VCU School of Education)
Different cultures view the constructs related to human motivation and engagement differently. Acknowledging how diverse cultural perspectives have been reflected in the educational research and practice, this cross-cultural review aimed to examine the effect of teachers’ professional development programs on students’ motivation and engagement in different parts of the world. The cross-cultural review presented in this poster is aimed to examine how different cultural perspectives could inform the effect of teachers’ professional development programs on students’ motivation and engagement in different parts of the world. It offers practical and sustainable takeaways for how to promote equity and how to support diverse learners in schools, classrooms, and communities.
Christina Aquilina, Catherine Hammill, and Taren Meekins (Henrico County Public Schools)
Last year a cohort of teacher-leaders in Henrico Schools conducted independent action research projects in their practice. Teacher projects included faculty and student reactions to a 1:1 laptop initiative, the impact of SNAP benefits on student achievement in high poverty schools, and the impact of sheltered EL instruction on student sense of belonging and community. These three research projects will be shared as well as the overall benefits of participatory action research to the practice of the teacher-leaders. Presenters will not only share their project and findings, but also explain how the experience as a whole impacted their practice and ability to work with all students.
Special Sessions
Each year, the MERC Conference features special sessions at the beginning and end of the day that align with the theme of the event. This year's special sessions will feature two panel presentations with dynamic students and educators working to advance educational equity in metropolitan Richmond schools.
Opening Panel: School Division Leaders of Educational Equity - 9:00-10:00
Our conference will open with a panel discussion about equity frameworks employed by school divisions in metropolitan Richmond, featuring (left to right) Ram Bhagat (Manager of School Culture and Climate - Richmond Public Schools), Lynn Clayton-Prince (Director of Special Education - Powhatan County Public Schools), Tameshia Grimes (Superintendent - Nottoway County Public Schools), and Monica Manns (Director of Equity and Diversity - Henrico County Public Schools). Moderated by Jesse Senchal (MERC Director)
Closing Panel: "Profiles in Educational Equity" Podcast Participants - 2:10-3:30
Our conference will conclude with a panel discussion featuring representatives from each of the seven episodes in our Profiles in Educational Equity podcast series from Abstract. Panelists will include representatives from each of the seven MERC school divisions discussing various initiatives for promoting equity for their students and educators. Moderated by David Naff (MERC Assistant Director) and Cindy Sinanian (Teacher from Hanover County Public Schools). Episodes from this series are released each Friday leading up to the conference, and you can listen on the MERC website, as well as Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify.
Networking
The MERC Conference is an annual opportunity to bring together stakeholders from educational research, policy, and practice for the purpose of advancing public schools in metropolitan Richmond. Throughout the day there will be opportunities for conference participants to network and share ideas.