CSC to host education conferences this week

The first will be on Wednesday (Oct. 12), is largely for Chadron State students who are preparing to teach. About 300 are expected to participate. The second, to take place Thursday, is open to teachers and administrators from K-12 and postsecondary institutions in western Nebraska. Both sessions will be in the Student Center.

The Nebraska Department of Education, the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, the Chadron Public Schools and Educational Service Unit 13 based in Scottsbluff are partnering with CSC to provide the conferences.

Speakers on Wednesday will include Jessie Myles, multicultural and urban education director for the Nebraska Department of Education. His topic at 9:15 will be on “Poverty and Education.”

Also on the morning agenda will be “A Conversation with the Commissioner” in which students will have the opportunity to ask questions and express their thoughts to Christensen.

Another presenter will be Paul Gorski of Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn. He will discuss “Working with Diverse Students in the Classroom” at the first session in the afternoon.

There are four main “strands” planned for Thursday. They are: 1, understanding the frameworks of poverty; 2, instruction strategies while working with special education students; 3, identifying and working with gifted and talented students; and 4, math instructional strategies for all students.

Other topics will include community and teacher resources for healthy lifestyles and managing stress, understanding depression and helping students plan for college.

The keynote speaker Thursday will be Spence Rogers, director of PEAK (Performance Excellence for All Kids) Learning Systems and twice the winner of Arizona’s Excellence in Teaching Award. He will speak at 9 a.m.

The luncheon speaker will be Dr. Marshall Hill, executive director for the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education. Hill will discuss the latest information on challenges and opportunities confronting American Indian students in Nebraska.

Gorski is also on the Thursday program.

Cindy Squier, CSC special education instructor, is the local coordinator of the conferences. She may be contacted at 432-6334 or at csquier@csc.edu for more information.