McKinney-Vento Rochester Area Conference!
When: March 21, 2023
Where: RIT Inn and Conference Center 5257 W. Henrietta Road, Henrietta, NY 14467
Conference Agenda:
8:00am – 9:00am Breakfast/Registration
9:00am – 9:10am Welcome/Introductions
9:10am – 10:05am Keynote Presentation
10:05 am - 10:20am BREAK
10:20am – 11:20am - Breakout Session #1
11:20am – 11:30am BREAK
11:30am – 12:30am - Breakout Session #2
Keynote Presentation: Cultivating Student Identity and Community in Schools
Speaker: Jim Dillion
Schools have the potential to help students become capable learners and valued members of the community. When students have a good sense of agency and know they have social supports, they can face challenges, and learn how to persevere and overcome them.
The schools that produce such students have intentionally designed culture and climate that sends the right message: they are safe, they belong, they are valued, and they are cared for.
This keynote will explore how schools can be transformed from being a collection of individuals in competition with each other to being a safe and supportive community, where each student’s inherent dignity is affirmed and supported without exception.
Breakout Sessions (Choose one session for each time)
Session 1: Building Bridges Between Staff and Families
Families who have not been consistent members of a school community can often feel excluded and unwelcome. Building bridges and a positive partnership with such families cannot be left to chance. School leadership and staff must develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to overcome the barriers to giving a sense of belonging that these families want and need. This session will offer specific and practical strategies to support school staff so they can make all families feel welcome and accepted.
Session 2: McKinney-Vento 101
Students experiencing temporary housing are granted educational rights under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. There are key provisions and benefits that support students experiencing temporary housing to have full participation in school. This session will focus on the key provisions and the important role of the McKinney-Vento liaison in providing these benefits and protections to students.
Session 3: Connecting with Families - Determining Eligibility
Homelessness creates significant educational barriers for children and youth to succeed in school. To determine a student’s McKinney-Vento eligibility, the school district must determine whether the student’s living arrangement meets the McKinney-Vento Act’s definition of homeless. This session will focus on ways to engage with families to determine eligibility for benefits. Opportunities will be provided to discuss scenarios and ways to communicate with families.