Durham Public Schools PL

Presenters: Lorene McNulty | [email protected] | CISS/Professional Learning; Chanel Sidbury | [email protected] | Assistant Superintendent, CISS
Location: Riverside High School Auditorium
Description: These roundtable sessions focus on principal led/facilitated discussions about best practices around MTSS implementation and monitoring.
Subject Area(s): *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): Leadership
Targeted Instructional Grades: Leadership
Targeted Roles: Assistant Directors, Assistant Superintendents, Directors, Superintendents, Assistant Principals, Principals

Presenters: Christina Richardson | [email protected] | Specialist; Gloria Sanchez | [email protected] | Coordinator; Amy Miller | [email protected] | Director; Laverne Mattocks-Perry | [email protected] | Senior Exec. Director
Location: Riverside High School TBD
Description: This session equips school leaders with the knowledge and tools to effectively implement and monitor Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Restorative Practices (RP) through intentional, non-evaluative walkthroughs. Grounded in CASEL’s SEL framework, participants will explore the intersections between restorative practices and SEL and how the two strategies work together to enhance school culture to create safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environments for all students.
Subject Area(s): *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): MTSS
Targeted Instructional Grades: Leadership
Targeted Roles: All Roles (Non-Specific)

Presenters: Ebony Ross | [email protected] | McKinney-Vento Coordinator
Location: Riverside High School
Description: This session will provide school leaders with a practical understanding of McKinney-Vento requirements, explore the process to identify students experiencing homelessness, ensure immediate enrollment, and navigate common barriers such as transportation and student reluctance. The The session will also highlight the local shelter process and district-specific data to ground the work in current realities.
Subject Area(s): *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): Student Wellness and Advocacy
Targeted Instructional Grades: Leadership
Targeted Roles: All Roles (Non-Specific)

Presenters: Amanda Hoffman | [email protected] | ELS
Location: Riverside High School
Description: Data is only as powerful as the action it inspires. For elementary administrators, the mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition platform is more than a compliance checklist—it is a diagnostic roadmap for school-wide literacy success. This session provides a deep dive into the architecture of DIBELS 8, moving beyond composite scores to understand the specific subtests—such as Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) and Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF)—that predict reading proficiency. Participants will examine the specific North Carolina state requirements under the Excellent Public Schools Act, ensuring their school’s screening and progress monitoring cycles meet NCDPI standards. We will bridge the gap between assessment and the classroom by demonstrating how to align mCLASS data with core literacy instruction. Administrators will learn to use "Instructional Grouping" reports to identify systemic gaps in Tier 1 instruction and facilitate "What’s Next" planning to ensure every student receives targeted, evidence-based support.
Subject Area(s): ELA
Topic(s): Curriculum and Instruction
Targeted Instructional Grades: Leadership
Targeted Roles: Principals

Presenters: Matthew Hickson | [email protected] | Modern Classrooms; Lori McNulty | [email protected] | Director, Professional Learning
Location: Riverside High School
Description: In this hands-on session, school leaders will build the knowledge and tools needed to confidently support teachers implementing the Modern Classrooms Math Model. Leaders will also practice using targeted observation and coaching designed specifically for the Modern Math Model, so they can give teachers meaningful, actionable feedback.
Subject Area(s): Mathematics
Topic(s): Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: Leadership
Targeted Roles: Assistant Superintendents, Directors, Assistant Principals, Principals

Presenters: Cierra Ojijo | [email protected] | Senior Executive Director; Stef Rodriguez | [email protected] | Risk Management Analyst
Location: Riverside High School TBD
Description: Risk Management: Workers' Compensation, Student Injury, and General Liability Essentials
Subject Area(s): *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): Leadership, Operations, Safety, Data Analysis, DPS Adopted Resources, Fiscal Responsibility, Human Resources, Security
Targeted Instructional Grades: *None (Non-Instructional), Leadership
Targeted Roles: All Roles (Non-Specific)

Presenters: Heidi Perez | [email protected] | Director of Instructional Systems; Beth Spataro | [email protected] | School Support Specialist; Jacqueline Aponte | [email protected] | School Support Specialist
Location: Riverside High School TBD
Description: Participants will develop skills in accessing and interpreting platform-based instructional and assessment data, monitoring curriculum implementation, and using reporting tools to guide schoolwide instructional decisions. Leaders will strengthen their ability to identify trends, facilitate data-informed conversations with teachers and PLCs, and create actionable next steps that improve student outcomes. This interactive session combines platform navigation, real-world data analysis, and collaborative problem-solving. Participants will engage in guided exploration of reporting tools, analyze sample data sets and instructional scenarios, and discuss leadership moves that support effective implementation and continuous improvement. Opportunities for reflection, discussion, and action planning will help participants connect the learning directly to their school contexts.
Subject Area(s): ELA
Topic(s): MTSS, Curriculum and Instruction, Data Analysis, Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 11th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Assistant Principals, Principals

Presenters: Matthew Hickson | [email protected] | Modern Classrooms; Lori McNulty | [email protected] | Director, Professional Learning
Location: Riverside High School
Description: In this hands-on session, school leaders will build the knowledge and tools needed to confidently support teachers implementing the Modern Classrooms Math Model. Leaders will also practice using targeted observation and coaching designed specifically for the Modern Math Model, so they can give teachers meaningful, actionable feedback.
Subject Area(s): Mathematics
Topic(s): Student-Centered Learning
Targeted Instructional Grades: Leadership
Targeted Roles: Assistant Superintendents, Directors, Assistant Principals, Principals

Presenters: Lorene McNulty | [email protected] | CISS/Professional Learning; Chanel Sidbury | [email protected] | Assistant Superintendent, CISS
Location: Riverside High School Auditorium
Description: This keynote address features National High School Principal of the Year, Jason Johnson (Orange High School), who will share his insights and wisdom about how leaders can align, act and achieve, with student outcomes at the core.
Subject Area(s): *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): Leadership
Targeted Instructional Grades: Leadership
Targeted Roles: Assistant Directors, Assistant Superintendents, Directors, Superintendents, Assistant Principals, Principals

Presenters: Cherice Artis | [email protected] | K-12 School Counseling Coordinator
Location: Riverside High School
Description: Principals will build capacity to effectively evaluate school counselors’ Achievement Gap Plans for quality, alignment, and impact. Through hands-on analysis and structured practice, principals will apply a district-aligned evaluation rubric to determine whether plans are data-driven, aligned to identified student disparities, connected to MTSS, and focused on measurable outcomes. Participants will evaluate sample plans, calibrate expectations through discussion and feedback, and develop clear strategies for monitoring counselor effectiveness. By the end of the session, principals will leave with a practical evaluation tool and a defined next step to implement in their school to ensure measurable progress in closing achievement gaps.
Subject Area(s): *None (Non-Instructional)
Topic(s): Leadership
Targeted Instructional Grades: 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade, 7th Grade, 9th Grade, 11th Grade, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 4th Grade, 6th Grade, 8th Grade, 10th Grade, 12th Grade
Targeted Roles: Assistant Principals, Principals