2012 NAREN National Conference

February 21–23, 2012
Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City, Florida

In this Section...

• About the Conference (this page, below)
• 2012 NAREN National Conference Schedule
  • Monday, February 20, 2012: Pre-Conference Seminar
  • Tuesday–Thursday, February 21–23, 2012: NAREN National Conference
  • Friday, February 24, 2012: Post-Conference Seminar

More info...

• Conference Keynotes & Breakout Sessions
• Conference Registration Forms
• Call for Presenters & Presenter Registration
• Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities
• Download the Conference Flyer (in PDF format)

About the Conference

New for the 2012 NAREN National Conference, we have a triple theme:

• Theme 1 (General): What Works in the Classroom?

  This track provides a broad-spectrum where professionals can share effective program models, strategies, practices and techniques that are making a difference in alternative/at-risk education. Come share what's working well in your school system and take home a wealth of the same from other school systems and educational practitioners. If you look at last year's conference lineup, you can see that we had about 2/3 of the presenters speaking on the overall successful programs, models, and practices that work, and approximately 1/3 on psychological/emotional aspects of the students' world. We are aiming for about the same percentages this year (again, about 2/3 on Successful Programs and Practices and 1/3 on our specialized track for this year) various areas of addiction — food, perfectionism, tobacco, alcohol, relationships, drugs, gaming, gambling and others that are distracting our students from succeeding in the programs meant to help them grow towards their potential.

• Theme 2 (Specialized): Addiction in Youth

  You can have gobs of money and the most exotic of educational programs in your district but if addiction is active you are, no doubt, wasting a LOT of your time and money. UNTIL the issue of addiction is honestly confronted we are fooling ourselves and our public. Addiction is not just about alcohol and other illegal drugs — every day in the United States, an average of 2,000 teenagers use prescription drugs without a doctor's guidance for the first time — there are food addictions, gaming and gambling addictions, excitement addictions, and, yes, internet addiction! There are many forms but there are issues and interventions common to all. We CAN and MUST rescue our youth. It IS being done! Some HAVE found the way! Come share and learn the latest discoveries about prevention and recovery paths to health for our students.

• Theme 3 (Administrative): Issues in Alternative Education

  The percentage of administrators at the NAREN Conference has increased EVERY YEAR — and so has the stress! And NOW is the time to address some of the issues educational administrators are facing. Both the 2012 and the 2013 Conference will list Administrative Issues as a major strand, and we wanted to get the ball rolling this year because of the NOW pressures of Race to the Top, smaller budgets, accelerated decision-making, and the constant turmoil of uncertainty. A special Stress Management Session for Administrators will be offered on Wednesday afternoon as we squarely face the facts that 83% of school administrators list high stress and low productivity as the major issues in their careers.

You may attend all three — for one price — all in the same building!

They came in record numbers in 2011! They attended, presented, exhibited, expressed this new direction that will help uncover what it takes to encourage potential in the population we have for too long known as the at-risk population in our schools. It is time to focus on what we wish to expand: Greatness!

All meetings and sessions are held at the Conference Center at Edgewater Beach Resort.

Special Hotel Rates for Conference Attendees

Conference attendees (including presenters) will receive a reduced rate for their stay at Edgewater Beach Resort! Call them at (800) 874-8686 to book your room(s) and quote the code #1029CF to receive this special discount!

Conference Location

The conference will be held (as always!) at:

Edgewater Beach Resort

11212 Front Beach Road
Panama City Beach, FL 32407

Tel: 1-800-874-8686

Special conference rates will be available for attendees! For reservations call 1-800-874-8686. To get the special conference rate provide the receptionist with the Room Code #1029CF.

The Hotel: On the beach, overlooking the emerald green Gulf of Mexico, the 12-story Edgewater Beach Resort (click for their site!) has been our national conference home since the very beginning, and you will see why when you arrive! Even the basic rooms are suites fully equipped. Under $100 a night! If waking up to surf sounds is not your desire, the Edgewater also has marvelous townhouses on interior lakes on the premises. There is a fine restaurant on the premises at the beach (some of the finest deep-fried grouper fingers ever!).

(Note: Regular attendees to the NAREN Conference know to RESERVE EARLY as the ocean front rooms are limited in number. Just a word to the wise!)

Quotes from Previous Conference Attendees

• "I love the conference and the breadth of topics and the networking was great!"
• "Excellent conference. I learned a ton!"
• "Thank you! I learned so much, had thoughts and beliefs affirmed, and am leaving with strategies I can use."
• "Awesome conference. Thank you!"

More Information

• 2012 NAREN National Conference Schedule
• Conference Keynotes & Breakout Sessions
• Conference Registration Forms
• Call for Presenters & Presenter Registration
• Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities
• Download the Conference Flyer (in PDF format)

All original textual content on this site is copyright © NAREN
and may not be reproduced in any way without explicit written permission.
Web and graphic design for this site copyright © Psymon.
All Rights Reserved.