The National At-Risk Education Network

Upcoming NAREN
Conferences & Workshops

On this page...

• Register Now for our 2010 Conference!
  • Conference Location
  • For Vendors/Exhibitors/Sponsors...
  • Pre-Conference Seminar
  • Conference Schedule
  • Post-Conference
  • Conference Registration Fees
  • Register Early!
  • For Presenters...
• Candid Photos from Conference 2009

Register Now for Our 2010 Conference!

February 16-18, 2010
Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City, Florida

The theme for our 2010 NAREN National Conference is SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS & PRACTICES: Differentiating Instruction and Personalizing Education.

We now know that if we are to be more effective at reaching students we must first assess "where they are" before we plan our programs, and then use practices so each student can relate to the subject matter. A large survey conducted with school dropouts in a major Midwestern metro area revealed that every student agreed with the statement "No one in authority in my school cares about me." This can be ameliorated without spending an extra dime. It is not about NEW programs perhaps as much as it is about re-orienting our thinking, then practices, to match student needs and learning styles.

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

Quotes from 2009 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!"

Conference Location

Edgewater Beach Resort

The conference will 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 (check back for more info)!

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 for six years, 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!)

For Vendors/Exhibitors/Sponsors...

YES! We accept Vendor/Exhibitor Applications Write: amy@naren.info or call 920-251-2053 (Voice calls ONLY).

SPONSORS WANTED! Do you want to help out and get your program, cause, organization, school or university noticed?

Sponsors gain a spot on our Program/Conference Schedule, and are allowed handouts or one stack of materials on our Sponsor Table.

• Exhibit Tables (Draped) — $500 first table, $150 every table thereafter

• Program Sponsors — $150

Pre-Conference Seminar

Monday, February 15

• 8:30am - 4:00pm — Revitalizing Education to Increase Achievement, with Anthony Dallmann-Jones, PhD.

  Schedule to be announced.

Conference Schedule

Tuesday, February 16

Dr. Humor

• 8:45am - 10:00am — KEYNOTE: Dr. Stu Robertshaw, a.k.a. "Dr. Humor".

  "Dr. Humor" will share with you what he has learned about the power of humor in connecting and teaching at-risk students. One characteristic of many great teachers in our lives was a good sense of humor. One characteristic of many of the poor teachers we had in our lives was a missing sense of humor! Humor is important in a classroom filled with 25+ kids and one surrogate parent/teacher. It shows confidence and rapport, the two most important characteristics of any progressive classroom, next to academic content. Humor is often a way to encourage learning, to de-stress the classroom, and to let students know that hope is in laughter.

  Biographical Sketch: Dr. Stuart Robertshaw received his Bachelors degree in Education from MacMurray College, his Masters degree in Psychology from Illinois State University, his Doctorate in Special Education from the University of Kansas and his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. He has been a teacher of at-risk students, an attorney whose practice primarily focused on children's rights, a special education hearing officer, and a Professor of Special Education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. In 1998, he retired from the university to assume full time responsibilities as President and CEO of the National Association for the Humor Impaired.

  Dr. Humor, author of the book Dear Dr. Humor, has presented to over 500 educational, governmental, medical and business organizations, including (really) the FBI, the CIA, and the IRS!

"I have never had a keynote speaker who overwhelmingly connected with the audience in the manner you did ... your presentation was spectacular."
— Orange County Department of Education (CA)

"Montana may never recover!! Those of us who attended the Montana State Reading Conference and witnessed your presentation are still waking up in the middle of the night laughing uncontrollably!! Your keynote address was truly a highlight of the conference and many of us can't wait until we have the opportunity to see you in action again."
— Montana State Reading Conference (MT)

"Your message to over 1,300 employees has received phenomenal reviews. We laughed, we cried and we learned... Dr. Humor you have given us permission to become a healthier and more humorous staff, and our students will benefit greatly."
— School District of Janesville (WI)

• 10:00am - 10:15am — Booksigning, with Dr. Stu Robertshaw.

Wednesday, February 17

Dr. Stephen Sroka

• 8:45am - 9:45am — KEYNOTE: Dr. Stephen Sroka will present Getting to the Heart of Education-Listening to the Whole Child.

  Many students in schools are crying for help with their real life issues, such as sex, drugs and violence and yet many educators respond with an emphasis on academic proficiency skills. Many educators and researchers believe that listening to the whole child, not just the academic child, is the most effective way to reach and teach all students, especially reluctant learners who at risk for dropping out or who need alternative approaches to help them learn more and live better. With No Child Left Behind and its stress on academic achievement at all costs with little regard for the mental, social, physical, emotional or spiritual aspects of the whole child, many teachers teach tests and not students. Many students react and vote with their feet as nearly 1 out 3 students drop out of school because they are not motivated and are bored with the "drill and kill" approach of many educators. If kids are not learning the way we are teaching them, we must change the way we are teaching them. It is a time for a change.

  This is a high-energy, motivational, multimedia, prevention education presentation that is research-driven and reality-based. It integrates cutting-edge research (including social and emotional learning, social intelligence, stress management, communication strategies, motivational interviewing, brain based learning, media and cultural literacy, character education, connective factors, protective factors, resiliency, and youth and asset development programs) and humor and inspiring real-life stories to facilitate learning about the whole child and the students' mental, emotional, social, spiritual, and physical health needs and their relationship to academic and life success. The program is filled with real life strategies and "tips from the trenches" for everyone who works with youth.

• 10:00am - 11:00am — Workshop (Whole Assembly): Dr. Stephen Sroka will present Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy in a Toxic Society: Using Brain Based Learning to Reach and Teach the Whole Child — 25 Free Strategies to Help You Today.

  This workshop will offer the opportunity to "share and care" with a conversation to discuss the ideas addressed in the keynote. "Tips from the trenches" will include 25 free brain based learning strategies to help reach, teach and protect the whole child- socially, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This workshop will deal with the barriers that hamper safe and effective education, and offer suggestions, based on research and reality, to help you make your schools, homes and communities safe and healthy where students can learn more and live better.

Post-Conference

Friday, February 19

• 8:30am - 4:00pm — To be announced.

Conference Registration Fees

We know budgets are tight so NAREN has not increased conference rates for 2010, and is announcing TWO early bird deadlines to facilitate even more savings for those earnest enough to apply early.

Also, please note conference fee refund deadlines if something tragic occurs. To provide consistency, equity, and save confusion, the refund deadlines/amounts are non-negotiable.

Register Early!

Download the Conference Registration Form (in PDF format)

Call for Presenters...

Educators want to learn about your powerful programs and practices that are working! Be specific in what you are sharing. Make your title tell the story or at least the subtitle should. Programs & Practices accepted will be included in the NAREN database of the same name, as a chronicle of what works.

Download the Conference BREAKOUT Presenter Form (in PDF format)

PLEASE DO NOT APPLY TO BE A PRESENTER UNLESS YOU HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE.

The section below is for PRESENTERS ONLY to register for the 2010 National Conference with a credit card. You may also mail in the Registration Form with check or PO#. Reminder: for a group presentation, ONLY ONE presenter is given a discounted registration fee of either $195 (paid-up Associate) or $225 (Non-Associate). Other members of the team should pay up above at the current rate.

Candid Photos from Conference 2009

February 17-19, 2009
Edgewater Beach Resort, Panama City, Florida

PLEASE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR'S CONFERENCE now!

Want to be a Presenter at Next Year's Conference?

• Download the NAREN Conference Presenter form!