The Mid-Atlantic Equity Center's 2004 Annual Regional Conference "The Link Between Culture and Academic Achievement: Programs, Policies, and Procedures that Work" March 12, 2004 Marriott Hotel at Metro Center 775 12th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005

About the Conference

What is culture? How does culture enrich our children's success and learning in the classroom? How can schools form better partnerships with parents of diverse backgrounds? What are some of the programs and strategies that improve the achievement of culturally and linguistically diverse students. The purpose of this conference is to explore the relationship between culture and academic achievement. Effective strategies and programs for culturally and linguistically diverse students will be shared.

List of Presenters

Dr. Eleanor Rodriguez serves as an independent consultant for Rodriguez and Associates throughout the United States and abroad. She is the co-author of the thought provoking book, What is it About Me you Can't Teach? and Valuing Diversity in the School System.

Dr. Lobna "Luby" Ismail, founder and president of Connecting Cultures, Inc., is a training specialist with over fifteen years of experience in the areas of cross-cultural communication, international cultural competency, Islamic awareness and religious diversity. She is the author of Doing Business in the Middle East and North Africa and Finding Diversity.

Dr. Sheryl Denbo is the Director of the Mid-Atlantic Equity Center. Dr. Denbo has been involved in advocating for the civil rights of minority students for over 30 years. She has a national reputation on issues of school reform with a focus on equity. She has co-edited the book, Improving Schools for African American Students: A Reader for Educational Leaders.

Dr. Warren Simmons is the Executive Director of the Annenberg Institute for Research at Brown University. The Institute was established in 1993 to generate, share and act on knowledge that improves conditions and outcomes in American schools, particularly in urban areas and in schools serving disadvantaged students.

Dr. Karla Lewis is a Research Specialist in Assessment, Accountability and Standards at SERVE Regional Education Laboratory. Her current research interests include professional development opportunities for K -12 educators, the impact of school reform on teacher change, and school, family, and community partnerships in high schools.

Dr. Guilllermo Solano-Flores is the Principal Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research. He specializes in educational measurement, assessment development, and the linguistic and cultural issues relevant to testing. He has worked to develop alternative, multi-disciplinary approaches that better address linguistic and cultural diversity in tests and instructional materials.

Michael Wotorson is the Project Director for Partners Against Hate for the Anti-Defamation League and principal liaison to the US Department of Justice and the US Department of Education. Mr. Wotorson has worked in civil rights and higher education for nearly a decade.

Cathy Price is the Supervisor of Equity and Cultural Diversity at Harford County Public Schools, Maryland, where she provides staff development programs on equity and multicultural issues and coordinates the compliance of student related Office for Civil Rights and Title IX regulations. Previously, Ms. Price was the Assistant Principal for Aberdeen Middle School, Maryland.

Lourdes Burrows is the principal of Newcomers High School, a seven-year old 9-12 grade diploma-granting New York City high school committed to helping newly-arrived immigrant students learn English, develop native language skills and obtain academic, cultural, and athletic excellence.

Lauren Breland is the School/Community Liaison Specialist for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. As Liaison for the Office of Superintendent, she works directly with students, parents, and community organizations to improve parent-school-community relations and raise achievement.

Dr. Michele Foster is currently Professor in the Center for Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University. Previously, she was on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania and at the University of California at Davis, where she held joint appointments in the Division of Education and the Department of African and African American Studies.

Registration Information

The registration fee, $100.00 per participant, includes continental breakfast and lunch. Cash, check, or purchase orders are accepted. We strongly encourage early registration due to limited space. For any additional information, please contact Gretchen Dovholuk at (301) 657-7741, ext. 100, or e-mail her at gretchen@maec.org.

Please fill out a registration form, print out the page and return it with the registration fee by no later than March 1, 2004 to:

The Mid-Atlantic Equity Center
5454 Wisconsin Avenue, Ste. 655
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Attn: Gretchen Dovholuk