John D. Welty Center for Educational Policy and Leadership
Exemplary Practices in Educational Leadership Conference (EPC)
Fresno State’s annual Exemplary Practices in Educational Leadership Conference brings together Central Valley leaders from schools, districts, businesses and community organizations to share best practices and challenges. Past conferences have focused on the following topics:
- 21st Century education
- systems thinking
- growth mindset
- setting and maintaining high expectations
- leading change
- social emotional learning
- distance learning
- equity and access
- multi-district collaboration
Exemplary Practices in Educational Leadership Conference (EPC)
November 1, 2022 (Held live, in person)
2022 Theme: Developing Curious Minds for the 21st Century
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Kenneth Wesson
Speaks throughout the world on the neuroscience of learning, emotional impacts on
learning and methods for creating 21st C. PK-16 classrooms and learning environments
that are "brain-considerate." Current popular significant topics include STEM/STEAM/ST2REAM,
access and equity, brain compatible learning environments, preparing the “whole child”
for college and/or a career, design and engineering, social-emotional learning and
impact of stress on learng, and 21st C. learning safe spaces.
- --Launched first U.S and international Dubai STEM conferences as keynote speaker
- --Member of Scientists without Borders and advisory board member Korean Institute of Brain Science, Kids at Science, and International Association of STEM Leaders.
- --Featured in PBS specials on human learning and the teenage brain.
- --Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award. (2017)
- --Collaborates with educational association in Africa (AISA), South America (AASSA), the Central and Eastern Europe (CEESA), East Asia Regional Council (EARCOS), and the Near East South Asia (NESA)
“Each year, new findings in cognitive psychology and neuroscience will be infused into teacher preparation, curriculum, instruction, student assessment, and the classroom environment. The works of Kenneth Wesson (Brain-considerate Learning has been influential in reshaping the school classroom" of the future.” Forecasting Independent Education to 2025 NSIA
Dr. Kenneth Wesson’s latest articles, just to name a few, include:
Saber Toothed Tigers and Stressed-Out Students: An examination of the neuroscience behind safe secure learning environments; “Emotions and Education: How Children Feel Affects How They Learn” “STEM Branches Out: Preparing for the jobs of the future”; “Neuroplasticity: The Effects of Experience on the Brain”; “Brain-STEM: Using Interdisciplinarity to Improve Our Minds and Our Schools”; “From STEM to ST2REAM: Reassembling our Disaggregated Curriculum”; “Minds, Models and Maps: Visualizing Science”; “Learning and Memory: How Do We Remember and Why Do We Often Forget?”; NSTA Reports: “Brain-considerate Learning”; “What Recent Brain Research Tells Us About Learning.”
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Conference also features two 1-hour morning breakouts offering 18 selections ( 9 per session) on relevant topics, including engaging/reengaging leaners, Improvement Science, equity and access, school safety, MTSS, EL, SEL, ethics, UDL, data-driven decisions, LCAP, literacy, SPED, SBAC, and others
Detailed breakout session information available here for reference and download
The half-day conference will be held in-person at the Clovis Veterans Memorial Building, Clovis, CA, 8:15 a.m. -12:15 p.m.
Past Keynote Speakers Include
Mike Erwin
Leading Yourself through Uncertain Times
Feb 2021
Yong Zhao
Developing Self-Directed Learners
Feb 2021
Shirley Stiles
Collegial and Constructive Conversation
Feb 2021
Alan November
Cultivating a World-Class Work Ethic
Feb 2021
Chip Heath
Making Every Moment Count
Oct. 2019
Mike Erwin
Making Every Moment Count
Oct. 2019
Pedro Noguera
Fulfilling the Promise-A Quality Education for All Students
Oct. 2018
Robyn Jackson
Responsive Leadership: Creating Conditions for Student Success
Sept. 2017
Mike Schmoker
Achieving Results through Equity
Oct. 2016
Robert Marzano
Awakening the Learner
Sept. 2015
Darrell Scott
Awakening the Learner
Sept. 2015
Michael Fullan
Maximizing Leadership for Systemic Change
Oct. 2014
Richard and Rebecca DuFour
Marking Progress on the Professional Learning Communities
Oct. 2013
Richard Elmore
Leading World-Class Learning Building Coherence
Oct. 2013
Yong Zhoa
Leading World-Class Learning Building Coherence
Oct. 2013
Michelle Rozen
Embracing Transformational Change
Feb 2022