Educators. The 36 teams from across Missouri that have participated to date have reported that the information provided in the Webinar Series helped them tremendously in designing dynamic action plans for better preparing all of their students for college and career readiness. While we have focused on rural schools and districts, we certainly realize the power of this information for all districts. Accordingly, non-rural districts will be considered for participation on a case-by-case basis.

ACT and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Guidance and Counseling Section of the Office of College and Career Readiness are pleased to again offer this program at no charge to districts and schools.  We are inviting you to form a vertical team (district administrator, building administrator, curriculum/assessment coordinator, teacher and counselor-or a similar combination of personnel) from your district to participate in our 2011-2012 Series. We also encourage districts to include a middle school representative in the team membership. Considering the importance of early interventions for student success, it is essential to begin college and career readiness conversations and action planning as early as possible, middle school and earlier. (It is also acceptable for schools to form vertical teams.)   

We are confident you will benefit from information provided, as well as from the dynamic interactions you will have with colleagues from across the state. An expected outcome of participation is for each team to produce a college and career readiness action plan for presentation during the last session and implementation in the months following the Webinar Series.  

The webinar series was an "Aha!" for our work in addressing higher performance by all students on the ACT and in core curricular areas.  The creation of action plans to help organize schools to reach their goals was extremely beneficial for our continuous improvement efforts      

Quote from Dr. Sherry Copeland, Assistant Superintendent for Cape Girardeau School District and Participant in the Pilot Webinar Series

Dear Missouri Educational Leader:

During the 2011-2012 school year, the Missouri ACT State Organization will once again offer a Webinar Series for Rural

The following sessions are scheduled for the 2011-2012 Missouri Webinar Series for Rural Educators.

Friday, January 13, 2012

9:00 am – 3:00 p,m.

Orientation

Holiday Inn Executive Center

Columbia, MO

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Webinar

Teams will be introduced to important tools for using ACT’s College Readiness Standards in the classroom toward aligning curricular and instructional practices and improving student achievement. Alignment between the National Common Core State Standards and the College Readiness Standards will be discussed. 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Webinar

Teams will hear from educators working in schools and districts across the state that have been identified for their exemplary practices in using tools and resources associated with ACT’s College and Career Readiness System. Additionally, ACT’s new College and Career Readiness Information System (CCRIS), an Internet-based system for accessing and using ACT data, will be introduced. The CCRIS is a new tool that will be available from ACT free-of-charge to educators. 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Webinar

The use of ACT’s College and Career Readiness Information System (CCRIS) will be demonstrated for using a variety of dashboard tools to run customized reports for focusing on school- and district-level performance trends, demographic data, etc.

Friday, March 9

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Stoney Creek Inn

Columbia, MO

Participating teams will offer presentations focusing on their articulated action plans for using ACT tools and resources for realizing continuous school improvement and increased student performance. Teams will be asked to bring copies of their Power Points and handouts to share with all in attendance.

The following technology will be required for participation.

The minimum requirement will be a computer and phone. Verbal communications will take place via conference call so a phone, in close proximity to the computer/s where participants will be gathering for sessions, will be needed.

We hope you will join us for the 2011-2012 Missouri Webinar Series for Rural Educators. If you have questions, please call Rick Bryant, ACT Senior Consultant, at 847-634-2560 or Bragg Stanley, DESE Director of Guidance and Career Services, at 573-751-0857. We look forward to hearing from you and the opportunity of working with you in the very near future.