Pre-Conference Workshops

This year, we are pleased to offer three pre-conference workshops. These learning sessions will occur on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, before the Annual Conference & Expo. Join colleagues and experts to discuss important and timely topics in depth. 

Pre-conference workshops have an additional fee and are not included in the main Annual Conference registration.

 

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

AI Strategies for School Business: Mastering Prompt Engineering for Maximum Efficiency

Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Description: Join us for an immersive pre-conference workshop designed to elevate your proficiency with cutting-edge AI tools in educational administration. During this interactive session, Aziz Aghayev, a former school business official and current founder and CEO of Flowlyst, LLC, will guide you through four engaging sessions:

  • Introduction to the Practical Uses of AI.
  • Mastering the Art of Crafting Effective Prompts.
  • Hands-on Group Activity – Participants will have the opportunity to use and refine their skills in real time to perfect their query techniques.
  • Question & Answer

Attendees will have the opportunity to dive into continued experimentation and exploration under expert guidance, allowing for practical application of what they've learned in a supportive environment. Transform how you leverage AI to streamline and enhance your school's operational and decision-making processes!

Learning objectives: At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:

  • Evaluate the potential impacts and benefits of AI tools in educational administration to enhance understanding and integration.
  • Apply prompt engineering techniques to generate precise and effective AI responses during hands-on activities.
  • Experiment with different AI queries to explore their practical applications and effectiveness under expert guidance.

Speakers:

Aziz Aghayev, MBA, CEO at Flowlyst

Accreditation Details:

  • SFO: 3, External Domain
  • CPE: 3, Information Technology
  • CAE: 2.75, External Domain
  • Knowledge Level: Intermediate
  • Prerequisites/Advanced Preparations: None

Fee:

Member - $275
Non-member - $325

 

Finding Leadership Balance with Others

Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Description: Leadership is both art and science and every interaction with other people can either advance or diminish the impact of your leadership. This impacts the productivity of individuals, teams, and organizations. Using a world-renowned framework called Life Orientations (LIFO), participants will discover their own unique leadership styles and preferences and learn how to use those to multiply their success as leaders. We will explore four leadership orientations, discover unappreciated strengths, learn to limit wasted leadership effort, practice how to avoid limiting your versatility as a leader and master how to overcome unresolved differences with those you lead. Attendees will be required to complete an online assessment prior to the workshop and will be provided with a copy of the assessment, a workbook and additional materials during the session.

Learning objectives: At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:

  • Describe their personal unique leadership styles in both favorable and unfavorable conditions.
  • Moderate and extend their preferred leadership style to increase productivity and leadership influence with others.
  • Identify the leadership style of another person and apply techniques that will enhance the working relationship and productivity of that individual.

Speakers:

Michael Jacoby, Ed.D, SFO, CAE, Illinois ASBO, Dekalb, Illinois

Mark Altmayer, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, ​Huntley Community School District 158​, ​Algonquin​, Illinois

Accreditation Details:

  • SFO: 3, External Domain
  • CPE: 3, Personal Development
  • CAE: 2.75, Executive Leadership
  • Knowledge Level: Basic
  • Prerequisites/Advanced Preparations: None

Fee:

Member - $325
Non-member - $375

 

Strategic Budgeting in a Time of Financial Challenge

Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Description: Across the country, district leaders are facing a “perfect storm” of financial challenges—from the expiration of COVID relief funds to enrollment decline to ongoing inflation and wage pressures—all while leaders still work to address diverse and deepened student needs in the aftermath of the pandemic. This challenge leaves many district leaders nationally grappling with a fundamental question: How do we navigate this challenge while protecting our investments in strategies with the greatest likelihood of improving student outcomes? During this session, ERS will guide participants through an exploration of approaches to strategic budgeting in the face of significant financial constraints.

Learning objectives: At the end of this activity, learners should be able to:

  • Describe the key design elements of an integrated annual planning process that links resource decisions to a vision for the student experience.
  • Explain System Strategy ROI: A student-centered approach to defining, measuring, and continuously evaluating major strategic investments.
  • Identify common resource reallocation opportunities they can explore in their district to protect their most important strategic investments in the face of significant financial constraints.

Speakers:

Joseph Trawick-Smith, Partner, Education Resource Strategies, Watertown, Massachusetts

Courtney Hitchcock, Director, Education Resource Strategies, Watertown, Massachusetts

Accreditation Details:

  • SFO: 3, External Domain
  • CPE: 3, Business Management & Organization
  • CAE: 2.75, External Domain
  • Knowledge Level: Intermediate
  • Prerequisites/Advanced Preparations: None

Fee:

Member - $275
Non-member - $325