2014 Texas District Administrators Conference Seeing the BIG Picture (Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus) Hebrews 12:1-3 July 21-23, 2014 San Antonio, Texas - (Drury Plaza North) Conference Registration: (click or copy/paste the following link) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-cdf339gsylx- M7_zC3GXidSrktOxVjZjjZLGYIOJ8s/viewform Hotel Registration: (click or copy/paste the following link) http://www.druryhotels.com/reservations.aspx?groupno=2194868 Keynote Presenters Worship Team Sectional Presenters
Keynote Presenters Rev. Steve Wagner Steve Wagner s remarkable career in ministry includes roles as senior pastor, grower of churches, faculty member, and executive leader of a pastoral leadership program, all roles that reinforced his strong interest in, and aptitude for, leadership and church growth. Pastor Wagner recently retired from the Pastoral Leadership Institute (PLI), a learning organization offering pastors and their wives leadership training and missional formation located in Dallas, Texas. He has now accepted the call as associate pastor at Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas, with focus in areas of discipleship, leadership development, and generosity. Pastor Wagner also serves as a board member of Upward360, as well as a member of the resource team for Pastor360 (www.pastor360.com), a ministry of mentoring and coaching for pastors. In addition, he serves as part of the faculty for the Christian Leadership Institute of Concordia University in Austin, Texas. Prior to his service with PLI, Pastor Wagner served 28 years as Senior Pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Carrollton, Texas. During his tenure, Prince of Peace was recognized as one of 100 excellent protestant congregations in America. In 1981, Pastor Wagner received the "Outstanding Church Growth Leader in America" award from the Institute for American Church Growth. Pastor Wagner is the author of Heart to Heart: Sharing Christ with a Friend, and Great Commission Stewardship, and is a contributing author to Manual for Church Planters and Beyond Soccer. His work has also included being a chapel speaker for the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, and FC Dallas professional sports teams. From 1992-2005 and 2012, he served as the chaplain for the Dallas Sidekicks professional indoor soccer team, and he served as chaplain for the 2003, 2004, and 2006 Major Indoor Soccer League All Star games. Pastor Wagner is a widely sought after public speaker and has spoken for the Zig Ziglar Corporation, United States Marine Corps MAG-41, and Ford Motor Company. He is married to Rita and they have two adult children.
James C. Marsh, Jr. James C. Marsh, Jr. served as Head of School at Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis, Missouri for twenty-eight years before stepping down in July 2013. He currently serves from St. Louis, Missouri as the Director of the Van Lunen Center for Executive Management in Christian Schools, headquartered at Calvin College, an organization dedicated to providing world-class executive management education essential to the future of schools based on the historic Christian faith. He also serves as the Director of Membership Audits for the Council of Educational Standard and Accountability. Jim is a product of Christian elementary and secondary schools in northeastern New Jersey, and graduated in 1969 with a B.A. in Education from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He earned a Master s in Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, in 1979. Jim has served as Board President of Christian Schools International (Grand Rapids, Michigan), member of the Board of Directors of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (Chicago, Illinois), Board member and president of the Independent Schools of St. Louis, and member of the faculty of the Van Lunen Center. He is a contributing author of the book Schools as Communities (James L. Drexler, Editor). Dr. Gayle Grotjan Dr. Grotjan currently serves as the Dean of the College of Education for Concordia University Texas. Gayle earned a bachelor s degree in elementary and special education from the University of Missouri Columbia; attended graduate school at the University of Missouri Kansas City and the University of Houston before receiving her master s degree in education with an emphasis in learning disabilities from the University of South Dakota. She earned her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of South Dakota. After teaching for 14 years in a variety of special education disciplines, Dr. Grotjan taught at the University of South Dakota. She has served as the director of the special education program at Concordia University at Seward, Nebraska; the dean of the School of Education at Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan and the Director of Lutheran Special Education Ministries for the Texas Region. Prior to being named as dean for Concordia University Texas Dr. Grotjan served as the Director for Cooperative Services, Concordia University System in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Grotjan also serves on a variety of boards including the Bethesda Lutheran Communities Board of Directors.
Worship Team Rev. Timothy Duerr, Associate Pastor St. Mark Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas Pastor Duerr loves people. He loves to visit with, get to know and have the opportunity to interact with the wonderful people of St. Mark and Houston Texas. Though he's from California, the St. Mark members don't seem to hold that against him. Pastor Duerr is an avid Anaheim Angels baseball fan. He is married to his beautiful wife, Becky, who is a Speech Language Pathologist. John Marrs, Director of Music Ministry St. Mark Lutheran Church, Houston, Texas John Marrs has a Bachelor of Music degree from the internationally renowned Berklee College of Music and a Master of Church Music degree from Concordia University, WI, where he also served for 10 years as a member of the music faculty. John is a composer of music for the church and also for TV and radio. His music has been published by Concordia Publishing House and has been heard on such programs as American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, ABC's World News Tonight and countless others.
Sectional Presenters Dave Banger, Executive Director Dallas Lutheran School, Dallas Dave Bangert has been a Lutheran educator for over 35 years in elementary, middle, and secondary levels. Currently an administrator at Dallas Lutheran School, he is also the author of That They May Have Life, a collection of devotions for educators published by Northwestern Publishing House. A product of Lutheran elementary school, high school, and college, he has been a classroom teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal, Director of Spiritual Life, and coach of several sports during his career. His wife, Jean, is a kindergarten teacher and main editor of his writings. Together they enjoy their grandchildren and traveling, both in the US and in Europe. Andy Benscoter, Principal Redeemer Lutheran School, Austin Serving others in the field of education and life changing experiences. A personal mission statement provides the platform through which one can filter decisions and evaluate opportunities for personal and professional development. This growth and development takes place through spiritual habits, continued education within a private and professional base, and intentional conversations with fellow leaders. It is extremely important for me to continue to challenge myself so that I avoid becoming stagnant and inflexible as a servant for Christ. I am currently serving my second call principal of Redeemer Lutheran School in Austin, Texas. I also served as principal of Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran School and Preschool in Scottsdale, AZ, which was recognized as an exemplary school in 2013 by NLSA. In 2010, I completed the Van Lunen Cohort Program from Calvin College and I am currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. Magan Carrasco, Executive Director Faith Lutheran School, Stephenville Magan Carrasco has served as a trainer in many professional fields; primarily operational banking compliance, retail management and her favorite of speaking to teens about abstinence. She began working in early childhood education to help serve her church with their small program as a volunteer and fell in love with the ministry. She was appointed to the Board of Education and quickly became business administrator; shortly after Magan was named director of the program. Mrs. Carrasco is now the Executive Director of Faith School. The school has over 168 children enrolled and a staff of 45. She serves as a resource to other directors in the Texas district and strives to improve the quality of care for all care givers in the Cross Timbers area. She is married with three children: Gabriella 16, Eris 13 and Daniel who is 9. They each are very involved in school, sports and church activities. Magan tries to live her life by three words: grace, integrity and service.
CJ Del Balso, Director of Innovative Teaching & Learning Prince of Peace Christian School, Carrollton CJ Del Balso currently serves as the Director of Innovative Teaching and Learning at Prince of Peace Christian School. He has worked in the field of education since 2001 and has served in a wide range of school environments. This experience includes serving as a classroom teacher in two large public school districts and 7+ years of experience as an instructional technology director/coach. CJ has directed the implementation of 1 to 1 programs with 2 different Christian schools including the current 1 to 1 ipad program at Prince of Peace Christian School. CJ is passionate about the role that technology can serve for improving teaching and learning in the classroom and enjoys working with other schools and educators to better accomplish this goal. Sheila Psencik, Head of School Lutheran South Academy, Houston Sheila is currently serving as the Head of School at Lutheran South Academy in Houston, a PreK-3 through 12 th Grade program. She graduated from Concordia University Nebraska with a bachelor s degree in secondary education; earned her master s degree in Educational Administration from Concordia University in Nebraska. While serving as the middle school principal she oversaw the planning and construction of LSA s new middle school building that was completed in 2009. As current Head of School, she has led the implementation of the One to One Laptop Program. Sheila was a member of the 2001 ALSS Leadership Development Series and served as a planning committee member for the 2009 LCMS Texas District Educator s Conference. Sheila has been asked to present on middle school related topics at several conferences throughout the state of Texas. She has served as an accreditation team member and was also involved in the district wide accreditation that LEAH received through AdvancED in 2011. In 2007, Sheila was inducted into the Concordia University Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 1995 CUNE Volleyball Team. She is married to Rob Psencik and is the mother of 3 children -Grace (13), Beau (10) and Lily (7).