CONFERENCE 2013 SCHOOL COUNSELORS: GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER If you are a school counselor in Kentucky then the place to be March 6-8, 2013 is in Lexington! This year, we decided to Think Big! We know there is no substitute for you and the lives you touch each day. For school counselors, impossible is nothing. That s why this year is about connecting people, touching students and changing lives. We decided to let our imagination go to work and envision the best of the best! Here you go the 2013 conference is on its way because you re worth it! Jamie Robert Vollmer Jamie Vollmer is president of Vollmer, Inc., a public education advocacy firm working to increase student success by raising public support for America s schools. Jamie is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Schools Cannot Do It Alone, one of the top ten books of the year according to the American School Board Journal. He received the 2012 Friend of Public Education award from the Ohio Federation of Teachers, and the 2010 Learning and Liberty award presented by the National School Public Relations Association. Both awards were given in recognition of his twenty year effort to strengthen school/community partnerships. With a background in law and manufacturing, Mr. Vollmer entered the education arena in 1988 as a founding member of the Iowa Business Roundtable. He was, at the time, president of the Great Midwestern Ice Cream Company, proclaimed by People magazine as the Best Ice Cream in America! In 1990, he changed careers to become the Business Roundtable s Executive Director.
Once a harsh critic, he is now an articulate champion of America s public schools. Over the last twenty years he has worked with educators, parents, and community leaders to remove the obstacles to student success. In addition to his book and numerous articles, Mr. Vollmer has written and produced the videos, The Ever Increasing Burden on America s Public schools, Why Our Schools Need to Change, and Teachers are Heroes. Dr. Bobb Darnell is President of Achievement Strategies, Inc. and is an advocate for high student achievement and daily professional growth. He served as Director of Staff Support for more than 1700 staff members in a Northwest Illinois school district and taught for more than 20 years. Bobb has served on the Board of Trustees for the National and Illinois Staff Development Councils, Illinois International Branch of the Dyslexia Association, and has been a member of numerous national and state task forces and committees. He is the author of ASCD's 2002 action tool kit- - A Guide for Instructional Leaders and has also written four staff development guides for Wavelength's award winning educational comedy videos. Bobb's work on the 21st Century Instructional Leader is featured in ASCD's 2010 PD Quick Kits. Dr. Darnell is an internationally known speaker who has delivered keynote presentations and conducted workshops for educators at all grade levels and for corporations. Bobb's high- energy workshops are filled with "edutainment" and practical ideas that have resulted from blending research and tested practice. Teachers and administrators can easily sense his enthusiasm for continuous improvement, job satisfaction, lifelong learning, and organizational excellence. He is truly committed to helping teachers build high performance classrooms and building strong parental support for schools and learning.
Dr. Sylinda Banks, ASCA President. Sylinda is an Associate Professor in the counselor education program at Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA. She has worked as a high school counselor in both urban and rural public school divisions, as well as a high school director for an alternative high school. Before becoming a counselor educator, she served as the school counseling specialist at the Virginia Department of Education. Her work includes being co- author of The Virginia Professional School Counseling Manual and Choice Theory: Using Choice Theory and Reality therapy to Enhance Student Achievement and Responsibility. She is also former president of the Virginia School Counselor Association and ASCA's Southern Regional Vice President. Dave Opalewski is one of the leading grief recovery experts in the United States, with nearly 40 years of experience in education. He has taught Suicide Prevention, Death Education and Grief classes for Delta College, Central Michigan University, Saginaw Valley State University and all throughout the Michigan area. Dave has written several books and has numerous publications in professional journals. Dave s books include the following:
Keith Fulthorp has over 20 years of experience within the Recreation Profession, has been a practicing high school counselor for 6 years, and is currently an Assistant Professor at California State University, Long Beach in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies. Keith s research interests are in the area of municipal recreation and parks, leadership, teambuilding and school counseling. He completed his doctorate degree from the University of Southern California in 2009 and continues to be closely tied to both the Recreation and School Counseling Professions. Keith has presented at many local, state, and national conferences including: California Park and Recreation Society, National Recreation and Park Association; local school districts in California, and Nebraska; the American School Counselor Association, California Association of School Counselors, and the Arizona, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Washington School Counselor Associations. Andrea Burston is a professional school counselor for Wake County Public Schools, located in Raleigh, NC. Originating from Reidsville, NC, she received her undergraduate degree in Business Education from North Carolina A&T State University (Aggie Pride!) She taught high school business courses in Guilford and Wake Counties. She received her master's degree in School Counseling from North Carolina Central University. She recently completed a post- master's certificate program in Advanced School Counseling at UNC- Greensboro. Andrea started a school counselor blog that has over 11,000 followers. She
enjoys learning about and teaching others how to use technology in the counseling setting. Leslie Dunn, Kentucky s own funny lady, will delight you with her humor and teach and enlighten you with her own brand of counseling. Leslie is an elementary counselor and national keynote speaker. She has served as president of both the Kentucky Counseling Association and the Kentucky School Counselor Association. She has earned the highest award given to a Kentucky Counselor, the Linda Morse Leadership Award twice. She is also the owner of dunngood productions. Her session, Managing Modified Interactive Group Counseling: Set the Stage, Take a Seat will introduce you to experimental theory and help you learn techniques that are applicable to the school setting. Participants will learn how to use the energy of the group to empower students to become problem- solving and team players. Gary Parady Gary is a middle school counselor from West, Texas. He is a national speaker and trainer on Color Children s Character. He received his BS degree from Southern Connecticut State University in Special Education and his masters from James Madison University in Counselor Education. Gary started his educational career as a special education teacher upon returning from Vietnam and has been an elementary and secondary counselor for the past 30 years. His greatest desire has always been to help students and educators reach their fullest potential by first reaching their hearts. In 2006 he began presenting to counselors in Texas with uplifting and relevant presentations to encourage, motivate and challenge them to become the best in their profession. His creative and innovative workshops and presentations
with leave you informed and equipped to excel as a counselor. He has presented keynote addresses across the country for numerous counseling associations including Colorado, Texas, and Louisiana. He is the author of the book You Can Make a Difference What Every Educator Needs To Know To Reach The Hearts and Minds of Their Students.