Location: Reg Desks 1 & 2
Exhibitors load in by 3:30 p.m.
Location: Reg Desks 1 & 2
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: Aloeswood
Presenters:
Cathy Taschner, assistant professor, former superintendent
Rebecca Burns, dean of the college of education, Kutztown University
Jenny Rexrode, director of curriculum and learning, Schuylkill Valley School District
School districts are facing increasing demands related to teacher shortages, special education staffing, intervention support and the development of sustainable educator pipelines — all while operating within significant budget constraints. This workshop explores how strategic school–university partnerships can serve as powerful, cost-effective solutions for increasing district capacity without increasing district budgets.
Location: Rosewood
Presenters:
Leza Raffel, president, Communication Solutions Group, Inc.
Dr. Scott Eveslage, superintendent, Hatboro-Horsham School District
School districts face unpredictable crises — from accidents to personnel issues — often under media and public scrutiny. This workshop explores distinct classifications of bad news and best practices for responding. Participants will learn targeted communication strategies, weigh pros and cons of approaches, and gain an overview of PSBA’s free, 24/7 communications support service.
Location: Kalahari A
Presenters:
Misty Weber, principal, Warren County School District Virtual Academy Services
Gary Weber, superintendent, Warren County School District
Allix Munch, online coordinator, Warren County School District Virtual Academy Services
Why are students leaving for cyber charters and what can districts do about it? Explore key reasons families leave, strategies to retain them and how flexible virtual options help. Learn practical approaches — including tracking truancy, improving communication and creating flexible pathways — to keep students engaged and enrolled.
Location: Kalahari H
Presenters:
Mark Covelle, director, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology
Cathleen Plesnarski, director, Eastern Center for Arts and Technology
Wesley Kuchta, director, Lenape Technical School
Dennis Virga, director, Monroe Career and Technical Institute
Michael Stauffer, director, Berks Career and Technology Center
Demand for career and technical education (CTE) is rising across Pennsylvania, often exceeding available seats. This session shares practical strategies for expanding access through new programs, regional partnerships and strategic planning. Participants will gain insight into CTE governance, funding and scalable approaches that increase opportunity while maintaining high-quality programs.
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: Kalahari Ballroom
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: African Suite 40
First-term school directors, join us for this relaxed networking mixer designed to help new members make connections, share experiences and start the conference feeling supported. Attendees will enjoy light breakfast and conversation with peers who are navigating similar opportunities and challenges in school leadership.
Location: Reg Desks 1 & 2
Location: Reg Desks 1 & 2
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: Kalahari Ballroom
Location: Kalahari A
Presenters:
Lynn Fuini-Hetten, superintendent, Salisbury Township School District
Sarah Nemitz, board vice chair, Salisbury Township School District
Strong board-superintendent relationships do not happen by accident. In this practical session, a superintendent and school board director share how trust, role clarity, communication routines and shared values support productive governance during complex decisions. Participants will leave with strategies for strengthening relationships before tension, controversy or crises emerge.
Location: African Ballroom, Suite 30
Presenters:
Daniel Cicala, principal, Fidevia Construction, Management, and Consulting
Dr. Elizabeth Robison, superintendent, Pocono Mountain School District
Michael Bromirski, superintendent, Hempfield School District
Dr. Jason Bottiglieri, superintendent, Northeastern School District
An experienced panel of superintendents will discuss the essential elements necessary to gain and maintain board and community support for capital improvements. Panelists will discuss what has worked, as well as challenges and failures and how to overcome them.
Location: African Ballroom, Suite 50
Presenters:
Susan Seiple, assistant superintendent, Hanover Public School District
Ashley Longenberger, instructional coach, Hanover Public School District
Hanover Public School District will share 15 ideas to increase innovation through student engagement, technology and specialized programs. These ideas can be cost-effectively integrated into your existing curriculum.
Location: Rosewood
Presenters:
Dr. Lisa Hess, superintendent, Governor Mifflin School District
Lisa Peterson, school board president, Governor Mifflin School District
Traci Huddleson, associate director of student activities, Governor Mifflin School District
What if school board decisions truly reflected student voices? Governor Mifflin demonstrates student-centered governance through authentic partnerships like the Stang Gang, where students inform decisions and leadership. This session offers practical strategies, tools and inspiration to help boards elevate student voice, strengthen leadership practices, and create responsive, student-focused school systems.
Location: Aloeswood
Presenters:
Allison Mathis, board president, North Hills School District
Antonio Paris, board president, Riverside School District
Ashley Turner, K-12 systems engineer, York Suburban School District
Presenters from the PSBA Institute's 2026 International Study Group will review education-related challenges common to the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) region of Germany and Pennsylvania: teacher shortages and student access to skill development. Attendees will learn NRW solutions to these two challenges: dual certification as a teacher training requirement and business-supported apprenticeships.
Location: Kalahari H
Presenter:
Duane Naugle, director of community planning, grants and mapping for Bradford County, Wyalusing Area School District
This session is an introductory course focused on managing transitions, resignations and unexpected vacancies within a school board. It equips members with strategies for effective onboarding, preserving institutional knowledge, maintaining governance continuity, and ensuring stability during turnover so boards remain focused, cohesive, and committed to consistent, student-centered leadership.
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: Kalahari H
Presenters:
Dr. Michelle Balliet, director of professional development, PASA
Dr. Randal Lutz, superintendent, Baldwin-Whitehall School District
Dr. Rachel Sprouse, deputy superintendent for student and employee services, Baldwin-Whitehall School District
The Baldwin-Whitehall School District School Board Student Representative Program provides high school students with a unique opportunity to engage in district leadership while amplifying the collective voice of their peers. Six student representatives, drawn from grades 10–12, represent each of the district’s five schools and report monthly to the board of school directors. Their updates highlight academic achievements, student initiatives and emerging issues from the student perspective, creating a meaningful bridge between classrooms and boardroom discussions. Through this experience, participants gain valuable skills in leadership, communication and civic engagement. They learn how governance works, how policy affects students and how collaboration drives progress. More importantly, they learn that their voices matter. By modeling professionalism and responsibility, these students embody the district’s commitment to preparing engaged citizens and lifelong learners who lead with empathy, integrity and purpose.
Location: African Ballroom, Suite 30
Presenters:
Tracie Young-Brungard, administrator, recruitment and retention program, PA Office of the State Fire Commissioner
John (J.C.) Tedorski, deputy state fire commissioner, PA Office of the State Fire Commissioner
Maureen McCormick, protective services instructor, Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center
Devon Francke, social studies teacher, fire club advisor, Danville Area School District
This presentation will provide information on how firefighter programs sanctioned by the PA Office of the State Fire Comissioner and the Department of Education provide a pathway to career readiness. These programs teach students the knowledge and skill training to earn professional credentials and enter the workforce after graduation, with opportunities to further their academic goals.
Location: African Ballroom, Suite 50
Presenters:
Jennifer Schorr, executive director, Oley Valley Community Education Foundation
Andrew Kline, board treasurer, Oley Valley School District
Celebrating 30 years of partnership with the Oley Valley School District, Oley Valley Community Education Foundation will share strategies for growing sustainable education foundations through collaboration with school district personnel, administrators, teachers and school boards. Attendees will explore practical examples of relationship-building, community engagement and evolving from fundraising groups into strategic partners.
Location: Rosewood
Presenters:
Laurie Kolka, PVAAS statewide team for Pennsylvania Department of Education, Lancaster-Lebanon IU13
Preparing to share PVAAS results with your team or board? This session explores practical strategies for clearly communicating student growth to boards, educators, families and communities. Using scatterplots and the new value‑added growth summary, presenters will model approachable language and visuals that support transparent, data‑informed conversations.
Location: Aloeswood
Presenters:
Dr. Brian Blaum, superintendent, Delaware Valley School District
Dr. Nicole Cosentino, assistant to the superintendent for academic leadership and culture
This session presents an initiative to align the seven schools in the Delaware Valley School District under a unified vision to achieve academic excellence. Strategies will be shared, including implementation, curricular alignment, common gradebooks, data analysis and professional development as well as results from this ongoing initiative.
Location: Kalahari A
Presenter:
Ivani Torres, director of training and outreach, PSBA
Board culture shapes decisions, determines how conflict is managed, and whether trust grows or erodes. This presentation explores the norms and behaviors that influence board effectiveness, highlights signs of cultural breakdown, and shares practical strategies to strengthen professionalism, teamwork, and healthy governance — especially after elections, turnover or conflict.
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: Reg Desks 1 & 2
Location: Kilimanjaro Ballroom
Location: Reg Desk 1 and 2
Location: Rosewood
Presenters:
Christa Fazio, director of communicaation, marketing, and engagement, Chester County Intermediate Unit
Sarah McCluan, director, marketing and strategic communication, Allegheny Intermediate Unit
In a competitive cyber-charter environment, public school districts need intentional branding to clearly communicate their value. This session highlights how targeted branding and marketing, and leveraging strategic partnerships, help resource‑limited districts strengthen perception, clarify messaging, increase community awareness and support enrollment stability.
Location: Kalahari A
Presenters:
Jay Breneman, board president, Erie's Public Schools
Angela Amatangelo, board vice president, Erie's Public Schools
Alyssa Cook, board secretary, Erie's Public Schools
Learn how Erie’s Public Schools strengthened board governance before tackling major district decisions. This session shares practical steps that improved role clarity, routines, policy discipline and board development, creating the conditions for superintendent transition, strategic planning, restructuring, leadership onboarding and board secretary succession planning.
Location: Kalahari H
Presenters:
Jennifer Shealy, MS, director of communications, Downingtown Area School District
Justin Brown, MS, director of student relations and school climate
Amid rising charter costs and budget pressures, the #ChooseDASD campaign used strategic communication and personalized outreach to influence enrollment decisions and strengthen community trust. This session highlights how one district brought back 127 former charter students, retained $2.25M in funding and positioned public schools as the preferred choice for families.
Location: Aloeswood
Presenters:
Dr. Richard Poole, assistant superintendent, Williamsport Area School District
Patricia Miller, math and general education teacher, math department lead, Williamsport Area School District
From the ground up, the Williamsport Area School District built and developed its own student Education Program to ensure that it is preparing the next generation of teachers from within its high school. This presentation will focus on how to build and grow a comprehensive Future Teacher program in any school district.
Location: Kalahari Ballroom
Presenters:
PSBA legal services staff attorneys will review the past months’ significant level developments relevant for school leaders.
Location: Rosewood
Presenter:
Michelle Zettlemoyer, director of services, PSBA
From emergency communications to instructional technology, schools depend on reliable wireless connectivity. Yet many districts don't discover coverage gaps until they impact safety, operations or learning. In this session, a Pennsylvania school district will share how it identified wireless coverage challenges. Attendees will hear from wireless infrastructure experts about assessing coverage, uncovering hidden gaps and using data to support informed leadership decisions. The session will also outline ConnectED, a no-cost PSBA member service that helps districts evaluate wireless coverage and explore solutions for safer, more connected campuses.
Location: Kalahari A
Presenters:
Jeffrey Fecher, superintendent of schools, Abington School District
Allie Artur, communications coordinator, Abington School District
Phil Solomon, regional manager, ICS
Dr. Melissa Mowry, board president, Abington School District
In 2025, voters in the Abington School District made history by approving a $285 million bond for a new Abington Middle School — one of only three successful Pennsylvania referenda since 2006. This historic vote followed years of community-driven planning, ensuring the project was shaped by public input long before reaching the ballot.
Location: African Ballroom, Suite 50
Presenters:
Holly Sayre, superintendent, Carbondale Area School District
Ann Vadella, school counselor, Carbondale Area School District
This presentation examines how facility dog programs support student behavior, emotional regulation and school climate in K–12 schools. Grounded in current research and quantitative analysis, the session explores measurable outcomes, implementation considerations and leadership implications for integrating facility dogs within trauma-informed and social-emotional learning frameworks.
Location: Aloeswood
Presenters:
Andrew Kline, board treasurer, Oley Valley School District
Stephanie Keebler, superintendent, Titusville Area School District
Doug Graybill, board vice president, Cocalico School District
Janet Pennington, board director, Southeastern Greene School District
Greg Longwell, assistant superintendent, Mechanicsburg Area School District
Participants from the PSBA Institute's 2026 International Study Group to Germany will share lessons learned for our school communities in Pennsylvania. This session will dive into topics such as the dual system of responsibility for school management, vocational programs, talent scouting and STEM programs.
Location: Kalahari H
Presenters:
Dr. Eric J. Becoats, superintendent, William Penn School District
Tara Brown, chief of schools, William Penn School District
Michael MacArthur, supervisor of research and evaluation, William Penn School District
Pennsylvania’s Education Recovery Scorecard highlights districts achieving exceptional academic growth despite ongoing challenges. Learn how the William Penn School District built coherent systems that accelerated student growth through data-informed leadership, educator capacity-building, strategic alignment, collaborative instructional practices and continuous improvement. Participants will leave with practical, adaptable leadership strategies.
Location: African Ballroom, Suite 30
Presenters:
Dr. Cathy Keegan, senior business consultant, SitelogIQ
TBD, Allentown School District
Aging facilities can strain budgets and distract from district priorities. Learn how district leaders transformed deferred maintenance into a strategic planning opportunity by aligning facilities investments with educational goals, financial stewardship and community expectations. Participants will gain practical approaches for turning infrastructure challenges into long-term district advantages.
Location: Kalahari Ballroom