Opening Keynote: Dr. RJ Webber
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction
Novi Community Schools, Novi MI
Dr. RJ Webber has been a passionate ally and advocate for
students and teachers his entire career. He has a focus upon
instructional design, curricular design, and social justice that
creates space for all stakeholders to reach their potential. In 1991
RJ earned the Alma College Jerry Smith African Teaching
Fellowship, committing to a year of teaching at the Mayflower
Junior School in Ikenne, Nigeria. It was in Nigeria that RJ began to
understand the importance of the educational environment and
instructional design. While in Nigeria, RJ traveled extensively
throughout West Africa. He experienced firsthand the power of
education as a counter to oppression and a passport to hope.
RJ’s teaching career spanned two continents and three school districts. RJ has served as a middle
school assistant principal, middle school principal, and high school principal. RJ also earned honors
from the Michigan Science Teachers Association as their administrator of the year in 2010.
RJ transitioned to his current role, Assistant Superintendent of Academics for the Novi Community
School District, in 2010. His tenure in Novi has seen the articulation of a publicly searchable K-12
curriculum, the first of its kind in Michigan. The district has also launched extensive assessment and
teacher evaluation efforts connected to the fully articulated curriculum. RJ has also led a community
wide approach to social justice efforts that focus upon student and educator voice. He has partnered
with the University of Michigan School of Social Work, Oakland Schools, and the Novi Community to
offer training in culturally relevant instruction.
RJ has traveled to Japan, Germany, China and multiple schools throughout the United States to
study innovative school design. RJ believes in a symbiotic relationship between physical space,
curricular space, and emotional space to provide a path for each learner, whether teacher or
student, to live the life they deserve.
Aspirational Design, Agile Classrooms, and The Opportunity to Learn
The course will attend to how aspects of design engender improved learner outcomes. Participants
will learn how design can improve critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.
Participants will also learn how design supports caring about students, captivating students,
conferring with students, controlling behavior, clarifying lessons, challenging students, and
consolidating knowledge. The course will include research and best practices gleaned from global
thought leaders, global businesses, teachers, students, and schools. Finally, participants will learn
from each other as they engage in this physically and mentally active presentation.
Learning objectives:
- Gain knowledge to inform their ability to better execute their professional
role.
- Learn about the direct connection between school design and social justice.
- Learn how design impacts learner outcomes.
- Learn facilitation techniques that will improve their individual professional
practice.
Closing Keynote: Alan Mallory
Alan Mallory is an international speaker, author and performance coach who is passionate about reaching new heights in all that we do. He has a degree in Engineering from Queen’s University, a Masters in Psychology from Adler University, and has worked all over the world as a professional engineer and project manager. Building experience through a lifestyle of adventure and challenge, Alan embarked on the journey of a lifetime and set a world record on Mount Everest along with three members of his immediate family. He believes in empowering people and embracing an agile mentality focused on relationships and results.
Reaching New Heights
Reaching New Heights is an engaging visual and
educational experience packed with tools, strategies and
actionable ideas that can put into practice to make positive
changes in our professional and personal lives. It is built
around the two years of planning and two months of
climbing that went into making the goal of reaching the
summit of Mount Everest a reality for Alan and three
members of his immediate family. Considered one of
humanity’s greatest feats of physical, mental and emotional
endurance, the exciting expedition to the top of the world’s
highest peak is a journey filled with unparalleled challenges
through some of the roughest, most extreme conditions
imaginable. The powerful strategies and skills that
contributed to this achievement, especially during the
intense and at many times critical situations, can be applied
to all aspects of life.
- The importance of maintaining an adaptive mindset
- Empowering team members to make informed decisions
- Agile tools for making adjustments by incorporating
lessons learned
- Maintaining positive mental-health and controlling focus
- Resilience and perseverance in achieving strategic goals
- Developing trust and cohesion in professional
relationships
- Improving communication and breaking down barriers
- Risk management, mitigation and developing response
strategies
Promo Video »