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Second Annual Park University Connecting Learning Conference to Educate, Address Achievement GapBy Summer A. Evans - June 10, 2005 - 7:53 amEmail this article | Printer friendly page | Media Inquiries Bringing the best and brightest national speakers to Kansas City, the Connecting Learning Communities Conference: Every Kid Counts! will impart and equip local pre-kindergarten through 12th grade educators with the latest cutting edge knowledge on July 18-22 at the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Liberty, Mo. North Kansas City School District and Park University, and Presenting Sponsor Sprint Corporation are hosting the second annual Connecting Learning Communities Conference that will bring more than 1,000 bi-state educators together to address the achievement gap. This year's theme, "Every Kid Counts!," focuses on frameworks of poverty, literacy, instruction, technology and science, and active/experiential learning. "Park University is delighted to partner with community leaders from Sprint and other local corporate sponsors," said Park University President Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D. "These organizations, with their financial sponsorships, are opening doors for educators to better develop their teaching skills, as well as to expand the possibilities of a quality and equal education for our global community of learners." Scholarships, sponsored by Sprint and Bayer Corporation, are available for teachers to attend all five days of the conference. Additional scholarships are open to parents involved with PTA/PTO organizations to attend one day of their choice and for high school students to attend the July 21 session that will feature NASA educators and astronauts who will focus on science and technology. Scholarship applications are available at www.park.edu/pdi/ or by contacting Georgianna Zelle at (816) 505-5498. "Sprint is proud to once again be the presenting sponsor of the Connecting Learning Communities Conference and to join Park University and North Kansas City Schools in bringing this one-of-kind collaboration of talents and resources to our Kansas City-area educators," said Ralph Reid, director of Sprint Corporate Relations. "As we saw from last year's inaugural event, Kansas City area schools and students are reaping the benefits of having this professional and personal development opportunity right in their own backyard." After attending the Connecting Learning Communities Conference last summer and learning about the importance to measure results in the classroom, Grain Valley, Mo., teachers Mary Ann Hall and Sonya Jaques decided to take part in an Action Research project to learn if their "In the Margin" program benefited students. "Using the data we collected during the school year, our steering committee voted unanimously to implement the program school-wide next year," said Hall. "The program has been so successful, and we have continued to make it work better for our students. We replaced the eighth hours with reward parties each week, using positive reinforcement for students with zero missing assignments." Local business leaders and educators are joining together to offer more than 90 breakout sessions that will provide in-depth discussions to support the morning keynote speakers and provide examples and ideas for teachers like Hall and Jaques to take back to their schools and students in the fall. "Working together to ensure success for learners of all ages is the goal for the partnership between North Kansas City Schools, Park University and Sprint Corporation," said Tom Cumming, superintendent for the North Kansas City School District. "Throughout the years, the district has partnered with both organizations, and we are pleased to join forces once again for the Connecting Learning Communities Conference. Together we can provide relevant, practical educational opportunities for all teachers and students." In addition, Park University is offering up to three graduate credit hours for conference attendees at the rate of $50 per credit hour. Attendance to at least four days is required to qualify for graduate credit. About Park University Established in 1875, Park University is a national leader in higher education and is distinguished by its innovative adult-degree completion programs. The University has 22,627students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs at 42 campuses located in 21 states and Online at http://www.park.edu. For more information, please contact Rita Weighill, Associate Vice President for Communication at (816) 584-6211 or rita.weighill@park.edu; or Summer Evans, communication coordinator at (816) 584-6888 or summer.evans@park.edu. Park University, 8700 NW River Park Drive, Parkville, Mo. 64152 About Sprint Sprint offers an extensive range of innovative communication products and solutions, including global IP, wireless, local and multiproduct bundles. A Fortune 100 company with more than $27 billion in annual revenues in 2004, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network; an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone; and one of the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide wireless networks in the United States. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/mr. |