Showcasing Replicable Models for Secondary & Post-Secondary Programs
February 22-25, 2021 7:15am - 4:15pm Pacific Time
with sessions hosted by Get Focused...Stay Focused!® non-profit Executive Director, Dr. Karen Miles;
special guest educators; and curriculum partner, Academic Innovations
Monday, February 22nd
Time
Presenter(s)
Title
Description
Keynote 9:15 AM PST
Dr. Karen Miles
Get Focused Stay Focused Overview
Dr. Karen Miles and Dr. Lauren Wintermer Ramirez will present an overview of the Get Focused Stay Focused programs for both high school and college. She will discuss this comprehensive guidance course designed to increase high school and college completion AND propel successful entry into the workforce. It can be a challenge for the Community College to develop a seamless transition model to effectively onboard students knowing that some have had four years of GFSF in high school, while others enter the college having no prior career development experience. Attend this session to strategize how you can develop an FYE model that is flexible in meeting students where they are and ensuring that they are supported throughout their transition into post-secondary education.
10:15 AM PST
Ed Watts
Building Better Schools and Students Using GFSF as Your Educational Foundation
In this session, principal Ed Watts will outline the structure, rationale, and vision of how the Get Focused...Stay Focused!® pathway serves as the foundational building block for guiding student choice in their educational journey and propels them into one of 10 CTE pathways offered at Arvin High. Arvin High School is a large comprehensive high school serving a population made up of 98% Hispanic students where 94% qualify for free and reduced lunch. The school is focused on guiding students along an education highway to provide powerful dual enrollment opportunities across 10 CTE pathways.
10:15 AM PST
Ryan Richards
The 10-Year Plan Annual Slide Show: A School-Wide Capstone Activity
Students at Diamond Technology Institute make four career presentations throughout their tenure (a capstone project for each year). Instructor Ryan Richards will show examples—a 9th grade version and a senior version—to illustrate the power of this innovative strategy. He will also provide tips on how to implement this enhancement.
12:15 PM PST
Dr. Karen Miles
TIPS for Exposing Students to High-Wage, High-Demand Careers Using Online Tools
This session by author and Executive Director of Get Focused…Stay Focused!®, Dr. Karen Miles, will provide teaching strategies on how to use labor market information. How can we put information on high-wage, high-demand local job opportunities and the training available for them into the hands of our students?
During career decision making, students need to explore possible career areas and learn how to use free websites to find out more about national and statewide career possibilities, but they also need labor market information on the types of jobs available in their local areas and the education or training path into those careers. Learn how the Get Focused...Stay Focused!® National Resource Center can help your school district with resources and technical assistance to bring this information to your students—and to your teachers and counselors!
12:15 PM PST
Kari Rosson
Tools for Researching Careers Online
Mentor Teacher Kari Rosson will discuss the process of how to help students to be comfortable answering career questions by showing how to navigate around Chapter 6 of the Career Choices Series.
12:15 PM PST
Tanja Easson
Flexible Online Learning Options Delivered Through My10yearPlan.com®
Listen as Tanja Easson, Academic Innovations Vice President of Curriculum, walks you through the new online options of our award-winning Career Choices and Changes textbook. See how the text is combined with the online activities of My10yearPlan.com to help students create personalized 10-year career and life plans.
2:15 PM PST
Rudy Ramirez
Changing a Generation: How to Sustain Lasting Change Through Guiding Principles, Processes, and People
How did a high school systematically affect change—moving from a 69.1% graduation rate and a four-year dropout rate of 34.2% to a school recognized by U.S. News and World Report and the Washington Post as an exemplary high school? The first steps were to stop talking about the problem, put words into action, and start putting energy into altering the situation. In this session, you will learn a variety of practical tips for mastering the master schedule by using students' needs to guide your decision making. This session will illustrate how consistently following simple principles led Indio High School to change the bell schedule and affect systemic change.
2:15 PM PST
Amy Gil
Engaging Students in a Virtual World While Preserving Your Sanity
See Amy's class in action as they review a lesson in Chapter 2 and observe how she utilizes the Online Class Agendas to help keep students engaged.
2:15 PM PST
Dr. Jenn Ramos
The Online Skills-Based Education Plan: Discover the Onramp to Post-Secondary Success
When students have a plan for acquiring the skills needed for their desired career pathway, you’ll not only solidify their resolve to get a good education but also bolster student confidence with a unique skills-based education plan. Learn about this progressive tool included in the Career Choices and Changes coursework.
4:15 PM PST
Geno Malkiewicz
Adult Education: Student Success Strategies for Your Career Choices and Changes Course
Learn from one of our most passionate educators—a man who is not only an educator but someone who helps people live their dreams!
4:15 PM PST
Rachelle Fast
Mock Interviews in a Virtual World
Discover a plan for coordinating mock interviews for all freshmen using a virtual format. Even when students are back in the classroom, this strategy opens up a world of possibilities for recruiting interviewers from anywhere.
Tuesday, February 23rd
Time
Presenter(s)
Title
Description
7:15 AM PST
Kari Rosson
Tips and Strategies for Organizing Your Career Choices Coursework
Mentor teacher Kari Rosson, Career Choices veteran instructor of 8 years, shares a variety of instructional tips and resources she’s organized over the years. You’ll come away from this jam-packed session with replicable ideas to enhance your own course.
Keynote 9:15 AM PST
Dr. Darla Cooper
Student Support (Re)defined: How the Six Success Factors Support Students of All Ages
Student Support (Re)defined, a study conducted by the Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges, asked almost 900 students from across the state what has helped them be successful, with a particular focus on African-American and Latinx students. Despite this study being conducted with college students, this session will demonstrate how a set of “success factors” applies to students at any age. The presentation will begin by providing a brief overview of the research, focusing specifically on how the “six success factors” framework applies to middle school students, and sharing some of the unique findings for African-American and Latinx students. The session will then offer specific ways teachers and other school staff can support students’ success in and out of the classroom. During the Q&A, attendees will be invited to share what they already do to support student success and identify new ways they can help students achieve the six success factors
10:15 AM PST
Dain Blanton
Fireside Chat with Olympic Gold Medalist Dain Blanton
A long time advocate of GFSF and the face of the Chapter Introduction Videos, come chat with Dain Blanton as he shares how he has helped motivate students all across the country.
12:15 PM PST
Rudy Ramirez
Changing a Generation: How to Sustain Lasting Change Through Guiding Principles, Processes, and People
As a recently retired educator with 41 years of service, the last 24 years as the principal of Indio High School, Rudy Ramirez experienced the power of an award-winning curriculum that changed the lives of students and the culture of his school. For far too many students, the transition from 8th to the 9th grade presents a daunting challenge. Just like scores of other schools, Indio High School struggled with helping 9th graders succeed; they were failing classes at too high a rate, having attendance problems, demonstrating discipline issues, and just not being very focused in their academics. In 2008, Rudy launched an effort to make freshmen a priority at Indio High School and addressed the issues by creating a 9th grade Transition Program based on the George Washington University Freshman Transition Initiative. The cornerstone of the program was a Freshman Seminar Course—Success 101—that provided 9th graders with the aptitudes, attitudes, and skills to be successful in school and in life. In the ensuing years, attendance improved, discipline problems decreased, and failure rates declined. In addition, AP numbers went up, the graduation rate improved, and fewer students dropped out. Come learn how Rudy recruited, trained, and retained his best instructors for this life-changing program.
12:15 PM PST
Ryan Richards
Strategies for Enhancing Your Existing GFSF School-Wide Program
Hear from master instructor Ryan Richards as he shares a variety of strategies the team at Diamond Technology Institute uses in their Get Focused...Stay Focused!® program. Topics will include their approach to college planning, collaborating with academic counselors, and their ePortfolio process.
2:15 PM PST
Mindy Bingham
Academic Coaching: What It Is and How It Works
Join Career Choices series best-selling author Mindy Bingham as she defines "Academic Coaching" and gives strategies on how to implement this effective and efficient practice so all educators on campus can assist with each student's advising needs.
2:15 PM PST
Mike Vogenthaler Bonita Steele
How Kern County and Bakersfield College Leverage GFSF for Dual Enrollment and Successful Pathways
4:15 PM PST
Carol Keiser
Spotlight on Best Practices: Wheatland High School
Join Carol Keiser for tips and strategies for the planning and implementation of your Get Focused...Stay Focused!® program, including finding time in the master schedule, effective instructor recruitment, team-building techniques, writing grants, and more. This session also explores developing a culture of success—building from the bottom up and from the top down.
Wednesday, February 24th
Time
Presenter(s)
Title
Description
7:15 AM PST
Rachelle Fast
An Overview of the “Stay Focused” Modules
Hear from Rachelle Fast as she gives an overview of years 2, 3 ,and 4 of the GFSF Program. Find out how and where these follow-up modules are being implemented and how to help keep students on track with their
Keynote 9:15 AM PST
Jasdeep Malhi Skyler Barton
Optimizing DEI Opportunities: A Look at How to Proactively Engage Students by Focusing on Strategy, Empathy, and Equity
At Berkeley City College and Berkeley High School, students Get Focused with a dual enrollment course that both instructor's Skyler Barton and Jasdeep Malhi leverage as an opportunity to build on infusing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into the classroom. Come learn and hear about their best strategies for DEI integration.
10:15 AM PST
Carol Keiser
An Online Independent Study Course: A Cost-Efficient Credit Recovery Solution to Reengage Students
Recover lost ground and reengage students with the Independent Study Course for Career Choices and Changes Online. If you have students who need credit recovery or who have been missing in action the last 11 months, don’t miss this presentation.
12:15 PM PST
Ed Watts
Building Better Schools and Students Using GFSF as Your Educational Foundation
In this session, principal Ed Watts will outline the structure, rationale, and vision of how the Get Focused...Stay Focused!® pathway serves as the foundational building block for guiding student choice in their educational journey and propels them into one of 10 CTE pathways offered at Arvin High. Arvin High School is a large comprehensive high school serving a population made up of 98% Hispanic students where 94% qualify for free and reduced lunch. The school is focused on guiding students along an education highway to provide powerful dual enrollment opportunities across 10 CTE pathways.
12:15 PM PST
Carol Keiser
Integrating Technical Skill Acquisition Into Your Career Choices/Get Focused Course
This session will provide an overview of 15 lessons that can be integrated into your course to teach students a variety of technology skills, such as using basic graphic design tools, creating spreadsheets, and working with online collaboration applications. Developed by Carol Keiser, a business owner, graphic designer, business teacher, and soon-to-be CTE director, you’ll discover a number of exciting ways you can enhance your Career Choices series course while supporting the acquisition of employable skills.
12:15 PM PST
Mike Vogenthaler Bonita Steele
How GFSF Supports California Dashboard's College and Career Indicator (CCI) for Dual Enrollment—One District’s Tips and Strategies
2:15 PM PST
Dr. Karen Miles Alejandro Castillo
Six Steps for Developing a Counselor Leadership Team for Your GFSF Program
Learn about the “Counselors as Leaders” strategy. You’ll discover how the guidance team can play a key role to help support this school-wide effort and the goal of students transitioning on from high school with an informed career area of choice and a plan to achieve their goal. This GFSF program flourishes with the expertise and energy of a focused cadre of counselors. Developing a 10-year plan as a high school freshman is just the beginning of the career development process. During high school, we want students to move from having a general career direction to having a destination by the time they graduate. Counselors should be the leaders in this process. Join us to learn how the Get Focused...Stay Focused!® National Resource Center can help your school district with resources and technical assistance to make this goal achievable.
2:15 PM PST
Dr. Jenn Ramos
Tips from an Innovative Master Teacher to Enhance Your Career Choices/Get Focused Course
Now that you’ve had a year or two teaching your Career Choices series course, discover some additional classroom ideas from master instructor Dr. Jenn Ramos. She’ll share ideas and resources for experienced Career Choices instructors.
4:15 PM PST
Geno Malkiewicz
Adult Education: Student Success Strategies for Your Career Choices and Changes Course
Learn from one of our most passionate educators—a man who is not only an educator but someone who helps people live their dreams!
4:15 PM PST
Tanja Easson
Flexible Online Learning Options Delivered Through My10yearPlan.com®
Listen as Tanja Easson, Academic Innovations Vice President of Curriculum, walks you through the new online options of our award-winning Career Choices and Changes textbook. See how the text is combined with the online activities of My10yearPlan.com to help students create personalized 10-year career and life plans.
Thursday, February 25th
Time
Presenter(s)
Title
Description
7:15 AM PST
Dawn O'Bar
Skills-Based Education Plan: Ensuring Students Graduate with the Skills Necessary to Compete in Today's Workforce
Unique to Get Focused...Stay Focused!®, the Skills-Based Education Plan prepares students with the skills, attitudes, and aptitudes to complete post-secondary education/training and transition successfully into employment in a competitive workplace. Hear from certified trainer Dawn O'Bar as she explains the benefits of these plans and the positive differences compared to traditional student education plans.
Keynote 9:15 AM PST
Dr. Karen Miles
The Employability Mindset: Helping ALL Students Make Choices that Support Lifelong Self-Sufficiency—Both Financial and Emotional
Starting as early as middle school, it is important to help students envision a productive and healthy future and develop a plan to make it a reality. Learn from author and career guidance expert, Dr. Karen Miles, about a variety of strategies including development of social-emotional skills and self-efficacy that support students moving forward in their career pathways into a self-sufficient future.
10:15 AM PST
Tanja Easson
Flexible Online Learning Options Delivered Through My10yearPlan.com®
Listen as Tanja Easson, Academic Innovations Vice President of Curriculum, walks you through the new online options of our award-winning Career Choices and Changes textbook. See how the text is combined with the online activities of My10yearPlan.com to help students create personalized 10-year career and life plans.
10:15 AM PST
Mindy Bingham
What's New: An Overview of New Tools, New Strategies, and New Ways of Engaging Students
The CEO of Academic Innovations, Mindy Bingham, will share the latest and greatest that has happened since 2020. Come hear from the expert!
12:15 PM PST
Rudy Ramirez
Changing a Generation: How to Sustain Lasting Change Through Guiding Principles, Processes, and People
"The Master Schedule, along with the Bell Schedule, are tools that allow schools to meet the academic needs of students. How did a high school systematically affect change, moving from a graduation rate that was 69.1% and a four-year dropout rate of 34.2% to a high school recognized by U.S. News and World Report and the Washington Post as an exemplary high school? The first step to affect systemic change is to stop talking about the problem, put your words into action, and start putting energy into altering the situation. In this session, you will learn a variety of practical tips for Mastering the Master schedule by using students' needs to guide your decision making. This session will illustrate how consistently following simple “principles” led to Indio High School to change the bell schedule and effect systemic change."
12:15 PM PST
Dr. Karen Miles
Blending Career Exploration and Social and Emotional Development: An Overview of the GFSF Middle School Bridge Program
Blending Career Exploration and Social and Emotional Development: An Overview of the Get Focused…Stay Focused!® Middle School Bridge Program
2:15 PM PST
Amy Gil
Student Voices: Reflections on Our GFSF Experience
This student panel will leave you motivated to help your students realize their dreams. Come find out how going through the GFSF experience has given these students the tools they needed for a successful and fulfilling future.
2:15 PM PST
Dr. Jenn Ramos
Tips from an Innovative Master Teacher to Enhance Your Career Choices/Get Focused Course
Now that you’ve had a year or two teaching your Career Choices series course, discover some additional classroom ideas from master instructor Dr. Jenn Ramos. She’ll share ideas and resources for experienced Career Choices instructors.
415 PM PST
Carol Keiser
Spotlight on Best Practices: Wheatland High School
Join Carol Keiser for tips and strategies for the planning and implementation of your Get Focused...Stay Focused!® program, including finding time in the master schedule, effective instructor recruitment, team-building techniques, writing grants, and more. This session also explores developing a culture of success—building from the bottom up and from the top down.
The Zoom session links will be live the day of the event. Waiting rooms will open at the start time of each session.
For more information about the presentations, please visit
