SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH

5:00 – 6:00pm

“Making the Most of EdNET”
Sponsored by RM Educational Software, Inc.
Join this informal meeting led by EdNET’s conference manager, Vicki Smith Bigham and conference founder, Nelson B. Heller, PhD, to learn how to take advantage of EdNET’s many resources and tools to make this year’s conference the best ever for you and your company.

Kick-off Reception
Sponsored by SMART Technologies
Welcome to Boston! Start the conference right with a bite to eat while you start making connections with fellow attendees.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH
Monday Program Sponsored by BrainPOP

7:30 – 9:00am

Business Networking Forum Breakfast
Sponsored by Eiseman Levine/Jeffrey A. Fromm, Esq. and The van Tulleken Company, a subsidiary of Quayle Munroe
30 seconds of fame! Introduce yourself and your organization in a brief 30-second introduction. Let other attendees know your objectives for the meeting and the kinds of contacts you want to make. Don’t miss this invaluable opportunity!

Welcome
Vicki Smith Bigham, EdNET Conference Manager and President, Bigham Technology Solutions, Inc.
Nelson B. Heller, PhD., President, The Heller Reports, a QED company
Andy Lacy, President, Quality Education Data (QED)

Keynote Address
Educating Every Student for the Global Economy

Thomas W. Payzant, EdD, Professor of Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education, former Superintendent of Boston Public Schools and former Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, United States Department of Education

Globalization presents educators with new challenges as well as new opportunities. How do we educate all students to meet the standards that in the past we expected only select groups to reach? How do we prepare all students for post-secondary continuing education–at community colleges, technical schools, four-year colleges and universities, or on-the-job training programs? How do we move toward systemic thinking about how to improve whole systems rather than focus on improved achievement for some students? What will it take to address these challenges as we face changes in the “human capital” of education, which is where 80 percent of district spending is currently focused? Dr. Payzant will address these questions and more, identifying the levers for change and improvement in today’s world.

Welcome
Din Heiman, General Manager and COO, BrainPOP, Monday Program Sponsor

Coffee Break
Sponsored by EdGate Correlation Services

EdNET 2008 Education Executives Advisory Board
Sponsored by Atomic Learning and Promethean Inc.
Steven J. Adamowski. PhD, Superintendent, Hartford (CT) Public Schools
Michael Hinojosa, EdD, Superintendent, Dallas (TX) Independent School District
Dr. Chip Kimball, Superintendent, Lake Washington (WA) School District
Daniel G. Lowengard, Superintendent, Syracuse (NY) City School District
J. Alvin Wilbanks, CEO/Superintendent, Gwinnett County (GA) Public Schools

Join the influential superintendents of the EdNET Education Executives Advisory Board as they discuss their perspectives on current issues. How are their districts wrestling with today’s demands and tomorrow’s promises? This session provides insight into the day-to-day realities of today’s schools.

EdNET Foresight
Submit your topic proposal for a chance to speak at EdNET on where K-12 schools and the marketplace should or could be in five years and how we get there. Submit your commentary here.

Luncheon
Sponsored by American Education Corporation

The Teachers and Administrators of Tomorrow
Mark Stevens, Vice President, Professional and Web Solutions, NEA Member Benefits (moderator)
Daniel A. Domenech, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators (AASA)
Segun Eubanks, Director, NEA Teacher Quality Department, National Education Association (NEA)
Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner of Education, Maine Department of Education

Will teacher turnover and teacher shortages persist? Are teacher unions a support or an impediment? Is there a backbench lack of leadership? This session looks at the impact of the current staffing and policy situation on the K-12 market and reviews implications for the future.

EdNET Foresight
Submit your topic proposal for a chance to speak at EdNET on where K-12 schools and the marketplace should or could be in five years and how we get there. Submit your commentary here.

Coffee Break
Sponsored by RedRock Reports

The Impact of School Reform and Philanthropic Initiatives
Tom Vander Ark, President, X Prize Foundation (moderator)
Alberto M. Carvalho, Associate Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Lori Fey, Senior Grant Officer, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation
Andrew Moffit, Associate Principal, Education Practice/Social Sector Officer, McKinsey & Co.

How do school reform initiatives affect the K-12 market? Are philanthropic initiatives influencing district decision-making and district reform? This session examines these questions and how they may affect your company.

EdNET Foresight
Submit your topic proposal for a chance to speak at EdNET on where K-12 schools and the marketplace should or could be in five years and how we get there. Submit your commentary here.

Birds-of-a-Feather Roundtables
Sponsored by Moodlerooms

This is your opportunity to participate in an intimate discussion on a topic important to your business. Choose from over a dozen topics ranging from industry trends to marketing creative. These roundtables give you the opportunity to share your experience and your concerns with fellow attendees, gain insight, and make valuable new business connections.

Business Opportunities Fair – Exhibitor Reception
Sponsored by AutoSkill International Inc. and Pearson

The networking continues. Visit with the array of companies exhibiting at EdNET while enjoying delicious hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Learn about new products, find new business partners, and discover new opportunities to boost your bottom line.

Tuesday, September 16th
Tuesday Program Sponsored by BSG Team Ventures/Boston Search Group, Inc.

7:30 – 8:30am

Continental Breakfast/Networking
Sponsored by Cherry Tree, LLC and Lownik Communication Services, Inc.

Start your final day at EdNET right with a light breakfast and informal networking.

Welcome
Ralph S. Protsik, Co-Founder and Managing Director, BSG Team Ventures/Boston Search Group, Inc., Tuesday Program Sponsor

Keynote Address
Preparing for a New Generation of Learning: Key Conversations to Catalyze the Build Out
Mark David Milliron, PhD, President and CEO, Catalyze Learning International (CLI)

The mix of millennials, gen-x’ers and baby boomers teaching and learning together make the provision of modern education a complex process. In addition, blended learning, mobile devices, gaming, social networking, high-impact presentation technologies, and analytics are bringing new twists and quick turns to our on-ground and online learning environments. What else is ahead? How much more can we take? How do we retain the human touch? How do we build out these learning environments and make them sustainable? Come join the conversation about how this new generation of learning is taking shape.

Coffee Break
Sponsored by Integre Technical Publishing Co.

The Synthesis of Digital and Print Media: What Business Models Make Sense?
Scott Traylor, Chief KID, 360KID (moderator)
Dan Caton, President, McGraw-Hill Learning Group
Staci Kramer, Co-Editor and Executive Vice President, ContextNext Media (invited)
Donald Lankiewicz, Senior Vice President, Product Development, Chief Publishing Office, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

As print, digital, and social media converge in our schools, what is the impact on companies’ value propositions? Do we need more service-based business models? Are there any success stories? Where are the opportunities? This session looks at these questions and provides insights into recapturing value in a changing market.

EdNET Foresight
Submit your topic proposal for a chance to speak at EdNET on where K-12 schools and the marketplace should or could be in five years and how we get there. Submit your commentary here.

16th Annual EdNET Industry Awards Banquet
Lead Sponsor Texas Instruments
Supporting Sponsor Words & Numbers
Program Coordination by Educational Systemics

Relax with colleagues over lunch as we honor the businesses and non-profit organizations that have made significant contributions to the education industry in the past year.

MCLB (Many Children Left Behind)
Kevin Custer, Principal, Arc Capital Development (moderator)
David F. Cappellucci, Chief Executive Officer, Cambium Learning, Inc.
Susan Szachowicz, Principal, Brockton (MA) High School
Cheryl Vedoe, CEO, Apex Learning

Despite legislation that promotes the contrary, it’s no secret that many students are failing, dropping out of school, or struggling to keep up. This session discusses business models that address credit recovery, SES, and struggling students—and why our country needs to invest in these students to ensure a strong future for us all.

Widgets, Gadgets and Customer-Centric Ecosystems
June Herold, Senior Vice President, Saywire.com (moderator)
Robert Iskander, CEO, VIP Tone, Inc.
Esther Wojcicki, Journalism Teacher, Palo Alto (CA) High School and Google Educational Consultant

What does it mean to be widgetized or gadgetized? What are verticalized widgets for the K-12 market? What is an educational ecosystem? This session answers these questions and discusses revolutionary new ways publishers are working together, establishing publishing services, and building web relationships with customers.

Coffee Break
Sponsored by deSilva+Phillips, LLC

EdNET Foresight
Submit your topic proposal for a chance to speak at EdNET on where K-12 schools and the marketplace should or could be in five years and how we get there. Submit your commentary here.

View From the Catbird Seat: Envisioning Tomorrow
Nelson B. Heller, PhD., President, The Heller Reports, a QED company
Anne Wujcik, Editor, News Alert and Education Market Analyst, Quality Education Data (QED)

Join the president of the Heller Reports and one of the industry’s leading market analysts in a fascinating look back at the last 20 years in educational technology. A review of 20 years of Catbird predictions will reveal where our sages hit the nail on the head and where they missed the mark. Compare your predictions with the Catbirds’ and see who got it right!

This popular EdNET session promises to be more entertaining and informative than ever.

Closing Reception
Wrap up a successful conference with this final opportunity for cocktails, snacks and networking.

If you are interested in holding a private meeting or reception before, during or after EdNET, please contact Genine Tyson, Conference Coordinator, at conferences@QEDdata.com or 800.525.5811 ext. 9391.