CUBE 2022 Annual Conference is Sold Out!

This Event Is Sold Out!

CUBE has convened school board members from across the nation for the past 54 years to network and share the continually evolving strategies they are using to address the unique educational challenges that exist in our nation's urban centers. Content is curated specifically to provide you with the tools and support you need to effect change as an empowered, impactful urban school board member.

Keynote Speaker

 Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu

Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu
Race & Gender Justice Activist; Daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Registration Fees

Registration  Registration Deadline CUBE Districts/NATCON Districts/Member State Association Staff  General (Non-CUBE Districts/Non-NATCON Districts/Non-Member Associations) 
Early Bird August 19  $550  $675
Standard  December 7  $650 $775

 

Schedule at-a-Glance

3 – 6 p.m.  Early Registration 

7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Registration
9 – 10:45 a.m.  Preconference Sessions 
11:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.  State of Urban Education Luncheon
1:45 – 2:15 p.m.  Coffee & Conversations
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Breakout Sessions
3:15 – 3:30 p.m.  Coffee & Conversations 
3:30 – 4:45 p.m.  CUBE Steering Committee Town Hall
6 – 8 p.m. Welcome Networking Reception

7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Registration 
7:30 – 8:30 a.m.   Networking Breakfast 
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Breakout Sessions 
9:45 – 11 a.m.   Keynote
Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu
Race & Gender Justice Activist; Daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu
11 – 11:15 a.m.  Coffee & Conversations
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.  Breakout Sessions 
12:15 – 12:30 p.m. Break 
12:30 – 2 p.m. Awards Luncheon
  • CUBE District Award
  • Benjamin Elijah Mays Award
2 – 2:15 p.m.  Break 
2:15 – 3:15 p.m.  Breakout Sessions 
3:15– 3:30 p.m.  Coffee & Conversations
3:30 – 5 p.m.  General Session 
6:30 – 9:30 p.m.  Urban Night Out (UNO) in Miami

7:30 a.m. – Noon  Registration 
7:30 – 9 a.m.  Networking Breakfast
9 – 10:30 a.m.  General Session
10:30 – 10:45 a.m.  Coffee & Conversations
10:45 a.m. – Noon  General Session 

Programming

Session times are subject to change. Please continue to monitor the site.

  • Preconference Sessions

    Thursday, Dec. 8 | 9–9:45 a.m. 

    Self Care for School Leaders—Breathwork That is Transforming Schools and Empowering Leaders 
    Start your conference feeling great with more Ease, Energy, and Focus! Join this short but powerful session to learn tools to help you thrive in a busy world and strategies to take back to your districts to support student and educator success and well-being. The session will be fun and informative, including information on optimal performance, targeted breathwork, and how SKY Schools relieve deep stress and trauma while improving performance. As school leaders today, you are carrying more than ever before. Join us to bring more ease and joy into your day as you start the CUBE conference and gather resources for your community.  

    Speaker:
    Matt Nink, National Partnerships Director, SKY Schools

    Leading With Purpose: Reconnecting With Your “Why”
    Purposeful leadership can be challenging even in the best of times. The pandemic, as well as political and cultural conflicts, have created new demands on boards, putting governance under a microscope. Relief has been intermittent, and burnout is real. Your purpose, vision, and actions are needed. When you lead with purpose, it’s easier to both achieve the goals you set for yourself and your community and to bring others into your circle. Participants will receive a copy of the Leading with Purpose workbook; we’ll explore a few key activities to understand and reconnect with your “Why.”

    Speaker:
    Diana Baker Freeman, Senior Manager, Governance Initiatives & Advocacy, Diligent (BoardDocs) 

    Thursday, Dec. 8 | 10–10:45 a.m.  

    Self Care for School Leaders—Learn How Breathwork is Transforming Schools and Empowering Leaders
    Start your conference feeling great with more Ease, Energy, and Focus! Join this short but powerful session to learn tools to help you thrive in a busy world and strategies to take back to your districts to support student and educator success and well-being. The session will be fun and informative, including information on optimal performance, targeted breathwork, and how SKY Schools relieve deep stress and trauma while improving performance. As school leaders today, you are carrying more than ever before. Join us to bring more ease and joy into your day as you start the CUBE conference and gather resources for your community.  

    Speaker:
    Matt Nink, National Partnerships Director, SKY Schools

    Leading With Purpose: Reconnecting With Your “Why”
    Purposeful leadership can be challenging even in the best of times. The pandemic, as well as political and cultural conflicts, have created new demands on boards, putting governance under a microscope. Relief has been intermittent, and burnout is real. Your purpose, vision, and actions are needed. When you lead with purpose, it’s easier to both achieve the goals you set for yourself and your community and to bring others into your circle. Participants will receive a copy of the Leading with Purpose workbook; we’ll explore a few key activities to understand and reconnect with your “Why.”

    Speaker:
    Diana Baker Freeman, Senior Manager, Governance Initiatives & Advocacy, Diligent (BoardDocs)

  • Breakout Sessions

    Thursday, Dec. 8 | 2:15 p.m.

    Govern Like a Boss
    Governing board members, assume your power and govern like a boss. Policies and practices start with you. Either you’re perpetuating systemic racism or you’re disrupting it to create a culture of inclusion. Effective governance starts and ends with you.

    In this session, Channel will present her recently published case study that shares the journey to racial equity in education. Board members will gain greater confidence in their role and learn about different equity-based models, policy solutions, tactics, and strategies to advance racial equity districtwide.

    Speaker:
    Channel Powe, Education Consultant, Powe Power

    Reimagining Schools and Supporting Students: Systemic. Policy. Increasing Love and Joy
    During the workshop, participants will learn from the racial equity and racial healing work of the Ferguson-Florissant school district, a community central to our current racial healing movement. The Ferguson-Florissant school district is likely the first school district in the United States to create and apply anti-racist organizational standards. Facilitators will identify the pitfalls of unsuccessful equity work through a reflection on failed initiatives and status-quo thinking by engaging in root cause analyses based on anti-racist building blocks, change leadership framework, and systems change readiness framework. Participants will use actual case analyses centered on leader and student perspectives to reflect on, consider implications for, and propose successful components of racial equity, racial healing, and institutional change through a theory of action and a theory of change.

    Speakers:
    Dr. Joseph Davis, Superintendent, Ferguson-Florissant School District, MO
    Tamoya Rose-Watson, Vice President, Anti-Racism Innovation, The Achievement Network

    Community Schoolyards™ — For Health, Climate Resilience, Education, and Equity
    America’s typical urban schoolyard is often a sea of asphalt. Lacking gardens, equipment, and outdoor classroom space, it fails to provide teachers with a place to engage students in hands-on lessons and rarely inspires active, creative play. Students in low-income, racially diverse neighborhoods suffer the worst inequities when it comes to the quality of their schoolyards — and have access to an average of 44 percent less public green space per person than predominantly white neighborhoods.

    Danielle Denk, Schoolyard Initiative Director for the Trust for Public Land (TPL), will be joined by a principal or school board member to share what TPL terms the Community Schoolyards™ model. She can discuss a story that exemplifies the transformation of a schoolyard and community in an urban school district. For example, an elementary school in Philadelphia in which suspensions dropped from 30 a year to zero after the renovation of their schoolyard. Research also shows that greener schools have higher test scores, even after considering income.

    Schoolyards not only provide valuable outdoor classroom space but also serve as integrative climate solutions. They can be designed to mitigate flooding and lower temperatures, both concerns with a changing climate.

    Speaker:
    Danielle Denk, Schoolyard Initiative Director, The Trust for Public Land

    A Transition Plan for Excellence — New Superintendent
    Have you wondered how you incorporate a new member (superintendent) into your team? A new superintendent and new members on the board? How can it work? Lancaster ISD’s Team of Eight is developing a model which positions the superintendent and board to meet the educational needs of the learning community through reviewing district goals, engaging key stakeholders, and establishing essential metrics for success.

    Speakers:
    Ty G Jones, Board Trustee, Lancaster ISD, TX
    Dr. A. Katrise Perera, Superintendent of Schools, Lancaster ISD, TX

    Miami-Dade County Public Schools Accelerate Academic Achievement Using Cambridge K-12 Pathway
    Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has implemented the Cambridge Pathway to provide students in K-12 equitable access to high-quality teaching and learning while developing students’ skills, confidence, and content knowledge. This session will show how the program is preparing students in grades K-8 for success in advanced academic programs in high school. A large component of the initiative’s success is the implementation of the Cambridge Global Perspectives (GPR) curriculum for grades K-8. Join us to gain a deeper understanding of the unique teaching and learning aspects of the Cambridge Pathway program, including the Global Perspectives curriculum, that is resulting in student success.

    Speaker:
    Joette Viggiano, District Supervisor, Department of Advanced Academic Programs, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL

    Friday, Dec. 9 | 8:30 a.m.

    Creating a Culture of Belonging as a Foundational Element of DEIB Initiatives
    A lot of time and effort is spent on D (Diversity) and E (Equity), but not the I (Inclusion) or B (Belonging) portions of this work. Starting with Inclusion and Belonging provides the foundation for, and creates the conditions for, organizational culture shift. This session will cover the powerful impact of Belonging when it is embedded in school and district culture and educational equity implementation efforts. Material is based on the principles contained in the book Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity: The Keys to Successful Equity Implementation (Cobb & Krownapple)

    Speaker:
    Mary Fertakis, CEO, M. Fertakis Consulting, LLC

    Early College for High School Students
    The Cambridge Massachusetts Public School District, in collaboration with Lesley University, started an Early College program providing Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (CRLS) students the opportunity to fulfill high school graduation requirements while also earning college credits. CRLS is the only public high school in a city to have an Early College program to address the gaps in higher education attainment and completion from CRLS alumni. Early College is a proven high leverage strategy for getting historically underserved populations to experience college courses while in high school that will lead to successful college entrance and completion. The session will share key levers for implementing an Early College pilot and the expansion to a full program through a state designation.

    Speakers:
    Sumbul Siddiqui, Mayor of Cambridge, MA
    Ayesha Wilson, School Committee Member, Cambridge Public School District, MA

    Bridging the Gap: A Lens Approach to Zip Code Barriers of Digital Equity
    The Homework Gap has been well-defined for over a decade and gained heightened attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a direct correlation to digital equity, we are now urged to reimagine the landscape and redefine the role of what is equitable for all students. As schools seek sustainable solutions to ensure all students have the technology and connectivity to enable success, they’re left asking: What’s next? We will discuss how to remove Zip Code barriers to ensure each student can reach their maximum potential?

    In this session, we’ll discuss:
    • What are Zip Code barriers?
    • Solution-based strategies to enhance the educational environment for digital learners.
    • Innovative use cases for connectivity that follows the student.
    • How do we shift the conversation from home connectivity to student connectivity?

    Speaker:
    Michael Flood, SVP & GM, Public Sector, Kajeet, Inc.

    Why Legacy Instructional Systems Dampen Life Chances for Black and Brown Students
    Too often, students of color and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds move through schools built on legacy instructional systems that deny them academic rigor and student agency. In this session, Michael D. Toth — multi-award-winning education author and Instructional Empowerment Applied Research Center leader — will reveal the invisible and inequitable instructional systems that pervade every district. Participants will learn to identify low-agency vs. high-agency learning environments and understand the key systems to transform legacy instruction and prepare ALL students to thrive beyond school.

    Speaker:
    Michael Toth, Education Author and Founder of Instructional Empowerment (IE)

    Strategies and Best Practices in Post-COVID for Exceptional Students and Addressing Learning Loss
    This session is for board members, educators, parents, and administrators. We will share the importance of developing a targeted and strategic plan for reopening schools, why it began with our exceptional learners, and what it meant to their families.

    Speakers:
    Khem D. Irby, Legislative Committee Chair and District 6 Board of Education Representative, Guilford County Schools, NC
    Dr. Sequanna Taylor, School Board Vice President and Board Director District 3, Milwaukee Public Schools, WI

    Friday, Dec. 9 |11:15 a.m.

    Strategically Using Data to Elevate District Leadership
    Knowing how your students are doing and where they need to be to meet their goals can be a time-consuming task. This session will focus on how analytics serve as a means to tell the story of student performance, but also support leadership teams in driving purposeful decision-making at all levels of the organization.

    Speakers:
    Dr. Adam Cibulka, Senior Manager for Analytics, Frontline
    Dr. Jorge Torres, Senior Director, College & Career Readiness, Compton Unified School District, CA
    Darin Brawley, Ed.D, Superintendent, Compton Unified School District, CA
    Micah Ali, Chair, Council of Urban Boards of Education, President Emeritus, Compton Unified School District, CA

    Best Practices for Literacy: Incorporating the Science of Reading in Your District/Classroom
    This interactive session will allow participants to learn what the Science of Reading is and is not, why the Science of Reading is important, and how to properly incorporate it into a school district and/or classroom. 

    Speakers:
    David H. Murray, Board Member, District 1, Prince George's County Public Schools, MD
    Dr. Shavonna L. Holman, Associate Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

    Walk it Like You Talk it: Creating Authentic Spaces for Student Voice
    The Uniondale School District is committed to equity and ensuring that all voices are heard, and that includes student voices. School should be the place where students, especially students of color, exercise their power and feel seen and valued. In this session, we will share how our district leaders and our school board challenge ourselves to include student voices in our work, particularly regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. A team of Board members, district administrators, teachers, and students will discuss our embedded practices that center student voices. We will also share examples of our practice and student-led efforts to improve our district’s tone and culture. We use data collected from student surveys to illustrate how student feedback has influenced what happens in the classroom and beyond. We will also share video from student talking circles and allow participants to provide feedback. Our student presenters will discuss how their participation in decision-making has impacted their development. Finally, we will share our framework for integrating student voice, and we will engage participants in a reflective discussion of their own practice.

    Speakers:
    Monique Darrisaw-Akil, Ed.D. Superintendent, Uniondale Union Free School District, NY
    Addie Blanco-Harvey, UUFSD Trustee, Uniondale Union Free School District, NY
    Stacie Reid, Director of Guidance, Uniondale Union Free School District, NY
    Keith Coles, Social Worker, Lawrence Road Middle School, Uniondale Union Free School District, NY
    Edward G. UHS senior and NYS MBK Fellow, Uniondale Union Free School District, NY
    Justin H. UHS freshman and Superintendent's Student Council Member, Uniondale Union Free School District, NY

    Driving Student Enrollment: How Miami-Dade Leveraged CaissaK12's Best Practices to Recruit Students
    Over the past decade, public schools across the country have faced increased competition for students from private, charter, and homeschool. 

    The fourth largest district in the nation, Miami-Dade County Schools, has led the charge in increasing student enrollment by using CaissaK12's public-school-exclusive insight into sustainable recruitment. This session will focus on getting and keeping students through excellent customer service in handling disruptions, coaching through roleplay, creating realistic expectations and advocating for resolution, and empowering schools to highlight their distinct benefits.

    Speaker:
    Brian J. Stephens, CEO and Founder, CaissaK12

    Diversification of the United States Army Officer Corps and Education Programs
    Since its inception, United States Army Cadet Command (USACC) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs have produced over 600,000 officers. It provides more scholarships to colleges and universities than any other military service. The U.S. Army Cadet Command partners with universities to recruit, educate, develop, and inspire Senior ROTC Cadets to become commission officers of character for the Total Army. Army ROTC is widely regarded as the best leadership course in the world. As the nation’s culture changes, the focus of USACC to recruit has changed.  As the need for diversification of the Officer Corps has become a requirement, USACC established programs, organizations, and messaging to meet this demand for diversity. To meet the needs of our Army, USACC has established Army ROTC programs in universities that provide the diversity our Army needs. ROTC programs exist in Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and Hispanic universities throughout our nation. USACC recently created the Strategic Officer Detachment (SORD) to promote college first and provide outreach. This workshop will talk about what USACC has done to ensure that our Officer Corps looks like our nation’s population and our goals for the future. March2Success provides an online study program to help students prepare for standardized tests, improve schoolwork, and review materials. It also provides tools for educators and parents to track and encourage their students. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Career Exploration Program includes a validated aptitude test and interest assessment. The results are used to guide career exploration using our career planning tools.

    Speakers:
    Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Heath Papkov, Chair/Professor of Military Science & Leadership, Florida International University, Army ROTC - Southern Strike Battalion
    Mr. Carlos Rivera, Education Services Specialist, Miami Recruiting Battalion

    Friday, Dec. 9 | 2:15 p.m.

    Culturally Responsive Teaching: The CRT That Matters in Our Schools
    Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) requires that teachers take into account the cultural background and strengths of their students. Using CRT to connect with students has been shown to improve academic outcomes. With the nation’s public school population becoming increasingly diverse, CRT is becoming more necessary.

    Speaker:
    Cecilia Robinson-Woods, Superintendent, Millwood Public Schools, OK

    Environmental Equity — Creating Sustainable, Healthy Learning Environments in EJ Communities
    Students in environmental justice (EJ) communities are exposed to disproportionate amounts of pollution, but they can be protected from environmental toxins in the school setting. Compton, Newark, and Camden public schools have worked with the Go Green Initiative to develop sustainability plans that include healthy learning environments for all students. By creating a District Green Team, these districts have institutionalized policies and programs meant to protect children’s health from environmental pollution and conserve natural resources children will need in the future. District Green Teams create the framework to help individual school sites identify opportunities to provide clean air, water, and food for students, so their cognitive abilities are not impaired at school. Additionally, the District Green Team provides support and resources to help school sites conserve water and energy and reduce waste — all of which leads to cost savings that can be applied to other general fund needs.

    In this session, you will hear from three CUBE member districts from both the West and East Coast and learn the similar steps they have taken to bring environmental equity to every child in every school!

    Speakers:
    Jill Buck, M.S., Ed., Founder & CEO, Go Green Initiative
    Micah Ali, Chair, Council of Urban Boards of Education, President Emeritus, Compton Unified School District, CA
    Roger Leon, Superintendent, Newark Board of Education, NJ
    Arlethia Brown, Food Services Director, Camden City School District, NJ

    Student Reengagement in a Post Virtual World
    This will be a highly interactive session focused on sharing the lessons learned by the National League of Cities (NLC) and partners about targeting the most effective strategies for cities and community leaders to reestablish strong connections to education and workforce development pathways for youth and young adults. NCL’s partners in this work include Attendance Works, the Institute for Educational Leadership, and the Mid-Atlantic Equity Consortium. The workshop will expand on the stories and strategies that were shared through NLC’s multi-year student reengagement initiative funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation — Rebuild: Reengaging Middle and High School Students. Participants will share their successful strategies for student engagement and explore topics, including the roles of reengagement centers, full-service community schools, and community learning hubs.

    Speakers:
    Paul Smith, Principal and Owner, Education Reform Advocates, LLC
    Brandis Stockman, Senior Specialist, Education and Expanded Learning, National League of Cities 

    Schools Can't Do it Alone: Leveraging Resources to Support Student Social and Emotional Well-Being
    Evidence2Success, an initiative of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, provides a framework and tools for engaging schools, communities, and other public systems in aligning resources to improve student well-being. Evidence2Success sites bring together leaders from schools, public agencies, and the community to collect and review data on the social and emotional health of students and agree on priority outcomes, programs, and services. Once these priorities are identified, schools and partners work together to align resources to support those programs and services. 

    Six communities—Miami, Memphis, Providence, Salt Lake County, Mobile, and Selma—are implementing the Evidence2Success framework. Across these six communities, parents and leaders from schools, mental health and substance abuse agencies, public health, juvenile justice and child welfare, city and county government, and private philanthropy have come together to fund school-based programs that improve student mental health and prevent and address substance abuse.

    This session will share tools from Evidence2Success in using school district resources to leverage and coordinate other public and private resources to improve student well-being and success.

    Speakers:
    Mildred Johnson, Senior Associate, Anne E. Casey Foundation
    Rebecca Boxx, Executive Director, Children and Youth Cabinet of Rhode Island
    Margaret Flynn-Khan, Founding Partner, Mainspring Consulting

    Understanding the Impact of Implicit Bias on Leadership
    Implicit bias refers to attitudes, beliefs, or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. These biases often manifest themselves in the forms of microaggressions and stereotypes. Everyone has implicit bias, but few are aware of it and how it impacts our daily experiences or how we interact as leaders. Using a racial equity lens, this session will examine the role of implicit bias in leadership and its consequences on our schools and other institutions.

    Speakers:
    Aaron Dorsey, Senior Policy Analyst, National Education Association 
    Makeda Harris, Senior Policy Analyst, National Education Association 

    Sessions times are subject to change.

  • General Sessions

    Thursday, Dec. 8 | 11:30 a.m.

    State of Urban Education Luncheon
    CUBE Chair Micah Ali will provide updates and insights on the current state of urban education, along with his motivational messaging on how to continue building and supporting excellence in urban school board leadership.

    Speaker:
    Micah Ali, Chair, Council of Urban Boards of Education, President Emeritus, Compton Unified School District, CA

    Thursday, Dec. 8 | 3:30 p.m.

    CUBE Steering Committee Town Hall
    Members of the CUBE Steering Committee will engage in an in-depth discussion focused on understanding the connections between equity and leadership and their alignment to support literacy development in our schools. This discussion will be followed by an interactive Q&A session with the audience.

    Moderator:
    Dr. Herbert T. Monroe, III, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, Caroline County Public Schools, DEI Consultant

    Speakers:
    Dr. Shavonna L. Holman, Associate Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
    David H. Murray, Board Member, District 1, Prince George's County Public Schools, MD
    Mary Fertakis, CEO, M. Fertakis Consulting, LLC

    Friday, Dec. 9 | 9:45 a.m.

    Striving for Justice: Searching for Common Ground
    Our world seems increasingly fragmented, with political and social divisions at historically high levels. The natural thing to do, it seems, would be to seek solace in the members of our community, the ones who understand us, look like us, and believe the same things we do. However, in this presentation, the Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu highlights how seeking common ground with those who seem so different from ourselves is, in fact, the best way forward. Using African proverbs and personal stories, as well as examples from around the world, she shows us how being in conversation and community with people from diverse backgrounds offers us a wider array of gifts and perspectives to deal with the problems that face us.

    Speaker:
    Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu, Race & Gender Justice Activist; Daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tutu

    Friday, Dec. 9 | 3:30 p.m.

    Culturally Appropriate Methods of Supporting Black Male Achievement
    The Hidden Genius Project was founded in 2012 by five Black male entrepreneurs/technologists who were unnerved by the dramatic juxtaposition between the high unemployment of Black male youth and the plethora of career opportunities within the local technology sector. To address this challenge, the founders established a program to connect young Black males with the skills, mentors, and experiences that they need to become high-performing entrepreneurs and technologists in a 21st century global economy.

    This session will focus on addressing and increasing awareness around intentional inputs that positively impact Black male student achievement and share how The Hidden Genius Project is advancing equity through Innovative Community and Corporate partnerships.

    Speakers:
    Sean Valentine, Director of Strategic Initiatives, The Hidden Genius Project
    Arnold Lopez, Alumni Coordinator, The Hidden Genius Project
    Kyron Loggins, Digital Communications Intern/Alumnus, The Hidden Genius Project
    James Green, Alumnus, The Hidden Genius Project
    Brandon Nicholson, Founding Executive Director, The Hidden Genius Project

    Saturday, Dec. 10 | 9 a.m.

    Stories from the Field: Being A Whole Child Advocate
    How do you shift the mindset of students that have experienced trauma and disruptions to their lived routines? By shifting the adult mindset towards understanding that the school experience is bigger than academic standards and test scores. The past two years have taught us the importance of being whole-child advocates, building and maintaining relationships, being trauma-informed, and developing executive functioning (real-life) skills while teaching towards the academic standards. Join Dr. Williams as he shares his personal and professional journey that has helped him make these shifts with students and adults alike.

    Speaker:
    Dr. Benjamin Williams, Assistant Principal, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Washington, D.C., Founding Principal, Ron Brown College Preparatory High School, Washington, D.C.

    Stories from the Field: Special Ed from 7 Perspectives
    School boards are responsible to a variety of stakeholders, often representing competing priorities. Amy will share her lived experiences with special education from seven perspectives and how she now works with districts to become Joyful Inclusion Schools where everyone belongs and thrives.

    Speaker:
    Dr. Amy Pleet-Odle, Founder, Inclusion Focused Coaching, LLC

    Stories from the Field: Centering Humanness in a Ableist World
    One former teacher’s perspective as she enters into the world of schooling in a new role: the mom of a child with a rare genetic disorder. She recounts the ways that schooling upholds ableism in intentional and unintentional ways, and calls on educators to center humanness in their work every day.

    Speaker:
    Dr. Jee Shim Deogracias, Senior Director of Research and Evaluation, Breakthrough Collaborative

    Saturday, Dec. 10 | 10:45 a.m.

    Shifting the Narrative: Creating a True 21st Century Education System That Works in Service of Schools and Communities
    This country has dealt with a pandemic while also grappling with racial tensions built on generations of systemic racism. Centering equity as a driver for school improvement will be central to improving outcomes in urban communities. As a result, education in a post-COVID environment will require school systems to operate differently. It will require systems to shift practice from expecting schools to work for them and changing the ecosystem to work in service of schools and with communities. This will call for educators to partner with communities differently and leverage the rich assets found in urban communities across the country. There will be a need to lean into those proximate leaders who are of and from the community to help identify the strengths necessary to build on to create a true 21st century education system. This session will focus on the pathway to build those strong partnerships that center equity as a driver for change.

    Speaker:
    Dr. Meisha Porter, President & CEO, The Bronx Community Foundation, Former Chancellor, New York City Department of Education


Conference Information

  • Cancellation Policy

    No Refunds
    All payments for registrations for CUBE Annual on Dec. 8-10 are final and non-refundable. No refunds will be made for registration. Registrants who are unable to attend may request transferring their registration to another person to attend in their place. Please send transfer requests to info@nsba.org.
  • Safety Protocols & Requirements

    Proof of vaccination status or a negative test result is not required to attend NSBA events. Attendees who are not vaccinated are asked to take an at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen test before traveling to the event and should not attend if they test positive or have COVID-19 symptoms. NSBA does not require proof of these measures but encourages attendees to act responsibly and with consideration for the health and safety of others. Mask wearing is not required but strongly encouraged.

    Please note that these requirements are subject to change and may be modified at any time. We will continue to monitor and communicate COVID-19 developments as needed.

  • Hotel

    Headquarter Hotel: InterContinental Miami - SOLD OUT
    100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL 33131

    JW Marriott Marquis Miami - SOLD OUT
    0.3 miles from InterContinental Miami
    255 Biscayne Blvd Way,
    Miami, FL 33131

    If you are unable to secure housing in the overflow hotel or prefer to stay at another hotel, please book your stay at one of the hotels listed below that is close to InterContinental Miami. Please note that NSBA does not have a room block or group rate with these hotels.

    Kimpton Epic Hotel
    0.3 miles from InterContinental Miami
    270 Biscayne Blvd Way, Miami, FL 33131
    Phone: (305) 424-5226

    Hotel Beaux Arts Miami
    0.3 miles from InterContinental Miami
    255 Biscayne Blvd Way, Miami, FL 33131
    Phone: (305) 421-8700

    Hyatt Regency Miami
    0.4 miles from InterContinental Miami
    400 S, 400 SE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33131
    Phone: (305) 358-1234

    W Miami
    0.5 miles from InterContinental Miami
    485 Brickell Ave, Miami, FL 33131
    Phone: (305) 503-4400

    You must be registered for the conference before you can reserve housing in the NSBA hotel block. NSBA has negotiated a special rate for conference attendees. Booking information will be provided in the registration confirmation email. All reservations should be made before Nov. 18, 2022. Room availability and conference rates cannot be guaranteed after this date.


  • Travel & Getting Around

    Ground Transportation
    The InterContinental Miami is located approximately 9 miles from the Miami International Airport (MIA). To get to the hotel from the airport, there are taxicabs and multiple rideshare companies, including Lyft and Uber, that operate in Miami. Access your preferred provider through their mobile app. Taxicabs & Ride App pickup zones are located on the arrival (ground) level of the airport, outside of the baggage claim areas. Taxicabs and rideshares are estimated at $28.00 one way to the hotel.

    Hotel Parking
    Valet parking is available at the InterContinental Miami at $47.00 per day.
  • FAQs

    Q: Will there be an online event for CUBE 2022 Annual Conference?
    A: At this time, there is not an online component for CUBE 2022.

    Q: If my state association is not a member, can I register?
    A: Yes. Click here to see pricing.

    Q: What is the registration deadline?
    A: We recommend registering as early as possible so that you can secure your spot at the conference. Last year, the event sold out. 

    Q: What is included in my registration fee?
    A: The full conference registration includes access to all sessions, networking breakfasts, luncheon events, and evening receptions. 

    Q: How do I redeem my complimentary registration?
    A: Each CUBE district receives one complimentary attendee registration. The attendee using the complimentary registration should contact info@nsba.org for the special registration code. If you are a sponsor, you can find the number of complimentary registrations in the agreement. Sponsors will also receive an email from John Overington regarding the number of complimentary registrations their company receives. The email will also include information required to get your team registered. Contact John Overington at joverington@nsba.org or 703- 838-6799 with sponsor-related questions. 

    Q: What is the event cancellation policy?
    A: No Refunds: All payments for registrations for CUBE Annual on Dec. 8-10 are final and non-refundable. No refunds will be made for registration. Registrants who are unable to attend may request transferring their registration to another person to attend in their place. Please send transfer requests to info@nsba.org.
     
    Q: Who do I contact if I have questions regarding registration?
    A: Please email info@nsba.org with your questions, indicating CUBE in the subject line.

    Q: What should I do if I have special dietary needs for meal events?
    A: Please email info@nsba.org and indicate the type of allergy or other dietary restrictions. (Please title the email Dietary Needs for CUBE Annual.)

    Q: What should I do if I have an ADA request?
    A: Please email info@nsba.org if you have any special needs by Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (Please title the email ADA Accommodations for CUBE Annual Conference.)

    Q: How many CEU credits can I earn by attending CUBE 2022?
    A: You can earn up to 10 CEU credits by attending CUBE 2022.

    Q: How do I report my CEUs earned at CUBE 2022?
    A: When the event is over you will receive a survey link to the email you used to register. After you complete the survey you will receive a link to a form where you can submit documentation for your CEUs. Contact equity@nsba.org with any questions.

    Q: Will session handouts and recordings be available?
    A: Session handouts are exclusively available through the event app. This event has been planned as an in-person event – no recordings will be available.

CUBE 2022 Annual Conference Sponsors