2026 VBCPS Summer Leadership Conference: Full Schedule

11:35am EDT

Deep Dive Conversations: Reimagining the School Planning Council (SPC) as a Catalyst for Change

Wednesday July 22, 2026 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

Inquiry Question: How do school leaders transform the School Planning Council from a compliance structure into a meaningful driver of school improvement?

Speakers

Tennille Bowser

Principal HS, Green Run High

Wednesday July 22, 2026 11:35am - 12:15pm EDT

All School Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 1-Challenge and Support Each Student to Excel and Be Future Ready., Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Team Up

9:30am EDT

What You Say Matters: Communication Strategies for School Leaders

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

This session is designed to equip school leaders with practical tools to communicate clearly and effectively. Participants will receive tips and best practices for showcasing positive stories and crafting engaging newsletters. The session will also cover writing strategies for community messages during incidents, news media insights and procedures, and leveraging AI to support communication. Attendees will leave with strategies to streamline messaging, avoid common pitfalls, and ensure their school's story is shared with impact.

Speakers

Nicole Livas

Chief Communications & Community Engagement Officer, Communications & Community Engagement

Ryan DeLucie

Public Relations Coordinator, Communications & Community Engagement

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

All Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Team Up

9:30am EDT

Clarity to Connection: High-Impact Family Engagement Strategies

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

This session will explore the definition of Family Engagement and FACE’s High Impact Strategies, and how they align with Compass to 2030 Goal 4. These strategies support the 2026-2027 Strategic Action Agenda to strengthen family partnerships in schools. Finally, attendees will reflect on their current practices and develop action steps to integrate these strategies into daily school routines. Walk away with a practical, ready-to-use Family Engagement Toolkit—packed with strategies to boost communication, strengthen relationships, and foster shared decision-making across your school community.

Speakers

Joyce Hawkins

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Admon Alexander

Director of Family and Community Engagement, Department of Communications and Community Engagement

Jacqueline Crawley Coleman

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

All Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Team Up

9:30am EDT

Team Up Beyond the Bell: Childcare, Enrichment, and Community Partnerships That Work

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Do you know what childcare, enrichment, and career programs are available to your students, staff, and families right now? This session brings together VBCPS, Parks & Recreation, and the YMCA to show you the full picture. From before- and after-school care at your elementary schools to teen employment programs, entrepreneurship initiatives, and financial assistance options, you will learn what is already operating in your buildings and community and how to connect families to it. Leave with a resource guide, partner contacts, and the confidence to be the bridge between your school community and the support they need.

Speakers

Amy Church

Director of Employment Services, Department of Human Resources

James Avila

Coordinator of Recruitment and Retention, Department of Human Resources

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

All Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students, Goal 5-Advance Organizational Excellence
Strand Team Up

9:30am EDT

Tools that Talk Back: Smarter Multilingual Family Communication

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Lost in Translation? Not Anymore. This interactive, next level workshop supports staff in overcoming language barriers that impact family communication and engagement. Participants will explore practical, reliable language access tools and strategies, including advanced features in PowerPoint, Canva, and other commonly used platforms. The session focuses on addressing common barriers such as inconsistent translation, unclear messaging, and limited accessibility. Leave with hands-on strategies, recommended tools, and ready to use resources to improve communication, build understanding, and better support families and students. Please bring your laptop and be ready to access PowerPoint (desktop version, as the session will include hands-on activities to explore different AI tools and resources.

Speakers

Domenica Nichols

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Jason Tomik

IT Specialist, Princess Anne HS

Tina Garfield

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

All Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Team Up

10:45am EDT

Modernizing School Volunteerism with SignUpGenius Enterprise

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

This presentation will empower school administrators to modernize volunteerism, aligning with Goal 4 of Compass to 2030. Leaders will learn to replace inefficient generic tools, which often cause "sign-up fatigue" and fragmented data, with centralized system, SignUpGenius Enterprise. The focus will be on leveraging automated reminders and reporting dashboards to track participation and ensure operational accountability. Administrators will master a three-phase roadmap—set-up, launch, and growth—to transform school-wide engagement into a professional, data-driven operation that supports student achievement.

Speakers

Joyce Hawkins

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Rebecca Headings

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

All Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 1-Challenge and Support Each Student to Excel and Be Future Ready, Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students, Goal 5-Advance Organizational Excellence
Strand Team Up

10:45am EDT

Partnerships With Purpose: A Playbook for School Leaders

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Strong community partnerships are intentional and align with the VBCPS strategic framework. This session provides school leaders with a practical, tiered framework for partner engagement supporting student achievement, wellbeing, real-world learning, and career exploration. Co-presented by the Partnerships and VBEF Coordinators, participants will explore the Partnership Continuum. Leaders will identify immediate, simple, strategic, and transformational commitments, leaving with clarity on available opportunities and a personalized action plan for fostering reciprocal partnerships.

Speakers

Bridget Mariano

Virginia Beach Education Foundation Coordinator, FACE Office

Jennifer McGowan

Partnership Coordinator, FACE Office

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

All Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 2-Enhance Student Well-Being Resilience and Responsibility, Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Team Up

1:00pm EDT

App Central: Building Stronger Family Engagement through Clearer Communication Strategies

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Compass to 2030 calls us to partner with families to support students, but what can effective leaders do to help parents navigate the multitude of online platforms they're expected to use to stay engaged with their student's learning (ParentVUE, Canvas, Seesaw, ParentSquare, and list goes on and on...)? In this session, we’ll explore how leaders can leverage App Central to design and implement more coherent, schoolwide communication systems that reduce fragmentation and improve family access and engagement. Leaders will build capacity to decide and adapt communication materials best suited for their school community’s needs and foster stronger school-family partnerships and student success.

Speakers

Chanae Joyner

Social Media Manager, Department of Communications and Community Engagement

Tina Garfield

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

David Schleck

Public Relations Coordinator, Department of Communications & Community Engagement

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

All Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Team Up

1:00pm EDT

Unlocking Goal 4 Through Family Engagement

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

This interactive session equips school leaders with practical strategies to strengthen family and community engagement as a driver of Compass to 2030 Goal 4: Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students. Participants will explore the FACE Guide to Family Engagement, engage in a collaborative “Escape the Barriers” problem solving activity, and analyze real world challenges around communication, trust, equity, and access. Leaders will leave with a customized, ready to implement Family Engagement Action Plan aligned to their school’s needs and the 2026-27 Strategic Action Agenda.

Speakers

Contessa Magee

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Jacqueline Crawley Coleman

Family Outreach Representative, Office of Family and Community Engagement

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

All Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Team Up

11:35am EDT

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9:30am EDT

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10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

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1:00pm EDT

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