The New Jersey School Boards Association is ready to press “start” on Workshop 2024, taking place Oct. 21-24 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. Workshop is New Jersey’s largest professional development training conference for school officials, welcoming over 8,000 attendees last year. The event features four full days of professional development and networking opportunities for education professionals throughout the state.
Embark on Our “Quest for Student Success” This year’s theme embodies our collective mission and passion for seeking the best for New Jersey’s students. With student achievement at the heart of the NJSBA’s mission, it is imperative to focus on cultivating educational environments where all students can thrive.
A Stellar Keynote Speaker Lineup The NJSBA is pleased to welcome three incredible keynote speakers to Workshop 2024. Their keynote addresses will take place separately on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Monday, Oct. 21
Dr. Adam Seldow, senior director of education partnerships at Roblox
Dr. Adam Seldow, senior director of education partnerships at Roblox, aims to increase access to high-quality immersive learning experiences. Prior to Roblox, he created the Educa
tion Partnerships team at Meta, which led to Meta’s first investments in education, including learning content for Meta Quest, Workplace in schools and universities, and ultimately the $150 million Meta Immersive Learning initiative. A seasoned education technology expert and educator, he taught secondary school mathematics in Boston Public Schools before becoming a chief technology officer serving school districts.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
John Quiñones, ABC News veteran, creator and host of What Would You Do?
A lifetime of “never taking no for an answer” took Quiñones from migrant farm work and poverty to more than 30 years at ABC News, the anchor desk at 20/20 and Primetime and seven national Emmy awards for his reporting over the years. Along the way, he broke through barriers, won the highest accolades and became a role model for many. As host and creator of What Would You Do?, the highly-rated, hidden camera ethical dilemma news magazine, Quiñones has literally become “the face of doing the right thing” to millions of fans.
Wednesday, Oct. 23
Sonia Manzano, “Maria” on Sesame Street and a best-selling author
Manzano is best known for performing the role of “Maria” on Sesame Street for 44 seasons, where her work brightened the lives of millions of parents and children and garnered her two Emmy Award nominations in addition to the National Academy of Arts and Science’s Lifetime Achievement Daytime Emmy in 2016. As a writer for the show, she took home 15 Emmys and recently received the 2022 Beacon Award from PBS.
New to Workshop 2024
There will be even more exciting opportunities to learn and engage with fellow school officials, as well as to interact with exhibitors, at this year’s Workshop.
EDTalk Theater The new EDTalk Theater provides a space for experts in the education community to share inspiring 20-minute talks to present ideas to support student and district success. These talks will take place Tuesday, Oct. 22 and Wednesday, Oct. 23 while the exhibit floor is open.
The Arcade Our arcade area will be one of the most exciting new locations on the exhibit floor. Following Workshop 2024’s retro gaming theme, the arcade will feature games, exciting photo opportunities and is a place for you and your district team to relax and have some fun.
Career Readiness and Dual Enrollment Exposition Career readiness and dual enrollment programs are important to the success of all students. This new destination on the exhibit floor will be a spot where school leaders can learn more about successful partnerships, products and services to bolster career readiness and student achievement in schools.
Legal, Labor Relations and Policy Lounge Take a break from walking the exhibit floor to sit down for intimate discussions with NJSBA’s team of experts and others in various fields. At the lounge, board members, administrators and school board attorneys can gather to explore the latest developments in school law, labor relations and policy.
Touchscreen Informational Kiosks With more than 457,200 square feet, the Workshop exhibit floor can be tough to navigate. This year, we are introducing a touchscreen kiosk, located near the exhibit floor entrance, which features an interactive digital map and has an exhibitor directory wall behind it. In addition, there will be touchscreen kiosks located on the third and fourth floors. These kiosks will provide instant, easy access to the Workshop agenda, showing session schedules and rooms.
Longer Learning Labs We have listened to your feedback and are excited to offer a new Learning Lab experience. This year, Learning Labs will increase from a 30-minute runtime to 45 minutes, offering more time to ask questions and explore new concepts. Learning Labs are also moving from the exhibit floor to classrooms upstairs, which allows for a more quiet and private space conducive to learning.
Fall School Law Forum Returning to Workshop once again this year, the Fall School Law Forum will take place Thursday, Oct. 24. Hear from the state’s leading experts in education law as they discuss timely, important topics in school law today. *Registration for the Fall School Law Forum is separate from that of Workshop 2024 and must be handled by your school business administrator.
Recognition of New Jersey’s Unsung Superheroes
NJSBA is hosting its 2nd annual Unsung Superheroes in Education Awards at Workshop 2024. This is an opportunity for district staff, who work tirelessly in New Jersey’s schools and often go without recognition or thanks, to be celebrated. Crossing guards, bus drivers, custodians, librarians, nurses, school security and cafeteria staff are just some of the individuals who will be recognized on stage.
Student Talent on Full Display
Workshop will showcase the talents of New Jersey’s school students with performances from some of the finest student groups in the state on Tuesday, Oct. 24 and Wednesday, Oct. 25. Hear beautiful music and watch other artistic expressions on the exhibit floor. The student art gallery will feature artwork recognized for excellence by prestigious art programs and competitions from around the state. Additionally, the student film showcase will screen “the Best of the Fest” student films from the Garden State Film Festival.
Mandated Training Made Easy
Workshop 2024 will provide mandated training opportunities each day of the conference, making it easy to fulfill your training requirements while experiencing everything Workshop has to offer. Training sessions in Governance I-IV will be available, ensuring opportunities for both new and seasoned board members.
Level Up Your Skills With Professional Development Credit
Workshop sessions offer NJSBA Board Member Academy credits toward board member certifications, Qualified Purchasing Agent credits for school business administrators, and professional development credits for certified educational facilities managers. Split up to attend as many sessions as possible, and to gather ideas to bring back to your district for further exploration.
Reduce Costs by Sending Your Entire Team
To help extend training to as many members of your district as possible, NJSBA offers a special group registration rate of $2,200, which covers 25 team members. Districts may include the school board, business administrator, superintendent, facilities managers, curriculum professionals, IT staff, principals, human resource professionals and other district staff in their group registration. Team members may stay for one day or all four days. The individual member rate is $550 per person.
When you register for Workshop, you will be joining thousands of school leaders and affirming your commitment to public education. Join our “Quest for Student Success” and power up your skills by registering for Workshop today. Visit workshop.njsba.org to learn more about this year’s conference.
Deryn Younger is the marketing specialist at NJSBA.
