Before the school year begins, UT Charter School System hosts Convocation for both of our school districts. Teachers from UT Elementary and the UT Charter campuses across Texas come to Austin for celebration and professional development.
Every year we have a theme and this year it is: Connections Change Everything.
The event kicked off with a welcome from Superintendent Nicole Whetstone and a ‘mission moment’ with Executive Director Melissa Chavez. Drs. Chavez and Whetstone then presented our annual awards that included staff service awards.
Dean Charles Martinez from the College of Education welcomed everyone to the event and officially as part of the College of Ed. In his remarks, he said he is hopeful about our ability to “realize the potential of our partnership.” As part of the University of Texas, he reminded us that “What starts here, begins in the classroom” and he emphasized to everyone the difference that teachers make in the lives of others. In keeping with the theme, Dean Martinez said: “public education has a responsibility to meet kids where they are, help them feel safe and have everything they need to reach their goals.” He added: “We connect to each other and that is our superpower.”
Our second speaker was Brady Serafin, the CEO of Cedar Crest Hospital and Residential Treatment Center. Cedar Crest was UT Charter’s 2023-24 Partner Facility of the Year for the 23-24. Brady spoke about how connections he has made over the years have helped him become the person he is. He also said: ” A lot of the kids we serve have not been in school for a long time. So when we can provide care, guidance, love and hope to our young folks, it changes their lives.”
Our guest speaker of the day was Liesl McConchie. Liesl is a former math teacher and the co-author (with Dr. Eric Jensen) of the book Brain-Based Learning, who has led a year-long professional development training for all UT Charter School System faculty and staff. Mrs. McConchie explained how children constantly, and mainly unconsciously, ask themselves: “do I belong.” By creating an environment that provides students to see themselves in different cultural groups along with opportunities to see role models who reflect themselves, teachers build connections and create belonging that allows students feel safe and ready to learn.
The two-day event continued with break-out professional development sessions for our faculty to learn the research-based best practices that we will be incorporating as an entire school system. Our teachers were excited but they were ready to get in their classrooms as our first day of school is next week!
