Tyrone McCombs, Ph.D.
Summit Coordinator & Executive Director

Gaëtane Jean-Marie, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Education

What can Bilingual Education Teach us About Race?

Nelson Flores, Ph.D.
Professor, Educational Linguistics, University of Pennsylvania

In this talk, Dr. Flores will use bilingual education as a lens to understand how race, language, and power shape schooling, both historically and today. He will show how efforts to support bilingual students took shape through policies like the Bilingual Education Act and became embedded in institutional systems in ways that can reproduce the very inequities they purportedly to address. Dr. Flores will highlight how even well-intentioned practices can reinforce deficit perspectives, and how efforts toward equity are shaped, and often constrained, by the systems we work within, shaping how equity itself is defined and pursued. This opens up space to think more critically about how we work within and against these systems, and what it might take to imagine more just and collective possibilities for the future of education.

Kara Ieva, Ph.D.
Professor, Wellness & Inclusive Services in Education
PI, Project THRIVE

Cathy Brant, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Early Childhood, Elementary Education & Critical Foundations
Co-PI, Project THRIVE

Beth Wassell, Ed.D.
Professor, Content Area Teacher Education
Co-PI, Project THRIVE

Experience the impact of Project THRIVE, a year-long professional learning initiative dedicated to strengthening instructional coaching, supporting new teacher retention, and building sustainable capacity within schools.

Throughout the Summit, the THRIVE participants will present poster showcases that capture their professional growth and the meaningful shifts in their instructional practice. These presentations highlight coaching as a powerful, capacity-building model—one that fosters continuous improvement, collaboration, and collective efficacy across school communities.

Critical AI in K-12 Classrooms: A Practical Guide for Cultivating Justice and Joy
Room: Atrium

Stephanie Smith Budhai, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Delaware

Marie Heath, Ed.D.
Associate Professor, Learning Design & Technology, Loyola University

Using their text as the background of the session, Dr. Smith Budhai and Dr. Heath draw attention to the biases embedded within AI algorithms, such as those powering OpenAI’s ChatGPT and DALL-E, to guide students and teachers in developing strategies to best incorporate AI—or not—into equitable learning.  AI’s reliance on existing data and knowledge systems means Black, queer, those with disabilities, and other marginalized students are at greater risk of being harmed by built-in limitations and bias. Drs. Budhai and Heath will show participants how to circumvent if not actively resist such harms as machine learning, NLPs, LLMS, and GenAI enter the classroom, with practical examples rooted in culturally sustaining, abolitionist, and fugitive pedagogies across disciplines.

The Changing Landscape of Education (A Session for Superintendents & School Leaders)
Room: 2093

Tim Purnell, Ed.D.
Executive Director & CEO, New Jersey School Boards

This session will explore key trends shaping K–12 systems, including shifting policy priorities, student needs, workforce challenges, and the growing impact of innovation and technology.  Designed for Superintendents the workshop will provide strategic insights and practical considerations to help guide decision-making, strengthen leadership capacity, and support student success in a rapidly changing environment. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of emerging challenges and opportunities, along with actionable approaches to navigate change effectively within their districts.

Preparing Students for the World of Work in K–12 Classrooms: Transferable Skills for Future Educators
Room: 2095

Keisha Stephenson Taylor, Ed.D.
Senior Director, NAF

Equip future educators with the transferable skills needed to succeed in modern classrooms and the evolving workforce.  The global workforce is undergoing rapid transformation due to technology, demographic shifts, and new economic demands.  The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report highlights that skills such as analytical thinking, creativity, resilience, leadership, and technological literacy are among the most in-demand across industries.  For educators, these same skills are critical, not only to succeed professionally but to prepare the next generation of students for the future of work.

Inclusive Spaces, Powerful Practice: Elevating Teacher Professional Collaboration & Growth
Room: 2099

Moderator: Tanisha Davis
Director of Partnership and Programs, Rekindle Education

Panelists
Kristen McIntyre
Instructional Coach, Rekindle Education

Shayna Sackett-Gable
Director of Coaching, Rekindle Education

Lareina Adelantar
4th Grade Teacher, Cresthaven Academy Charter School

Chelsea Collins
ConnectEd Workforce, NJ State Teacher of the Year

Professionals learn best when they are given an opportunity to be vulnerable and feel safe to admit and face their fears and challenges, thus making room for growth. Teachers, as professionals, deserve joyful, safe, and collaborative professional learning opportunities. In this session, a panel of educators will share their experiences from various perspectives as part of a unique math professional learning model that has allowed teachers to drive their own professional learning alongside their peers as coaches, creating an authentic positive learning experience and cultivating a culture of collaboration and growth that all teachers deserve and need to thrive. Participants will learn the impact this math professional learning model has had on teachers and students and how to bring the model to their districts.

AI Track Presentations

From Scratch or from the Jar? Leading with Vision in an Age of AI
Room: 2095

Amy Mount, Ed.D.
Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Gateway Regional School District

In a world that prizes efficiency, educators must explore and model discernment—knowing when to slow down, when to speed up, and how to keep humanity at the center of innovation. This interactive session reimagines AI as a partner in learning, not a shortcut for thinking. Participants will explore how to balance vision and practicality: when to make the sauce from scratch and when to reach for the jar—without losing the flavor of authentic leadership and learning.

AI in K–12 Education: From Tactical Tools to Strategic Imagination
Room: 2100

Lawrence Lhuler, Ed.D.
Principal & Curriculum Supervisor, Crest Memorial School, Wildwood Crest

AI is no longer advancing incrementally—it’s evolving exponentially. What seemed impossible last semester may be routine today. In this environment, effective educators won’t just master tools; they’ll think strategically about what AI makes possible. In this session, Dr. Lhulier shares how educators at Crest Memorial School use AI-informed feedback, meaningful data, and iterative design to personalize learning at scale. Attendees will explore how NJSLA data supports targeted instruction and how the BANS framework (Belonging, Agency, Narrative, Strengths) strengthens student outcomes. The session also addresses key challenges, including data accuracy, equity, and planning time. Participants will leave with a practical framework for integrating AI while elevating the teacher’s role as a designer and decision-maker.

Distinguished Faculty Presentations

Climate Change Education for a Sustainable Future: The New Jersey Model
Room: 3109

John Mullen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, College of Education

This session responds to growing calls to shift climate change education from technical instruction toward democratic formation, using environmental pragmatism as a framework for both theory and practice. It examines New Jersey’s first-in-the-nation Climate Change Education Standards as a case of integrating climate learning across disciplines, and explores how such efforts can be strengthened by cultivating students’ capacities for inquiry, deliberation, and collective problem-solving. Drawing on both statewide policy and university-based initiatives, the session demonstrates how climate education can move beyond knowledge transmission to become a form of democratic practice—preparing learners not just to understand climate change, but to actively shape sustainable futures.

Bridging Borders: Innovation, Advocacy, and Capacity Building In Immigrant Education
Room: 2093

Zeynep Isik-Ercan, Ph.D.
Professor & Department Chair, Early Childhood, Elementary Education & Critical Foundations

Seung Eun “Sunny” McDevitt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Early Childhood, Elementary Education & Critical Foundations

In this session, we will introduce The Institute of Immigrant Education and Research (TIIER) as a new regional hub dedicated to transforming the landscape of immigrant education. This workshop serves as an inaugural platform to share TIIER’s mission: fostering collaborative research, disseminating critical insights, and creating robust educational programming to enrich U.S. society.  TIIER operates at the intersection of academic rigor and community empowerment. Our scope includes:

1. Collaboration: Building a bridge between local schools, organizations, and global research institutions to serve education and research needs.
2. Dissemination: Ensuring that immigrant education research does not stay in academic journals but reaches the hands of those who can use it for policy and practice.
3. Innovation: Creating a space where policy stakeholders and educators co-design solutions for the future of education and well-being of strongly integrated generations of immigrants.

Diversifying Classroom Bookshelves with High Quality, Culturally-and Linguistically-Diverse Children’s & YA Literature
Room: 3110

Rebecca Linares, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Critical Literacy, Technology & Multilingual Education

Ash Lierman, Ph.D.
Instruction & Education Librarian, Campbell Library, Rowan University

Many school and classroom libraries across P-20 settings continue to lack high-quality, authentic, culturally and linguistically diverse literature. At the same time, identifying truly authentic and high-quality literature, especially texts that represent cultural, linguistic, or lived experiences different from our own, can be complex and challenging work. And because no single educator can know every community, culture, or language represented in their classroom on a deep or personal level, it is important that they not just build familiarity with trusted tools and professional resources for identifying quality materials, but that they also connect with colleagues and members of their personal and professional community who have the necessary expertise to support and guide them in these important efforts.  In this interactive workshop, the presenters aim to highlight what meaningful partnerships across areas of expertise can yield while also introducing educators to practical frameworks and resources they can utilize for evaluating and diversifying their classroom collections.

Co-Creating Faculty Impact: Strategies for Camden City Community-Engaged Collaboration
Room: 2093

Moderator: Natasha Murray-Everett, Ph.D.
Early Childhood, Elementary & Critical Foundations

What could be possible if faculty, schools, and community partners designed meaningful engagement together from the start? This interactive session invites faculty to rethink how we connect with the Camden City School District and expand the College of Education’s presence on the Camden campus in ways that are mutually beneficial, sustainable, and impactful. Rather than revisiting familiar challenges, we will focus on generating new ideas, surfacing opportunities, and co-developing practical approaches that align faculty interests with community needs. The session is designed to move beyond conversation, participants will leave with concrete ideas, potential collaborations, and next steps to continue building meaningful engagement. Whether you’re already involved in Camden or just beginning to explore possibilities, this session offers a space to contribute, connect, and co-create new pathways forward.

Advancing Social Justice Through Research: A Faculty Dialogue
Room: Atrium

Moderator: Margaret Thornton, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership Administration & Research

Panelists:

Cathy Brant, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Early Childhood, Elementary Education & Critical Foundations

Maria Lepore-Stevens, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor, Content Area Teacher Education

MaryBeth Walpole, Ph.D.
Professor, Educational Leadership Administration & Research

Shelley Zion, Ph.D.
Professor, Educational Leadership Administration & Research

This panel brings together faculty from the College of Education and Development (CED) to reflect on the opportunities and challenges of conducting social justice–focused research in the current moment. Panelists will share insights from their own scholarly work, highlighting how shifting social, political, and institutional contexts are shaping research agendas, methodologies, and the dissemination of knowledge.  In addition to exploring these critical perspectives, the session will invite dialogue around how scholars can more intentionally support one another in sustaining this work. The panel will consider strategies for building collaborative networks and fostering a community of practice grounded in shared commitments to equity and justice.

Room: Atrium

Tony Cattani ’98, M’02
Principal, Lenape Regional High School
2025 National Principal of the Year

Tony Cattani ’98, M’02 is the Principal of Lenape High School and a nationally recognized educational leader. A Rowan University graduate, he has transformed school culture through collaboration, trust, and teacher-driven professional growth. His initiatives, including peer observations and Collegiality Cafés, have empowered educators and reshaped professional learning. Tony also co-hosts The Proud Principals Podcast, sharing insights nationwide. He was named the 2025 NASSP National High School Principal of the Year for his impact on education.