Building and Leading Inclusive and High Achieving Schools

Andy Farley, Brookfield East High School
Misa Sato, Milwaukee Reagan High School

Explore the transformative power of shaping school culture through meaningful conversations, developing student leaders and student-led support programs, building supportive communities, and implementing initiatives that resonate with students and staff on a deeper, more personal level. Learn practical strategies for creating a nurturing school culture that values emotional intelligence and student well-being while still achieving outstanding educational outcomes.

Andy was the 2024 National High School Principal of the Year, and Misa was the 2023 National Assistant Principal of the Year.

What Educators Might Learn from Advertisers

Myron Dueck, Educational Consultant

Novelist Norman Douglas wrote in 1917 that, ‘you can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements’. Whether humorous or dramatic, subtle or loud, by some estimates we encounter somewhere between 300 and 6000 ads each day. A staggering 600 billion dollars are spent annually trying to influence what we purchase, what we think and how we act (O’Reilly & Tennant). Perhaps us educators might have something to learn from the world of advertising. In this interactive keynote, Myron will incorporate actual ads and dig into the type of design-thinking behind them. Some key, transferrable themes will be investigated. For instance, we may want to…

• Design experiences that invite curiosity rather than demand attention. 

• Be clear on our purpose of education.

• Ensure that we create a feeling or culture that supports learning.

• Spend time and energy creating our own ‘elevator pitch’ for what we do, and why we do it.
  
  

The best advertising firms understand that success is born through establishing a feeling, or culture, around a brand. More recently, in light of avenues such as YouTube and Instagram, some suggest that it’s the consumer who defines the product, not the producer. Could the same changes be occurring in our schools? Participate in this keynote to explore why education may want to take a page from advertising’s catalogue. 

Over the past 23 years, Myron has worked as an educator in both Canada and New Zealand in subjects ranging from grades 4 to 12. In 2006 Myron began to develop a number of grading, assessment, and reporting systems which gave students a greater opportunity to show what they understand and play a significant role in the reporting of their learning. Myron has also been a part of district groups, school committees, and governmental bodies that have further broadened his access to innovative ideas.