The Collaborative to Support Initially Licensed Professionals, also known as the Northeast Collaborative, is kicking off their 24th year with local events including a Fall Drive-In Conference at Chowan University on Saturday, September 26th. The conference is open to members within the Northeast Collaborative’s 14 school systems, including Hertford, Halifax, Bertie and Gates among others, and interested parties should contact their central office’s human resources personnel for registration materials.

“The one-day ‘drive-in’ conference is designed specifically for beginning teachers and issues that they may face as they begin their teaching professions,” explained Chowan’s Associate Provost Dr. Brenda Tinkham, who reiterated that this is the 10th consecutive year that Chowan University has hosted the fall conference. “We value this partnership and look forward to a continued relationship as part of our ever-expanding academic outreach efforts.”

This year’s presenters will include classroom teachers, administrators, technology specialists, former regional teachers of the year, and the NC State Board of Education attorney. In their September 2015 newsletter, Director of the Collaborative, Ralph Evans, explained the partnership succinctly, “Through a united effort, we can better support our new teachers as they work to provide the quality education our students deserve.”

The Fall Drive-In Conference, to be held in Chowan’s Camp Hall, will begin with registration at 8:30 am with a continental breakfast, followed by a general session at 9:00 am. Concurrent sessions will be available between 9:15 am and 1:45 pm. Lunch will be included, and the conference will conclude at 2:00 pm.

Participants will have an opportunity to attend three sessions from among the following categories: Classroom Management (Elementary & Secondary); Differentiated Instruction (Elementary & Secondary); Student Engagement/Motivating Hard to Reach Students (Elementary & Secondary); Technology in the Classroom (All); The Law and Beginning Teachers/Staying Employed (All); and Working with Children of Poverty (All).

For more information about the event, teachers can contact their school districts’ central office’s human resources personnel for registration materials for the Northeast Collaborative’s Fall Drive-In Conference on Saturday, September 26th at Chowan University’s Camp Hall. More information about the Northeast Collaborative can be found on their website – www.necollaborative.org.