WVPEC Exclusive Registration: FREE!
182 Orchard Hill Dr, Cloverdale, VA 24077
When: June 22nd, 2026
Check-in starts at 8:15-8:45AM QR code
Program starts: 8:45AM
Lunch: 12:30pm
Conclusion: 3pm
Keynote Speaker: New River Community College President.
"Building the Bridge Together: Community College Perspectives on Our Shared Work"
Dr. Robert Brandon is proud to serve as the president of New River Community College. His own journey as an educator began inside an English classroom in a rural K-8 school. Since then, he has served as an English professor at community colleges and universities, department chair, dean, and vice president, always keeping teaching, learning, and student success at the heart of his work. Now, as NRCC’s seventh president, he continues to champion the partnerships that help students seize their full potential.
Breakout Sessions:
"Fluent Futures: A Blueprint for EL Program Excellence." This presentation provides the blueprint used by Galax City schools for English Learner excellence by aligning the essential resources needed at every level of the educational ecosystem. We will explore high-impact tools, strategies and programs specifically designed to empower students, equip teachers, support administrators and engage families in our mission for success.
Elizabeth Stringer-Nunley is a veteran English Learner educator whose impactful work has been recognized nationally by Education Week as a 2026 "Leader to Learn From." Elizabeth's career is defined by her commitment to empowering students, families and educators through innovative program designs and a dedication to EL program excellence.
"Getting Ahead of the Curve: Preparing for Virginia's New Cut Scores" With the impending increase in SOL cut scores, we need to be proactive rather than simply allow this challenge to consume us. A number of factors (lowered SOL cut scores, Covid, etc) have systematically lowered expectations across Virginia. Our students can achieve more than they have, and now it's time to ask them to step up their game! Our teachers will need a lot of support to achieve this. During this session, we will discuss some strategies to facilitate this process.
Dr. Matt Hurt, Director of the Comprehensive Instructional Program (CIP), a
Virginia-based consortium dedicated to improving student achievement through high-rigor, Standards of Learning (SOL)-aligned resources. Based in Southwest Virginia, he leads efforts to support teachers with, assessments, and
strategies derived from top-performing educators. Under his leadership, the CIP has expanded to include numerous Virginia school divisions.
“Textbooks and High-Quality Instructional Materials (HB2777-2025)” This breakout session provides an overview of HB2777 (2025), its implications for textbook, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) adoption, and implementation across Virginia school divisions. Participants will obtain an overview of HQIM, curriculum based professional learning (CBPL), and how their use leads to instructional coherence to positively impact student
achievement. Participants will reflect on their own instructional coherence in
the division and/or school.
Dr. Michelle Wallace, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction (VDOE) has been a Virginia educator for over 25 years. Her division level work supported K-12 instruction, federal and state grants, technology implementation, and policy implementation at the local level. In her current role, Dr. Wallace oversees the Office of Instruction, including English and Literacy, Advanced Learning, STEM, and Humanities. Dr. Wallace is committed to growing leaders’ skills through intentional and purposeful planning, use of data, and the application of
improvement science.
VDOE Lunch Update: “Accountability, Assessment, Budget, and Finance” Deputy Superintendent of Assessment, Performance, and School
Improvement and the Deputy Superintendent of Budget and Finance will provide key updates on major changes on the horizon in accountability, assessment, budget, and finance. The accountability and assessment portion of the presentation will cover updates related to the School Performance and Support Framework, implementation of key SB200 provisions, and the Commonwealth’s long-term vision for Virginia’s assessment system. The budget and finance portion of the presentation will provide updates on state funding priorities, emerging fiscal considerations for school divisions, and anticipated changes that may impact local budgeting and financial planning for the upcoming biennium.
Anne Hyslop, Deputy Superintendent of Assessment, Performance, & School Improvement (VDOE), oversees Virginia’s assessment program, implementation of the School Performance and Support Framework, resources, supports for schools, and districts in need of improvement. Anne has focused on leveraging assessment, student data, and school accountability to ensure all students, but especially those furthest from opportunity, have the resources and supports they need to thrive and graduate high school college- and career-ready. She served as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Education, leading the agency’s efforts to write regulations, guidance, and policy for accountability, school improvement, and innovative assessments following the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
Staci Marie Longest, CFE SBA VCA, Deputy Superintendent of Budget & Finance (VDOE), oversees all budget, finance, procurement, grant
administration for title funds I through V, closing out of pandemic funds,
Internal Audit, and ARMICS review. Her career includes 6 years at King
William County Public Schools as the Director of Budget & Finance, 7 years
as the Associate Director of Procurement & Fixed Assets at The College of
William & Mary and 10 years as an auditor for the Commonwealth of Virginia
and Cherry, Bekaert, & Holland. Staci is a certified fraud examiner (CFE), in which she has found 10 frauds in her career.
Virginia K-12 Education Law Update
Mandi Smith & Rodney Young have, for over 40 years combined, counseled, advised, and defended a significant number of public-school divisions, regional educational programs, and other local government clients around the Commonwealth. They guide clients through the myriad and often complex legal issues that confront them, with thorough, thoughtful legal analysis and careful consideration of pragmatics including public relations management.
Upper administration or school leadership positions.
If you are unable to attend, please find someone to take your spot. ****
*Office administration: We collect participants contact information so we can email them directly with any updates or changes. Without this information we can't guarantee everyone gets all the information that they will need.
