2025 Institute Schedule
Monday, July 21, 2025
8:30am, Regatta
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Sadika Clarke
Supervisor Community, Culture & Wellness
SWBOCES PLCS
9:00am - 10:00am, Regatta
KEYNOTE
Dr. Lizzette Ruiz-Giovinazzi
Superintendent, Nyack Schools
10:00am - 12:00pm, Regatta
Rooted in Justice: Transformative Education Practices
Dr. Kathy Sellitti
Founder, Liberatory Engagement
12:00pm - 12:30pm, Regatta
30 minute Lunch & Learn, Sponsored by Kids Discover
1:00pm - 2:00pm, Regatta
Equipping Students to Support Neurodivergent Classmates
Helen Kinnen
Elementary Educational Consultant
1:00pm - 2:00pm, Windward
Reimagining PLCs: Embedding Practice for Real School Change
Ogechi Iwuoha Njoku
Assistant Superintendent
Greenburgh CSD
2:00pm - 3:00pm, Regatta
An Elephant in the Classroom
Valarie Nierman
Health Coordinator, Mahopac Central School District
2:00pm - 3:00pm, Windward
Beyond the Bookshelf: Rethinking Your Classroom Library to Support Belonging
Catherine Graybosch
Supervisor, School Library System at SWBOCES
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
8:30am - 9:00am, Regatta
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
9:00am - 10:00am, Regatta
KEYNOTE
Joi Sampson, Ed.D., M.S.
Assistant Provost for Academic Engagement Mercy University
10:00am - 12:00pm, Regatta
Centering Joy, Building Literacy
Alexis McKoy-Yakle & Christina Bartley
Assistant Directors of Pupil Personnel Services
Beacon Central School District
10:00am - 11:00am, Windward
Educational Justice: How Schools and Communities Partner for Equity
Candace Pinn
Educational Consultant
11:00am - 12:00pm, Windward
Data Driven Parent Training & Counseling
Amaris Johnson - Family of Kidz, Special Education Teacher
12:00pm - 1pm
Lunch
1:00pm - 2:00pm. Regatta
Equity by Design: Using AI Across Systems to Support Every Learner
Rachael Wasilewski
Assistant Director, HVBERN
1:00pm - 2:00pm, Windward
Creative Thinking: Bringing the Arts into Everyday Instruction
Andrea M. Thomas
Principal, Denzel Washington School of the Arts
2:00pm - 3:00pm. Regatta
Tech as a Bridge: Connecting with Multilingual Learners and Families
Alana Winnick, Educational Technology Director, Pocantico Hills
Joy Scantlebury, ENL Educator, Pocantico Hills
2:00pm - 3:00pm. Windward
Rethinking Assessment: The Power of Retesting
Xiomara Gonzalez, Mathemtics Educator & Administrator
Kristen Sessano, Mathematics Educator
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
8:30am - 9:00am, Regatta
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
9:00am - 10:00am, Regatta
KEYNOTE
Jarvis Marlow-McCowin, PhD
Educational Equity Scholar-Practitioner
10:00am - 12:00pm, Spinnaker
Common Circles Art Exhibit
Sue Spiegel and Marla Felton
Common Circles
12:00pm - 1pm
Lunch
1:00pm - 3:00pm. County Rooms
SEED: Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity
Wendy Dale and Imani Bolling
SEED Leaders
1:00pm - 2:00pm, Windward
Beyond Beliefs: Building Religious Literacy
Liz Burns Taormina
New York Educator
2:00pm - 3:00pm. Windward
Safe to Be Me: Creating School Spaces That Affirm Every Identity
Darby Allison-Dugue
Program Coordinator for Community Engagement, THE LOFT
Thursday, July 24
Location: Jacob Burns Film Center, 364 Manville Rd, Pleasantville, NY 10570
Film will be followed by discussion, and lunch will be provided.
9:00 am
WELCOME
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Wilson
Senior Director, SWBOCES, Center for Professional Learning & Curriculum Support
FILM INTRODUCTION
Dr. Raymond Sanchez
Superintendent, Public Schools of the Tarrytowns
FILM SCREENING: COUNTED OUT
As part of our ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion, we invite you to join us for a special screening of the 2024 documentary Counted Out.
Directed by Vicki Abeles, Counted Out explores how our relationship with math shapes identity, opportunity, and access—both in and beyond the classroom. The film delves into the ways math intersects with political polarization, economic inequality, and social justice, challenging us to rethink what it means to be “math capable” in today’s world.
This powerful experience is open to school district teams and community members. We hope you’ll join us for a meaningful morning of learning, reflection, and conversation.
The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion, learning opportunity and lunch!