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Game Changer Sessions

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

 

Session 1:  8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Shana McIver

 

About the Speaker:

With nearly two decades of experience in public education, community engagement, and nonprofit leadership, Shana McIver is a results-driven Family & Community Engagement expert with a proven track record of fostering inclusive, equity-centered partnerships. She currently serves as the Senior Director of Learning & Practice at Learning Heroes.

 
A former elementary school teacher, Shana previously served as the Family Engagement Director with Baltimore City Public Schools where she took pride in being the voice of families as a district leader. She doesn’t shy away from courageous conversations or elevating the needs of children and families first when making decisions that impact them. Shana has led system-level efforts to build the capacity of principals and school teams around family-school partnerships, from developing the district’s first Community School policy to bridging community partnerships in support of summer learning for 24k+ families.
 
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Notre Dame University of Maryland University and is completing her master’s in Community-Based Education and Leadership at Stevenson University.

Sponsored by:  
 

Session 2:  11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Dr. Joe Sanfelippo

 

Hacking Leadership

 

Description: 

Water is amazing and seemingly always finds a way. It has the ability to form, replenish our system, power equipment, and can wipe out entire cities. Leaders have the same properties.  Some end up conforming to their environment as water would with a cup or bowl. Some have the power to wipe out entire populations and others lift the level of the land. The best leaders take little openings and create space for those they lead. They find the smallest cracks of opportunity and create a path that was not there before. They shape the land. They find a way. Hacking leadership is about finding innovative solutions to issues that have plagued the system for years, and implementing them tomorrow. The focus is on practical application. We all know the problems exist, but knowledge of problems does not make our daily life in schools easier.  Utilizing the tools in Hacking Leadership will allow you and your team to find the openings and create space for those you lead. Space to learn. Space to teach. Space to thrive. 

About the Speaker:

Dr. Joe Sanfelippo, retired Superintendent of the Fall Creek School District in Wisconsin, is an educational leader and author. During his tenure, the Fall Creek School District was recognized as an Innovative District twice by the International Center for Leadership in Education. Joe authored multiple books, including best-sellers "Hacking Leadership" and "Lead From Where You Are." Honored as one of 117 Future Ready Superintendents and among the 50 Personalized Learning Leaders by the US Department of Education, Joe was also named one of the 100 Most Influential Educators by District Administration Magazine. In 2019, Education Dive awarded him National Superintendent of the Year.

Sponsored by:  
 

Session 3:  1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Kyle Falting

Rethinking Math Intervention:  Learning Acceleration in Practice

 

Description: 

How can educators implement daily math instruction that addresses unfinished learning while still moving students forward in new grade-level learning? This session will explore how coherent intervention – with a learning acceleration approach that anchors new learning in real-world contexts and visual representations – helps students build the understanding they need to unlock grade-level work. Participants will examine new research that mathematics learning acceleration works at scale and will explore strategies for implementing this approach to instructional design.

About the Speaker:

Kyle Falting, the academic director at Zearn, has nearly 20 years of experience in education as a state education administrator, district leader and teacher. Falting began his career as a mathematics teacher in Lincoln Parrish, a rural district in northern Louisiana, and eventually served as the K-12 mathematics program coordinator for the Louisiana Department of Education. A frequent presenter at leading industry conferences, Falting received his B.S. in mathematics education and his M.S. in curriculum, instruction and leadership, both from Louisiana Tech University.
 
 

Session 3:  1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Barry Jacks

Average to Excellent:  "It's Not Rocket Science"

 

Description: 

Hear from a retired, veteran principal about how he elevated academic performance in multiple school districts across the state.  You will leave the session with practical information on how to improve growth in your school.

About the Speaker:

Barry Jacks has spent the last 46 years dedicated to education, leaving a profound impact on students and schools across South Carolina. 

With an impressive 26-year tenure as a principal, Jacks has led elementary, middle, and high schools in three different school districts throughout South Carolina and Georgia, consistently driving measurable improvements in academic performance.

Known for his exceptional ability to turn around struggling schools, Jacks has a track record that speaks for itself. In five of the six schools he led, he successfully elevated academic performance from the bottom 40% to the top 20% in the state. He has guided every school under his leadership to either become the most improved or rank within the top 5% of improved schools statewide. His achievements stand as a testament to his unwavering commitment to improving the lives of students.

Several of his notable accomplishments have come in recent years. Jacks served as principal at Crescent High School in Anderson District 3  from 2016 to 2019. In 2018, Crescent High was one of only two high schools in South Carolina to earn an Excellent rating on the state’s School Report Card while serving a student body with over 60% qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch. In 2022, after serving for 2 years as Principal at Mathews Elementary in Greenwood District 50, Barry Jacks led Mathews, a school with 93% poverty, to improve from a score of average to excellent. In 2024, as the principal of Pinecrest Elementary, also in Greenwood District 50, Mr. Barry Jacks created an environment where the students and staff have become the most improved school in the state, going from average to excellent in one school year.  These achievements highlight his ability to foster academic excellence, even in challenging environments.

Jacks is proud of the teams he has built and the lasting impact he has had on education in South Carolina. His legacy of school improvement is a testament to his passion for education and his dedication to making a meaningful difference in the lives of children throughout South Carolina.