Cabell County Schools is announcing registration is now open for its second Educational Excellence Summit, June 7-8, 2023, at the Mountain Health Network Arena in Huntington, West Virginia.  Cabell County Schools professional personnel, ECAT’s and Special Education aides may register now. Registration will open to additional participants after 30 days. 

This year’s conference will feature keynote addresses from nationally recognized experts in education. Social media sensation Gerry Brooks’ keynote presentation will kick off the summit on June 7th at 8:00 AM, followed by Weston Keischnick’s “Your Roadmap to Engagement.” All conference participants will also receive a free copy of Keischnick’s critically acclaimed book, “The Educator’s Atlas,” and may participate in a meet & greet and book signing event following his presentation. 

West Virginia native and “October Sky” author Homer Hickam will also be on hand to speak with teachers and staff from schools that participate in Project Aware, which includes Milton Elementary, Milton Middle, and Cabell Midland High School.

The closing speaker this year is Erin Gruwell. Erin's students came from backgrounds of poverty, gangs, and violence, and many were at-risk of dropping out of school as a result of what she calls the “school-to-prison-pipeline.” However, under Erin's guidance, all 150 of her students, affectionately known as “Freedom Writers,” graduated from high school and pursued higher education. Erin’s book about her experience, “The Freedom Writers Diary,” became a #1 “New York Times” bestseller and was adapted into the major motion picture, “Freedom Writers,” starring two-time Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank.

As a special treat for conference participants, Cabell County Schools is sponsoring a showing of the film “Freedom Writers” on June 5th at 10 AM at the Pullman Square Marquee Cinemas. Conference registrants will receive a free ticket to this movie to enjoy with their fellow teachers and staff members. The ticket will be sent via email prior to the showing. Those attending the screening should be mindful that some elements of the film may be disturbing as they are based on real life events.

In addition to daily keynote addresses, participants will be able to choose breakout sessions to attend that best cater to their professional needs from a menu of sessions led by Cabell County instructional leaders as well as district partners.  

Cabell County teachers, aides, and ECATs who register for and attend a full schedule of sessions will be eligible to receive a stipend and to participate in sponsored giveaways. Summit organizers say they hope that teachers will leave the conference refreshed and reinvigorated with new and exciting materials, resources, and strategies to begin the 2023-24 school year.   

To register, teachers will need to download the Guidebook app, which can be found at the following link:  https://guidebook.com/g/educationalexcellencesummit2023/

How to use Guidebook:  

1. Download the Guidebook app. A link to the Apple and Google Play downloads can be found at https://guidebook.com/g/educationalexcellencesummit2023/
2. Open Guidebook and look for the "Educational Excellence Summit 2023" guide.  
3. You will be brought to the "General Info" page. In the top left-hand corner, click on the three lines. You will see a list of items. 
4. To register for individual breakout sessions, click on "Schedule - Register Here!" 
5. You can specify the date of the conference (June 7 or 8) at the top of the screen. 
6. To choose your breakout sessions, you will click on the plus sign located to the right of the session. 
7. Please make sure you schedule for the full day.
8. To check your daily schedule, click on "My Schedule." 
9. You can edit your schedule if you change your mind.  

For more information about the Cabell County Schools Educational Excellence Summit, please contact Gina Barnett, NBCT and School Improvement Supervisor, by calling (304) 528-5063, or by email at ggooderh@k12.wv.us.