Guild of IB Schools of the Northeast

GIBS - The Association of IB World Schools of the Northeastern United States
Winter Conference for Administrators and Coordinators
January 6 and 7, 2012
Doubletree Guest Suites @ Times Square (7th Ave. & 47th Street)\

Conference Agenda

Friday, January 6

• 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM in Hudson Ballroom
  Pre-Conference Session
  Dr. Lynn Erickson
  (Pre-registration required)
  
• 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM General Registration – 6th Floor
  
• 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Plenary Session – Hudson Ballroom
  Welcome and Conference Overview
  Dr. Catherine Battaglia, President of GIBS
  
  Featured Speaker: Dr. Siva Kumari
  “Implications of the US Common Core Curriculum and Race to the Top Developments – How Are The IB Schools Impacted?”

Saturday, January 7

• 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM Late Registration – 6th Floor
  
• 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast – 6th Floor
  
• 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM General Session I
  Welcome and Introductions
  Dr. Catherine Battaglia, President of GIBS
  “A Vision of Where We Are Heading As an Association”
  
• 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM General Session II
  Keynote Speaker
  Jeffrey Beard, Director General, IBO
  “An Update on the IBO”
  
• 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM GIBS Annual Membership Meeting
  President’s Report; Nominations; Budget Adoption;
  Announcements
  
• 10:30 – 10:50 AM Break
  
• 10:50AM – 11:50 AM Concurrent Workshops
• PYP – Nelyda Miguel in Hudson 1
  “Assessing Conceptual Understanding”
• MYP – Helene Timms in Times Square Room
  “MYP – The Next Chapter”
• DP – Michael Leshner in Hudson 2 and 3
  “An Update on the DP”
  
• 11:50 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch – Off Broadway Restaurant
  
• 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM General Session III
  Concurrent Workshops -- Continued
• PYP – Nelyda Miguel in Hudson 1
• MYP – Helene Timms in Times Square Room
• DP – Michael Leshner in Hudson 2 and 3
  
• 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Meetings
• DP Coordinators and Administrators Meeting
  Hudson 2 and 3
• MYP Coordinators and Administrators Meeting
  Times Square Room
• PYP Coordinators and Administrators Meeting
  Hudson 1
  
• 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Closing Session – Hudson Ballroom
  Report from the Hubs
  
• Conference Adjourns

Biography of Presenters

Dr. Siva Kumari
Dr Siva Kumari has been appointed as the new chief operating officer (COO) of the IB schools division, which was formed in January 2009 to provide consistency in cost-effective, dependable and quality services to IB World Schools across the world.
Siva joined the IB in April 2009 as regional director of IB Asia-Pacific in Singapore, bringing substantial leadership experience and sterling academic credentials. She has played a pivotal role in strengthening and expanding the services that the IB offers in a culturally rich region that spans over 20 countries.
Backed by an experienced and knowledgeable team, Siva has focused on providing exemplary service for both evaluation and authorization, offering professional development and strengthening recognition efforts to ensure that IB programmes are understood by universities wherever students seek post-IB education.

Jeffrey Beard

Jeffrey R Beard joined the International Baccalaureate® (IB) in September 2005 and became director general in January 2006, following the retirement of George Walker.
Born and educated in the United States, Jeffrey Beard graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1972 with a bachelor of science in analytical management, and has two graduate degrees, including an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, WI. His business career included roles of increasing responsibility in several multinational corporations where he developed his cross-functional management experience and understanding of strategic planning, thinking and delivery. His decision to move to the IB represented an opportunity for him to "give something back"; to leave the business world and apply his management knowledge and experience to international education, an area to which he is greatly committed.

Nelyda Miguel

Nelyda Miguel is the PYP/MYP Coordinator and Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at the Whitby School in Connecticut. She is a sought after presenter for the PYP. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Nely holds three graduate degrees: Special Education & Administration from Teachers College and an MA in Media and Technology from Fairfield University. Nely has served as a Special Education teacher, media specialist, and PYP and MYP Coordinator. Since 2005, Nely has served as a mentor, evaluator and workshop leader for IB.

Heleen Timms

Heleen's experience in the MYP started as MYP coordinator in the Netherlands, at a school that had an international section as well as a Dutch section, which followed the national curriculum. She has now worked with the IB for six years, first as MYP associate regional manager and MYP regional manager for the Africa, Europe and Middle East region at the IB Geneva office and currently as Head of global school services for MYP at the IB Bethesda office. Although Heleen is Dutch, moving to the US was a return of sorts as she lived in Bethesda for six years when she was young and attended high school there, moving on to the Netherlands after that to complete a degree in economics at the University of Groningen.

Michael Leshner

Michael Leshner is the Development and Outreach Manager for IB Americas. Prior to joining the IB, Michael taught IB English and IB Film in two public high schools outside of Washington, DC. Michael served as a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador from 2000 to 2002, and holds a Master's Degree in Secondary Education from George Washington University and a Bachelor's Degree in English from Franklin & Marshall College.