2025 Summer Conference Schedule

23rd Annual Summer Conference

Lighting the way to a Better Future
July 14-16th 2025

Ready to sign up click on the link below!

Registration Link

Conference Schedule - Details will be added regularly so please check back

Monday July 14, 2025

7:45 Registration

8:20 Welcome

8:45 Keynote I:  Dr. Susan Robinson

10:30 Vendor Showcase

11:00 Breakout I: 

Session A: Breaking Barriers and Leading the Way for High Quality Professional Development: Understanding Special Education Leaders’ Roles in Professional Development for Special Education Teachers Dr. Kelly Rudyk

Session B:  Hot Topics in New York State Tara Moffett Esq. 

Session C: Beyond Individual Efforts: Harnessing Collaborative Systems for MTSS Success 
Dr. Steve Rappleyea, Catherine Cueva

Session D: Building Capacity: A University/LEA Collaboration to Enhance Mental Health Supports in Schools
Yvette Goorevitch, Dominique Ramos

12:00 Vendor Showcase

12:15 Lunch/Business Meeting/Karen Norlander Award for Outstanding Legal Advocacy in Special Education - Recipient Julie Weatherly

1:00 Keynote II: Julie Weatherly, Esq. 

2:30 Vendor Showcase

3:00 Breakout Session II:

Session E:  Julie Weatherly 

Session F: Leveraging Tier 1 to Build Positive School Culture/Teacher Morale
Robin Brown, Amy Conklin and Aaron Winik

Session G: Renaissance TBA

Session H: Evidence Based Strategies for Staff Training and Supervision
Lisa Arnone

4:00 Vendor Showcase

4:30 President's Reception
* Please be sure to join us for free Hors D'oeuvres and wine!

Tuesday July 15, 2025

8:30  Breakfast/Introductions/Announcements

9:00  Keynote III:  Dr. Diane Wynne

10:00 Vendor Showcase

10:30 Breakout III:

Session I: Survival Guide for New Special Education Administrators
Michelle Mylod

Session J: Improving School - Family Communication: Even When a Common Language is not Shared
Rachel DePaul, Charles Davis

Session K: Practical Solutions in the Utilization of Related Service Providers in the MTSS Process 
Dr. Michael Nieman

Session L: Executive Functioning: How to Identify and Address Challenges in the Classroom
Tobey Lass, Matthew Santorufo

11:30 Vendor Showcase

12:00 Lunch/ Friend Of Special Education Award - Recipient NYSED Commissioner Dr. Betty A Rosa

1:00 Vendor Showcase

1:15 Keynote IV: Dr. Byron McClure. 

2:45 Vendor Showcase

3:15 Breakout IV:

Session M: Dr. Byron McClure

Session N: Stepping Up Self-Care for You and Your Staff
Kathleen Kieffer

Session O: Managing Conflict Effectively
Bobbie Dillon, Shari Greenleaf Esq.

Session P: Everway TBA

4:15 Vendor Showcase

Wednesday July 16, 2025

8:45 Introductions

9:00 Special Education Administrator of the Year Award - Recipient Sharon Meyer Floral Park Bellerose School District

9:30 Keynote V: Office of Special Education: 
Christopher Suriano Assistant Commissioner NYSED

11:00 Raffle items!      

 Adjourn