FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
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Dr. Eric J. Smith
Commissioner of Education
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
DR. AKSHAY DESAI
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
February 7, 2008
M E M O R A N D U M
TO:
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District School Superintendents
K-12 Principals
FROM:
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Evan B. Lefsky, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Just Read, Florida!
SUBJECT:
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2008 Just Read, Florida! K-12 Leadership Conference
We are pleased to extend an invitation to the 7
th
Annual Just Read, Florida! K-12 Leadership
Conference. The conference will take place Sunday, June 29, 2008, through Wednesday, July
2, 2008, at the Orlando World Center Marriott.
The Just Read, Florida! Office hosts this
conference annually for all Florida superintendents, principals and reading/literacy coaches.
This year, we are inviting teacher leaders to attend as well. This summer promises to be the
most exciting event ever with over 300 concurrent sessions.
Beginning at 2:00 PM on Sunday, participants will have the opportunity to attend a pre-
conference institute on the new Science and Mathematics standards. Additionally on Sunday,
all principals and assistant principals are invited to attend the William Cecil Golden Leadership
Institute from 3:00 PM until 6:00 PM, featuring Michael Fullan.
The opening general session will convene on Monday morning at 8:30 AM. The general
session will be followed by a series of breakout sessions presented by fellow principals, reading
coaches, and district leaders, giving you the opportunity to hear about the successful literacy
initiatives taking place in schools throughout our state. All sessions during the conference will be
geared toward providing essential information to school and district leadership in the areas of
reading and literacy.
EVAN B. LEFSKY, PH.D.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JUST READ, FLORIDA!
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325 W. GAINES STREET, ROOM 1548 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0503 • www.fldoe.org
JRF! Leadership Conference
Page Two
The conference will conclude on Tuesday evening, July 1, 2008, with an awards reception
honoring outstanding literacy leaders, teachers, and coaches. All attendees are invited to
attend post conference institutes on Wednesday, July 2, 2008, from 8:00 AM until 11:00 AM.
Post conference institute topics include: K-12 Standards and Response to Intervention (RtI). All
participants will be provided lodging on Tuesday night, regardless of whether they attend a post
conference institute. A detailed agenda for the conference may be accessed on the Just Read,
Florida! website at
www.justreadflorida.com/conference.
This year we are requesting that the K-12 Comprehensive Reading Plan contact in each district,
or their designee, work directly with CMC & Associates, our conference planning company, to
assure that all payments and invoices are being processed in a timely manner. Additionally,
CMC & Associates will maintain regular communication with the district reading contact
regarding registered participants from their district. More details regarding the role of the K-12
Reading Contact are included in the “Frequently Asked Questions” document, Appendix A,
attached to this memorandum.
The capacity for this year’s conference is approximately 5,000 participants. Every school will be
allotted
three
slots for an administrator, reading coach, and teacher leader to attend until
capacity for the conference is reached.
Those approved to present at the conference will fill
the three slots for their school; however, schools with four accepted presenters will
receive a fourth slot.
Registration will remain open until March 31, 2008, but may close earlier
if conference capacity has been reached. If by March 31, 2008, conference capacity has not
been reached, we will reopen registration on April 1, 2008, so districts and schools will have the
opportunity to register additional school and district administrators, coaches, and teachers.
Each district will also be able to send a district team. The number of district office personnel who
may attend will be based upon your district’s size. Please see the attached chart, Appendix B,
which lists the number of district level administrators who may attend. Once the maximum
number of district level administrators has been registered, no additional district level
participants will be able to register. If the superintendent attends, he or she will
not
count toward
the district allotment; however, if the superintendent cannot attend, a designee may not be
appointed. The team allotment will remain the same.
Online Registration will open on
February 8, 2008,
at www.justreadflorida.com/conference. The
non-refundable
registration fee for all participants will be $100. If a registrant is accepted to
present at the conference, the registration fee will be waived. All registration slots belong to
each school. Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions document, Appendix A, for
additional information on changes and substitutions to registrants.
All registrants must submit a form of payment with their registration, either a credit card number
or indication that they are paying by purchase order. For those paying with a purchase order,
the purchase order number will not be entered at the time of registration; however, a school or
district purchase order, accompanied by the registrant’s name, must be received by CMC &
Associates no later than
May 15, 2008
, or the registration and lodging will be cancelled and the
school will lose the slot. Beginning on May 16, 2008, those on the waiting list will be notified
and allowed to attend the conference on a first come, first served basis until conference
capacity has been reached. All final payments must be received by August 1, 2008. In order to
assist you with setting up the district purchase order, attached to this memorandum is the W-9
form for the Florida Education Foundation.
JRF! Leadership Conference
Page Three
After completing the online registration process, participants will receive an immediate e-mail
confirming their successful registration. Participants who do not receive an e-mail confirming
their registration, should contact CMC & Associates at 1.888.320.6129 or justread@cmc-
associates.com. Individuals may make changes to their registration preferences via the online
system until May 15, 2008, by using the registration confirmation number received in the
confirmation e-mail. Participants will be able to substitute themselves with another participant
from the same school using the online system with the same confirmation number. Participants
will receive a separate e-mail confirming hotel accommodations by June 1, 2008.
We are asking that districts support the participation of principals, coaches, and teacher leaders
by paying the registration fee, as well as reimbursing for travel and per diem. The Just Read,
Florida! Office will pay lodging for all conference participants who are Florida school district
employees, including those who live within a 50 mile radius, for the nights of Sunday, June 29,
Monday, June 30, and Tuesday, July 1, 2008. There will be evening events that all conference
participants will benefit from attending. All conference participants are entitled to lodging at a
conference hotel for all three nights of the conference.
All participants must ensure when
registering that they indicate the exact nights they intend to stay so they will not be
charged any cancellation or early departure fees.
All reservations for lodging at the Orlando World Center Marriott, Caribe Royale, Fairfield Inn,
SpringHill Suites, Courtyard Marriott, Rosen Centre, Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld,
J.W. Marriott at Grande Lakes and Ritz Carlton at Grande Lakes will be arranged for attendees
through the on-line registration system.
Lodging will be assigned randomly through the
online system and cannot be requested; however, we will make every effort to ensure
participants from the same school and district are housed together. Reservations may
not be made directly with the hotels.
Accommodations for those with special needs may be
requested by contacting CMC & Associates at justread@cmc-associates.com.
Payment for lodging will be handled on a master account at each hotel, but all registrants must
submit a credit card when registering to secure their reservation. The credit card provided will
only be billed if the attendee does not stay for the nights they indicate when registering, does
not cancel within the required deadline, or does not show up for the conference. A credit card
will also be required for check-in at all conference hotels for any incidentals and personal
charges.
For any other questions or concerns please refer to Appendix A or contact CMC & Associates at
1.888.320.6129 or justread@cmc-associates.com.
Best wishes and we look forward to seeing you in Orlando!
EBL/jmj
Attachments
