Welcome to the
Encompass 2007 Conference

April 19-21, 2007

Alfie Kohn

Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and parenting. His latest book is UNCONDITIONAL PARENTING: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason, just published by Atria / Simon & Schuster. Of his nine earlier books, the best known are PUNISHED BY REWARDS: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes (1993), NO CONTEST: The Case Against Competition (1986), and THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards" (1999).

Alfie has been described in Time magazine as "perhaps the country's most outspoken critic of education's fixation on grades [and] test scores." His criticisms of competition and rewards have helped to shape the thinking of educators -- as well as parents and managers -- across the country and abroad. Kohn has been featured on hundreds of TV and radio programs, including the "Today" show and two appearances on "Oprah"; he has been profiled in the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, while his work has been described and debated in many other leading publications.

He lectures widely at universities and to school faculties, parent groups, and corporations. In addition to speaking at staff development seminars and keynoting national education conferences on a regular basis, he conducts workshops for teachers and administrators on various topics. Among them: "Motivation from the Inside Out: Rethinking Rewards, Assessment, and Learning" and "Beyond Bribes and Threats: Realistic Alternatives to Controlling Students' Behavior." The latter corresponds to his book BEYOND DISCIPLINE: From Compliance to Community (ASCD, 1996), which he describes as "a modest attempt to overthrow the entire field of classroom management."

Alfie's various books have been translated into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, Swedish, Dutch, Portuguese, Hebrew, Thai, Malaysian, and Italian. He has also contributed to publications ranging from the Journal of Education to Ladies Home Journal, and from the Nation to the Harvard Business Review ("Why Incentive Plans Cannot Work"). His efforts to make research in human behavior accessible to a general audience have also been published in the Atlantic Monthly, Parents, and Psychology Today.

His many articles on education include nine widely reprinted cover essays in Phi Delta Kappan: "Caring Kids: The Role of the Schools" (March 1991), "Choices for Children: Why and How to Let Students Decide" (Sept. 1993), "The Truth About Self-Esteem" (Dec. 1994), "How Not to Teach Values: A Critical Look at Character Education" (Feb. 1997), "Only for My Kid: How Privileged Parents Undermine School Reform" (April 1998), "Fighting the Tests" (Jan. 2001), "The 500-Pound Gorilla" (Oct. 2002), "Test Today, Privatize Tomorrow" (April 2004), and "Challenging Students -- And How to Have More of Them" (Nov. 2004).

Educated at Brown University and the University of Chicago, Alfie Kohn lives (actually) in the Boston area with his wife and two children, and (virtually) at www.alfiekohn.org.

Dr. Mary Utne O'Brien

Mary Utne O'Brien is Executive Director of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and Research Professor of Psychology and Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. CASEL is a scientific organization devoted to advancing the science and expanding the practice of SEL in all schools, pre-K through high school. As Executive Director of CASEL, Mary is responsible for all aspects of CASEL management and day-to-day operations, and for developing new directions and projects for CASEL.

Mary also works directly on CASEL projects: she was a lead author of the CASEL documents Safe and Sound: An Educational Leader's Guide to Evidence-Based SEL Programs (2003) and Sustainable, Schoolwide, SEL: Implementation Guide and Toolkit (2006); directs CASEL’s work in Transformational Educational Leadership Development; and edits CASEL’s periodic electronic newsletter on SEL research, practice, and policy advances, CASEL Connections.

Mary earned the PhD in Sociology (focus on research methods and social psychology) in 1978 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was Senior Survey Director at the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago throughout the 1980s, where she was responsible for the design and management of complex federal surveys. At NORC she directed William Julius Wilson's Study of Urban Poverty, Peter Rossi's study of the homeless, and a number of school-based Department of Education and RAND Corporation studies.

From 1991 to 1996 she was Associate Professor of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health (SPH) at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she developed and taught the school's first course on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, as well as a course in quantitative and qualitative methods of research. While at SPH she was Research Director and Co-Director of the nation's largest research and service project for the prevention of HIV infection among injection drug users.

Prior to joining CASEL in 1999, Mary led research on the implementation and impact of school-wide social and emotional learning in a Chicago suburban elementary school district; consulted with Harvard's Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (Felton Earls, PI); and wrote Chicago's five-year Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS Prevention 1999-2001, as well as major sections of Chicago's Violence Prevention Strategic Plan (cited by CDC as a national model for such planning). In 1999 she also wrote the Project Safe Start grant that resulted in a five-year, multi-million dollar award to the Chicago Department of Public Health from the Department of Justice. She has written numerous scholarly articles and reports of her work.

Dr. Shelley Hymel

Shelley Hymel is a professor in Counseling Psychology and Special Education at UBC. She teaches in the areas of school psychology as well as human development in education.

She has published extensively in the area of social-development and peer relations and is currently working on a co-edited book on bullying and peer harassment.

Shelley is a dynamic presenter, able to mix personal experiences with research findings to make difficult concepts easily understood. She has a great sense of humor and a quick wit, which adds to the atmosphere of all her presentations.

Shelley comes from a family of ten children and is a mother of two adolescents.

Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl

Kim Schonert-Reichl is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, and Special Education at UBC. For almost 20 years she has been conducting research focuses on the social and emotional development of children and adolescents especially in relation to school settings. She serves on many organizational and editorial boards, and committees dealing with children and adolescent moral, behavioral, and psychological development.

Kim is an engaging speaker bringing to every presentation a thorough understanding of the research and a wealth of knowledge about practices that effects developmental change. Her passion for the field and confidence in presenting the information meets the needs of any audience, which makes her a much sought after presenter across North America.

Roy Henry Vickers

Canadian artist Roy Henry Vickers is a world-renowned printmaker, painter, carver, author and designer whose signature style fuses the traditional images of his West Coast native ancestry with the realism of his British heritage. His artwork is held in museums and private collections across Canada and internationally, and is sold through two successful artist-owned and operated galleries. In addition, Roy is a recognized leader in the First Nations community, and a tireless spokesperson for recovery from addictions and abuse.

As a former victim of substance abuse, in 1992 Roy founded the non-profit organization "VisionQuest" to help people overcome and recover from addiction. In 1998 the government of British Columbia honored Roy with the prestigious "Order of British Columbia" award in recognition of both his talent and his significant contributions to society.

Roy’s presentations are both motivational and inspirational, leaving the audience with a magical sense of self, place, spirit, and time.

Dr. Gabor Maté

Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1944, Gabor Maté emigrated to Canada with his family in 1957. After graduating with a B.A. from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and a few years as a high school English and literature teacher, he returned to school to pursue his childhood dream of being a doctor.

Dr. Maté ran a private family practice in East Vancouver for over twenty years. He was also the Medical Co-ordinator of the Palliative Care Unit at Vancouver Hospital for seven years.

Currently he is the staff physician at the Portland Hotel, a residence and resource centre for the people of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Many of his patients suffer from mental illness, drug addiction and HIV, or all three.

Dr. Maté has had regular medical columns in The Vancouver Sun and the national Globe and Mail.

Widely recognized for his unique perspective on Attention Deficit Disorder, and his firmly held belief in the connection between mind and body health, he is a sought-after speaker and seminar leader on these topics.

He is the author of three books -- When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress, and Scattered Minds: A New Look at the Origins and Healing of Attention Deficit Disorder. The third book, Hold on to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers, he co-authored with developmental psychologist Gordon Neufeld.

Dr. Martin Brokenleg

Martin Brokenleg is the Director of Native Ministries and Professor of First Nations Theology and Ministry at the Vancouver School of Theology in Vancouver, British Columbia. He serves as a Vice President of Reclaiming Youth International, providing training for individuals who work with youth at risk.

He holds a doctorate in psychology and is a graduate of the Episcopal Divinity School. For thirty years, Dr. Brokenleg was professor of Native American studies at Augustana College of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He has also been a director of The Neighborhood Youth Corps, chaplain in a correctional setting, and has extensive experience as an alcohol counselor. Dr. Brokenleg has consulted and led training programs throughout North America, New Zealand, and South Africa. He is the father of three children and an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe practicing the culture of his Lakota people.

Terry Waterhouse

Terry Waterhouse is currently Associate Director of the Institute For Safe Schools of British Columbia.

He is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at University College of the Fraser Valley. His areas of interest include safe schools, school based prevention and planning, restorative justice and youth crime. He is co-researcher on the 2005 Safe Schools Social Responsibility Survey for Secondary Students. Terry is currently leading several research projects around the province.

Renee Hodgkinson

Renée Hodgkinson is a model team leader and youth facilitator. She established a connection with Free The Children through volunteering, after attending facilitator training at the Leaders Today Academy in Toronto.

Since the fall of 2003, she has been responsible for coordination of the Volunteer Now! program and the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI), a grant distribution program, in partnership with the Toskan Foundation and Leaders Today. YPI is a program designed to empower students to recognize the social need in their own communities through philanthropy initiatives.

For the past year Renée has had the unique opportunity to lead and develop the Leaders Today team and programming as the Program Director for Leaders Today.

Renée has a background in the social service sector and has worked with women in transition in the community of Toronto, as a Support Counselor, assisting women obtain the necessary life skills to move into independent living.

After graduating from high school, as school president, she spent time volunteering with the Peterborough Family Resource Center, enabling parents to network with other parents with common interests. She has traveled extensively, having spent time in Asia, Europe, Australia and Latin America.

In 2001, she volunteered for a year as an educator in Tanzania in Africa. She has also led international volunteer and leadership trips to Ecuador and Mexico and facilitated Global Leadership Conferences in Canada and the United States. Renée is currently pursing international language studies and stays active training for triathlons. Her involvement with Leaders Today is rooted in her belief that youth should be encouraged and empowered to make a difference in our world, the lives of others and most importantly in their own lives.

Many More

In addition, there are almost 60 other speakers presenting over 90 sessions. For the full list of speakers, please view the registration booklet here.

The following sessions were selected as being of particular interest to parents. However, parents are welcome to attend any session.

Both Keynote sessions:

Thursday, April 19 keynote address with Alfie Kohn on Unconditional Parenting. 7:00 pm at Heritage Woods Secondary School in the Theatre.

Friday, April 20 keynote address with Alfie Kohn on Teaching Children to Care. 9:00 am at Heritage Woods Secondary School in the Theatre.

Friday, April 20 sessions:
A sessions from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm;
B sessions from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm;
C sessions from 10:30 am – 2:30 pm (with the lunch hour)

Saturday, April 21 sessions
9:00 am – 12:00 pm at Heritage Woods Secondary School in the Theatre.

For more information on these and other sessions, please view the registration booklet here. For information on registration costs, please click here

A hot buffet lunch will be provided on Friday for all participants who have registered for the full conference. The Gleneagle, Centennial and Riverside Secondary Schools’ teaching kitchens are preparing the food.

Parking at Heritage Woods Secondary is limited. Parking in the school lots will be available for speakers and publishers only. Parking passes will be required to access these lots. Watch for parking attendants to assist you.

Shuttle buses will run between parking lots (TBA) and the school. Parking restrictions may change; please check back to this page for updates closer to the conference.

PD Day will once again host a number of publishers at Heritage Woods Secondary School. Publishers, who wish to be involved, please contact Pat at the CTA Office at 604-936-9971. The tables will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Accommodation will be at the Best Western in Port Coquitlam. For more information contact them below.

The Conference rate is $90 (single occupancy) or $119 (double occupancy) per night. When booking, please refer to “Encompass Conference”. You must book your room by April 6, 2007 after which the block of rooms set aside for Encompass will be released and rooms may not be available.

For a web map of the hotel, please go to:
http://reservations.hotel--canada.com/hotel/10005227-10193295O.html

The full conference fee includes: Thursday evening keynote; Friday keynote and Friday sessions with coffee, snacks and the hot buffet lunch; and Saturday morning sessions.

The entire Encompass Conference will be registered online. Please follow these very important instructions for a successful registration experience.

1. Read the registration booklet to select the sessions you want. You may open the booklet in Word or PDF format. You may print the booklet if you wish.
2. You may wish to make note of several choices from the registration booklet in the event that your first choice is full.
3. Select the "CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE" button at the top right of this page. This will open a new registration window at SPORG. This is the company that we use to register online. For security information about SPORG, please click here.
4. Follow the directions at SPORG. You may want to register an account with SPORG. If you do, you will be able to change your selections later (after you’ve completed your registration) if you decide to. Remember: Registration is first-come, first-served! You will not be able to register in a workshop that is already full.
   
   

   Be sure to enter your correct email address, as all of your registration information will be sent to that address. If your email address is incorrect, you won’t receive your receipts or confirmation.

5. We plan to send an email to each participant informing them of their room number and school. As well, there will be occasions when we need to contact all participants of a session. To this end, please make sure your email address is correct so you will receive this last minute information.
6. Make any payments that may be required. Payment may be made by credit card to SPORG online when you register.
7. Print out your SPORG Receipt for your records. You will receive an email with your official receipt and confirmation of your choices. NOTE: the CTA Office is unable to print you a copy of your receipt! Please bring your copy of the receipt to the conference.
8. There will be no refunds after April 10, 2007.
9. When you arrive at the conference, there will be a folder available which contains a list of the sessions and the rooms that they are in.
10. Online registration will close at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, April 18. There will be on site registration starting Thursday, April 19th at 6:00 pm at Heritage Woods School, and on Friday morning at Heritage Woods.

A chart showing the session number and its room will be emailed to all participants, and there will be handouts available at the conference information booth showing this information.

For more information please contact Gerry Lush at pd43@bctf.ca or 604-936-9971.