WCASS 2024 Fall Conference 

Schedule of Events

Thursday, October 17, 2024 

7:00-4:30 Registration

7:30-8:15 Continental Breakfast

8:15-9:45 Opening Keynote

Opening Doors to Equity and Access
Trudy Arriaga, Ed. D.

Dr. Trudy T. Arriaga served the Ventura Unified School District for 14 years as the first female superintendent.  She began her career as a bilingual, special education paraeducator and enjoyed 40 years of service in education as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, director, superintendent and university instructor at all levels.  Trudy retired as superintendent in July 2015 and was honored by the naming of the VUSD District Office, The VUSD Trudy Tuttle Arriaga Education Service Center.  She is currently on the Cal Lutheran University faculty in the Educational Leadership Department Graduate School of Education.  Trudy is the co-author, with her esteemed colleague Dr. Randall B. Lindsey of Opening Doors: An Implementation Template for Cultural Proficiency which delivers a compelling account on how educators can create and expand cultures of social justice and equity by dismantling and crafting new practices on behalf of the students they serve.  Her second book, “Leading While Female:  A Culturally Proficient Response to Gender Equity”, released in March 2020 and co-authored with Dr. Delores Lindsey and Dr. Stacie Stanley offers a counter narrative and strategies to overcome the barriers of women in educational leadership, followed by her most recent companion journal, My Leading While Female Journey.  It has been her privilege to assist educational institutions, communities, and organizations throughout the United States through keynote speeches, workshops, leadership and equity institutes and online professional development to align the actions of the organization with their stated values and principles in their effort to build a culturally proficient and inclusive organization for each and every one. 

9:45-10:15 Break with Vendors

10:15-11:30 Concurrent Sessions

1. Escorting Students through Open Doors
Trudy Arriaga, Ed. D.

The existence of inequities in education will be discovered and disrupted through the lens of equity in this presentation.  Participants will delve deeply into practices that unintentionally marginalize communities of students, staff and parents to engagement practices and strategies that open doors for each and every student.  Participants will examine the values that serve as the foundation of cultural proficiency and how they inform daily district, school and classroom practices, policies and procedures through an inside-out model.  Join the journey of a two-tiered examination - the organization and ourselves as educators who have the responsibility and the privilege to open doors for each and every one.

2. ABC's of Preparing, Licensing, and Retaining Staff: Navigating the WDPI Licensure Options and Practical Strategies
Patti Williams, Director of Special Education, WDPI. Jennifer Kammerud, Director of LEAD Team, WDPI. Michelle Pendl, Director of Special Education and Curriculum Coordinator, Suring Public Schools. Jennie Garceau, Executive Director of Student Services, Howard-Suamico School District.

There is a lot of flexibility in how educators can become licensed in Wisconsin. With the variety of pathways, there can also be confusion. This session will help participants understand the ABCs of special education and pupil services licensing including: 

Attract/Prepare: Licensure Pathways for special educators and pupil services staff.

Boundaries: What can paras do, and what does "under the supervision of" look like in practice?

Communicate: What needs to be communicated to parents when staff have a Tier I license?

Specialists: Licensing options to fill specialist positions.

3. Help! No One Understands What I Do! 
Tiffany Loken, Director of Special Education, Waunakee Community School District. Amanda Mack, Director of Pupil Services, Grafton School District.

WCASS understands and can help you explain what you know and can do! In this interactive session, participants will learn about the seven Professional Principles and Competencies that WCASS developed for Directors of Student Services. These Principles and Competencies are grounded in CASE, ISSLC, DPI Administrator and Pupil Services Standards. Learn more about this tool and bring your questions and examples from your practice so we can be reflective practitioners and strong advocates for ourselves and our profession.

 11:30-12:45 Lunch

12:00-12:45 Membership Meeting

1:00-2:15 Concurrent Sessions

1. Leading is Learning

Panel Facilitated by Lisa Misco, Executive Director of Special Education, CESA 8 and WCASS Past-President

Leading Special Education and Pupil Services teams is complex but navigating the educational and legal expectations for students with disabilities doesn't have to be overwhelming. Directors are regularly asked to make decisions about funding programs, hiring staff and student discipline. A panel of student services leaders representing small and medium sized districts from across the state will share insights about special education including some educational and legal considerations to bear in mind when asked to make decisions.

2. The Special Education Funding Puzzle
Tiffany Loken, Director of Special Education, Steve Summers, Executive Director of Operations, & Allie Die, Director of Business Services, Waunakee School District. Jerry Nicholson, Director of Student Services, Unified School District of De Pere.

WCASS understands and can help you explain what you know and can do! In this interactive session, participants will learn about the seven Professional Principles and Competencies that WCASS developed for Directors of Student Services. These Principles and Competencies are grounded in CASE, ISSLC, DPI Administrator and Pupil Services Standards. Learn more about this tool and bring your questions and examples from your practice so we can be strong advocates for ourselves and our profession. 

3. Policy and Legislative Advocacy: Legislative Updates and Advocacy Tips
Dee Pettack, SAA Director

Dee Pettack, SAA Executive Director, will provide an outlook on the fall elections, an update on the budget, and a look forward to the 2025-27 Legislative Session. Please join Dee for this important update on the policy and fiscal challenges facing our schools in the upcoming session and how you can best advocate for issues that impact your community.

2:15-2:45 Break with Vendors

2:45-4:15 Act 20 Updates and Implementation Tips

Barb Novak, Director of the Office of Literacy, Tim Peerenboom and Rose Kilmurray, Consultants, WI Department of Public Instruction

This interactive session is based on questions from the field and DPI’s most current guidance on implementing Act 20 including the recently released Child Find and Act 20 guidance. Learn more about ways to set up data-based decision making systems and processes using screening and diagnostic assessment data.

4:30-6:30 Networking Reception Sponsored By Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet, LLC. Cash Bar and Book Signing with Trudy Arriaga.

Friday, October 18, 2024

7:00-8:00 Breakfast Buffet & New Leader Breakfast

8:10-9:30 Legal Hot Topics: Panel Discussion

Panel Facilitated by Danica Lewis, WCASS Co-Director of Member Learning. Attorney Panelists: Chad Wade, Renning, Lewis, & Lacy S.C, Mary Gerbig, Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet, Kylie Owens, Attolles Law, S.C.

Join us for a lively discussion about current hot topics. This group of esteemed attorneys will answer questions shared by student services leaders on topics including Act 20, placement decisions, seclusion and restraint and staffing challenges.

9:45-10:30 & 10:45-11:30 Community Conversations (repeated)

1. Legal Hot Topic: Title IX
2. Legal Hot Topic: Open Enrollment
3. Legal Hot Topic: Act 20
4. Legal Hot Topic: 504
5. Legal Hot Topic: Title IX
6. Legal Hot Topic: Updates to the Legal Landscape in Relation to LGBTQIA+ Topics
7. McKinney Vento: Meeting the Needs and Requirements for Students Experiencing Homelessness
8. “Ready to Learn” - How Two Districts are Proactively Ensuring that All Students are Ready to Learn.
9. New Leaders Connection: Bring Your Questions
10. Transfer of Service: Tips for Tracking and Capturing Revenue for Serving Students with Disabilities

Conference Fees

Member: $375*
Non-Member: $450
*Must be logged in to see member pricing*

Sending a team?
Team of 3 Conference fees:
Members: $1,000
(Each additional team member is $333)

Please email [email protected] with the following information in order to receive the team of 3 (or more) discount!
For each team member we need:
1. name
2. title
3. school
4. WCASS member status
5. CESA region
6. email address
7. session choices

WCASS will register the group for you and email you the confirmation and invoice. 

Overnight Information

Wilderness Resort/Glacier Canyon Lodge
45 Hillman Road
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Special room rate of $90 per night
Room block guaranteed through September 16, 2024.
After this date, the room rate will be honored if rooms are still available. Overflow block available at Wilderness Resort.  
Call 1-800-867-9453 and use the code: Leader #A21751

Accessibility: For questions about accessibility or to request special assistance during the event, please contact Gail Anderson at [email protected]. Three weeks advance notice is required to allow us to provide seamless access. If you need to cancel the special request this must be done at least 3 working days prior to the start of the event.

Questions? For questions on registration, payment, or general information please call the WCASS office at 608-204-9819.