Our job as educators is to help every child succeed — no matter who they are, their abilities, where they live or the challenges they’ve faced. Schools can be a refuge for students, giving them emotional and academic supports they may not receive elsewhere.  This work of “Transforming Schools into an Oasis of Hope” serves as the theme for the 2020 Every Child Counts Symposium, Feb. 5-7 in Palm Desert. “This is an amazing opportunity to grow professionally and network with other like-minded professionals,” said Jean Martin, director of North Orange County SELPA and chair of the ACSA Student Services & Special Education Council, which plans this event.  Here are five reasons educators will want to attend this conference: It’s for all educators Every Child Counts Symposium is a chance for a broad array of educators to converge around providing better services to all students. Educators who work in Student Services, Child Welfare, Foster Youth, Attendance, SELPAs, and Special Education will find valuable information at this conference. Job titles that usually attend include:

• Teachers
• Teacher leaders
• Co-administrators
• Counselors
• School psychologists
• Speech pathologists
• Principals
• Special Education administrators  
• Student Services administrators
• Superintendents

Three keynote presenters will set the tone for this conference. Wednesday’s keynote Dr. Derek Greenfield is a visionary speaker, consultant, and thought leader dedicated to inclusive excellence and positive change. Dr. Greenfield has become a highly requested presenter across the globe, delivering messages on diversity and inclusion (and sometimes hip-hop) to a wide range of educational and corporate audiences. On Thursday, attendees will hear from keynote Pedro A. Noguera, the faculty director for the Center for the Transformation of Schools at UCLA. He is a sociologist whose scholarship and research focuses on the ways in which schools are influenced by social and economic conditions as well as by demographic trends.  As a young child, keynote speaker Sylvia Mendez was at the center of the landmark 1947 case , in which her parents and neighbors fought against segregated education for children of Mexican descent in southern California. Her story, which dovetails with a pop-up historical exhibit that will be on site, will be an inspiring close to the conference on Friday. Preconferences         For those planning to arrive early, the Student Services & Special Education Council has selected three topical pre-conference sessions for Wednesday morning. With recent deaths related to vaping and the prevalence of vaping in schools, a special vaping pre-session has been planned, with more information to come. “How to Do Your Very Best in Any Due Process Proceeding: From Infinity Wars to End Game” will be presented by Jack Clarke, partner, Best Best & Krieger, LLP, who handles litigation concerning education law and special education disputes. Clarke has successfully defended school districts in student disciplinary matters and special education due process hearings.  “Leading from Social, Emotional and Academic Success” will be presented by Katie Brackenridge, SEL advisor at Partnership for Children & Youth. This pre-session will help educators plan a more intentional and consistent approach to SEL. With real-world examples and strategic conversations, educators will leave with concrete next steps to move their district or school’s existing SEL work toward a coherent approach.   Pop-up exhibit A traveling exhibition on display during the conference will allow Every Child Counts attendees to experience the seldom-told story of desegregating California schools.  “A Class Action: The Grassroots Struggle for School Desegregation in California” takes visitors back to 1945 when five fathers in Orange County brought a class-action lawsuit against four school districts on behalf of their own children and 5,000 other children that were being forced to attend segregated “Mexican schools.”  The interactive exhibition reveals how community organizing and grassroots activism can produce positive change in schools and communities across the United States. Experts have called this the most important court case about segregation before . 

Location This year, ECC will be held at a fabulous new location near Palm Springs — JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. This recently renovated resort features an active lobby, six restaurants, two golf courses and a rejuvenating spa. Guests will enjoy gondolas and meandering waterways that lead to a flamingo island.  With spacious guest rooms and 210,000 square feet of dazzling event space, this luxury hotel is the perfect place for the Every Child Counts Symposium.