2024 Multilingual Illinois Statewide Conference in Conjunction with ESSA

Dr. Monica Burns is a Curriculum and EdTech Consultant, Apple Distinguished Educator and Founder of ClassTechTips.com. As a classroom teacher in New York City, Monica used digital tools to create an engaging, differentiated learning experience to meet the unique needs of her students. Monica started her blog ClassTechTips.com in 2012 to help make EdTech easier for fellow educators, and launched the Easy EdTech Podcast and her membership site the Easy EdTech Club to support educators who want to simplify and streamline technology integration.

Since starting ClassTechTips.com, Monica has led workshops and webinars, and provided keynote presentations to teachers, instructional coaches, administrators and tech-enthusiasts. She has presented at numerous national and international conferences, including SXSWedu, ISTE, FETC and EduTECH. Monica is the author of EdTech Essentials: The Top 10 Technology Strategies for All Learning Environments (ASCD, 2021), Tasks Before Apps: Designing Rigorous Learning in a Tech-Rich Classroom (ASCD, 2017) four quick reference guides for ASCD including, “Using AI Chatbots to Enhance Planning and Instruction” and “Classroom Technology Tips.” 

Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 — Dr. Carla España

Carla España, Ph.D. is a middle-grade language arts teacher, literacy consultant, researcher, author, and co-founder of the En Comunidad Collective. Her love of stories and teaching comes from her roots in Chile and has been nurtured by hundreds of teachers and students across schools in New York City and beyond.

She has a BS in communication studies from New York University, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary, an MA in childhood education with a bilingual extension from Hunter College (City University of New York), and a Ph.D. in urban education from the Graduate Center (City University of New York). Dr. España’s teaching journey began in Harlem, New York with bilingual sixth graders and continues in her role as a middle grade language arts teacher and dean.

Her teaching, research, coaching, and writing live at the intersection of critical literacies, children’s literature, and bilingual education. Dr. España is co-author of En Comunidad: Lessons for Centering the Voices and Experiences of Bilingual Latinx Students with Dr. Luz Yadira Herrera. Find her on Twitter @ProfesoraEspana.

Thursday, December 12th, 2024 — Dr. Sara Vogel

Dr. Sara Vogel (she/her) is a born-and-raised Brooklynite, a (teacher) educator, and an education researcher focusing on computing-integrated learning environments that value bi/multilingual learners, their literacies, and communities. She is currently the Research Director at the City University of New York’s Computing Integrated Teacher Education initiative. She has been a researcher on the National Science Foundation-funded projects, Participating in Literacies and Computer Science (PiLa-CS) — where she worked to center bi/multilingual students in Computer Science for All initiatives — and CT to CS, which guided elementary teachers to incorporate computational thinking and CS into their subject areas. A former faculty member in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) residency program at Bank Street College, and a lecturer in Hunter College’s bilingual education programs, she also worked as a middle school bilingual teacher and practitioner of innovative digital “out-of-school-time” programs for youth. She has a PhD in Urban Education from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Thursday, December 12th, 2024 — Dr. Jill Siler

Dr. Jill Siler served as the Superintendent of Gunter ISD for nearly ten years and now serves as the Deputy Executive Director for Professional Learning for the
Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA). Jill grew up in Rochester & Buffalo, NY and completed her undergraduate work at the University of Pittsburgh where she was a collegiate swimmer. She was a teacher and coach in Pflugerville ISD and began her administrative career in Marble Falls ISD.

In 2004, Jill went to Lake Travis ISD where she served as a campus and district leader for 8 years. During that time, she completed her doctorate at the University of Texas. In her first months as a superintendent, Jill faced financial crisis along with many other challenges that leadership brings. In 2015, her school board was named a TASA Honor Board as one of the top 5 school boards in the state and one of her campuses was named a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School. Jill served as the Chair of the Future-Ready Superintendent Leadership Network (FRSLN) Design Team where innovative leaders across Texas gather to learn, share and grow together.

Jill has a passion for helping others reach their goals and is the leader of Texas’ Aspiring Superintendent Academy and leads Texas’ First Time Superintendents Academy. Jill speaks at leadership and teacher conferences across the country. Her first book, Thrive Through the Five was published in 2020 and talks about how to thrive in the most challenging times.

Friday, December 13th, 2024 — Dr. Cheryl D. Watkins

Dr. Cheryl D. Watkins is an educator by profession who fell in love with teaching as a child. On rainy days, you could find her playing school on the back porch of her apartment building with her sisters and neighborhood friends. She started her professional career within the Chicago Public Schools as a special education teacher. During her 33-year tenure, she rose through the ranks serving in many positions including special education teacher, assistant principal, principal, deputy chief of schools, and prior to retiring, chief of schools.

We are now accepting one-hour presentation proposals for the 2024 Multilingual Illinois/ESSA Conference. Our speakers are instrumental in making this conference one of the most productive and energizing educational convenings in Illinois and beyond.

We are currently accepting sponsors and exhibitors for the 2024 Multilingual Illinois/ESSA Conference. Our supporters are instrumental in making this conference one of the most productive and energizing educational convenings in Illinois and beyond.