May 31: Last day to save $75 on registration for 2012 Annual Conference in Boston More Info June 30: Board of Trustees nomination deadline More Info July 22-25: 2012 Summer Conference in Denver More Info

Volunteer opportunities: Awards Program Conferences Foundation Publications

Volunteer! Get Involved with Learning Forward

Members who would like to affect professional learning on a larger scale have numerous opportunities to lead or support conferences, scholarships, and publications. Get an up-close look at what is happening behind the scenes in cutting-edge professional learning with these volunteer positions.

Awards Program

Reviewers

Award entries are judged based on set criteria by a review panel of volunteer members. Calls for reviewers are announced periodically. For more information contact Jacqueline Kennedy, Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives, jacqueline.kennedy@learningforward.org.

Conferences

Session Hosts

Session hosts introduce session presenters during Annual and Summer Conferences concurrent sessions where they distribute and collect session evaluations, and support general presenter needs. Hosts are chosen from the individuals who check the box on the conference registration form indicating interest in being a host. Hosts are recruited for the Annual Conference between October – November while Summer Conference hosts are recruited April - May. For more information contact Niki Gamble, Affiliate and Products Manager, niki.gamble@learningforward.org.

Conference Volunteers Volunteers support Learning Forward staff and host committee with Annual and Summer Conference activities by assisting the host committee with registration, hospitality, publicity, student presence, program execution, exhibits, sponsors, and operations. Each conference host committee recruits volunteers 12 - 18 months prior to the conference convening. For more information contact Carol François, Director of Learning, carol.francois@learningforward.org.

Proposal Reviewers

Help review proposals and ensure our conferences offer educators the highest quality professional learning. Proposal review can be done remotely or at the conference site. Annual Conference proposals are reviewed from January through early February. Summer Conference proposals are reviewed in early to mid-September. For more information contact Suzanne Siegel, Learning Programs Manager, suzanne.siegel@learningforward.org.

Host Committee Host committee members are selected from the state that hosts each Annual and Summer Conference. Members chair committees and provide leadership for activities related to conference registration, hospitality, publicity, programs, sponsors, and operations. Members who have held their Learning Forward membership for a minimum of three years are invited to submit letters of interest or recommend a colleague to serve on a host committee. Host committee members serve for the 12–18 months leading up to the conference convening, and participate on site during the conference. Host committee members are recognized on stage during a general session for their leadership during the conference. For more information contact Carol François, Director of Learning, carol.francois@learningforward.org.

Conference Program Planning Committee

The committee assists Learning Forward in providing its members with high-quality conference learning experiences by helping design the content of its conferences, identify potential keynote speakers and distinguished lecturers, and determine conference strands and topics. CPPC members are appointed for three-year terms. Interested volunteers submit letters of qualifications and appointments are made between January and February. For more information contact Carol François, Director of Learning, carol.francois@learningforward.org.

Foundation

Learning Forward Foundation Committees

Learning Forward Foundation raises funds and manages its grants and scholarship program year round to maintain its commitment to award as many grants and scholarships as possible to educators, school teams and organizations whose application meets the highest evaluation criteria for the various scholarships and grants. Committee participation is key to the Foundation's success. Meetings are held quarterly on-line. The Vice-Chairs of each of the five committees set the meeting schedule.

• Fundraising: Coordinates the foundation's overall fundraising and donor appreciation efforts
• Scholarship and grant: Contributes to evaluation, selection, and support of grant and scholarship recipients.
• Marketing and public relations: Oversees the foundation's official public relations and communications efforts through the Learning Forward website, journals...
• Planning and evaluation: Creates an evaluation process that provides useful, results-based information and helps the Board to be more effective; makes sure the Board has opportunities to reflect regularly on how well it is meeting its responsibilities to the organization; and assesses scholarships and grants progress toward their stated goals.
• Board Structure, Policies and Procedures: Provides operational policies and procedures that give direction and guidelines for effective management and delivery of services.

Publications

Newsletter Advisory Board Members who would like to make a difference in professional learning on a global scale provide feedback and insights from a member's perspective to the newsletter editor. Board members also suggest relevant and cutting-edge topics that would interest our members and recommend knowledgeable resources. Twelve to 13 members are chosen to serve one- or two-year terms via an annual application and selection process each December. For more information contact Anthony Armstrong, publications editor, anthony.armstrong@learningforward.org.