Building for the Future NAFIS Fall Conference 2019 September 22-24, 2019 Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC [ 2 ] @NAFISSchools | #ImpactAid | facebook.com/nafisschools BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE 2019 WELCOME .............................................................. 5 Conference Communications Templates ........... 6 Conference Awardees .................................... 7 PROGRAM .............................................................. 9 At-A-Glance ............................................... 10 Full Program .............................................. 12 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS ..................................... 21 CONGREssiONAL INFORMATION ....................... 33 House and Senate Impact Aid Coalitions ........ 35 House and Senate Committee Rosters ........... 38 Capitol Hill Maps ......................................... 42 Lunch Options on the Hill ............................. 44 NAFIS LEADERSHIP ............................................. 45 Board of Directors ...................................... 47 Staff ......................................................... 48 State Chairs .............................................. 49 Past Presidents .......................................... 50 FUTURE MEETINGS .............................................. 51 HYATT REGENCY CAPITOL HILL MAP ..... Back Cover [ 3 ] Building for the Future | 2019 NAFIS Fall Conference [ 4 ] @NAFISSchools | #ImpactAid | facebook.com/nafisschools Dear Conference Attendee: Welcome to the 2019 NAFIS Fall Conference! The theme is Building for the Future, which – in addition to acknowledging what those of us in public education do every day in our work with young people – recognizes the ongoing infrastructure debates in the nation’s capital. These debates include a particular focus on the facilities needs of federally impacted schools, with the introduction of the Impact Aid Infrastructure Act earlier this summer. The conference theme also recognizes the importance of creating and maintaining a strong foundation for Impact Aid advocacy. Just last year we were reminded of the significance of this work as we fought back an attempt to redirect the program’s funding into private school vouchers. Because of the long-term efforts of the NAFIS Family building relationships on Capitol Hill and ensuring Congress and its staff understand the importance of Impact Aid, we had congressional champions willing to speak out and save the program. This conference is an opportunity to thank them and to continue developing our congressional relationships, building the foundation that is critical for protecting and strengthening the program in the future. The conference comes at a crucial time, with the FY 2020 congressional appropriations process underway. We must bring a unified voice to Capitol Hill in requesting the funds that we need to provide our students with the opportunities they deserve. Throughout the conference, you will get the latest information on Impact Aid, including the new and improved Impact Aid Grant System (IAGS, which replaces G5.gov as the application website this year). Our keynote speaker will address a challenge many of us face: building community support for schools in light of a national narrative claiming public education is failing. And in our breakout sessions, you will hear how other school districts are addressing common challenges like student transitions – and share your own efforts in those arenas. There will be opportunities to connect with others in the NAFIS Family informally as well. For example, before you head to dinner on Monday, join NAFIS staff for a walk to the new National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial for fresh air and conversation. Be sure to come to the NAFIS “80s Arcade” – our closing reception – on Tuesday night. And back by popular demand: “Paint for a Cause.” Contribute to a group project for a community organization, meeting other NAFIS members while letting your artistic side shine. As always, a highlight of the conference will be our day on Capitol Hill, where we will advocate for Impact Aid directly with our elected representatives and their staff. As I come into my first conference as NAFIS President, I want you to know how honored I am to serve in this role. I look forward to working with you all to build a stronger future for Impact Aid and the students and communities we serve. Sincerely, Chad Blotsky President National Association of Federally Impacted Schools [ 5 ] Building for the Future | 2019 NAFIS Fall Conference Conference Communications Templates Tell Your Community the Importance of Your Participation in the NAFIS Conference Here are customizable communications materials that can be used on social media platforms, in board reports or for any other purpose. Where there is red text, insert your own information. You can also make changes and add language to emphasize other issues important to your context. An editable version can be found on the 2019 Fall Conference page of the NAFIS website. ************************************ Customizable Post – Emphasis on Advocacy (can be modified for personal, rather than school district, use) [Insert school district name] representatives met with the staff for [insert name(s) of Members of Congress] to explain the crucial role that Impact Aid plays in our district, funding [insert two or three items your district uses it for, such as teacher salaries, school counselors, school buses or after-school programming] and much, much more. Impact Aid reimburses our school district for lost local revenue caused by the presence of nontaxable federal land. It is critical to providing our students the opportunities they need to maximize their potential, so it is important for us to advocate directly to Congress for it. At the meeting(s), district leaders also highlighted the achievements of our students and schools. The meetings on Capitol Hill were part of the NAFIS Fall Conference, where we also received important updates on the Impact Aid program directly from the U.S. Department of Education, discussed timely education issues and connected with representatives of other federally impacted school districts from across the country. If possible, include a photo of you with the congressional representative and/or staffer you met with; the sign to the congressional office; or the U.S. Capitol building. Customizable Post – Emphasis on Professional Learning (can be modified for personal, rather than school district, use) [Insert school district name] representatives recently traveled to Washington, DC, to learn about upcoming changes to the Impact Aid program at the 2019 NAFIS Fall Conference. Impact Aid reimburses our school district for lost local revenue caused by the presence of nontaxable federal land. It funds [insert two or three items your district uses it for, such as teacher salaries, school counselors, school buses or after-school programming]. Impact Aid is critical to providing our students the opportunities they need to maximize their potential, so it is important for us to be up-to-date on the latest developments with the program. Much conversation at the conference focused on the upcoming transition to a new Impact Aid application system, which will be much different than the version we have used in the past. We are now better prepared to submit our application correctly and on time, ensuring that our school district receives the funds we deserve. The conference also gave us the chance to connect with representatives of other federally impacted school districts and engage in deep conversations on important education issues. In addition, it featured a day on Capitol Hill, where district representatives met with the staff for [insert name(s) of Members of Congress] to explain the crucial role that Impact Aid plays in our district and share the achievements of our schools and students. If possible, include a photo of you with a sign at the NAFIS Social Media Station; speakers at one of the General Sessions or Breakout Sessions; or you on Capitol Hill. [ 6 ] @NAFISSchools | #ImpactAid | facebook.com/nafisschools 2019 NAFIS Fall Conference Awardees Virginia Allred Stacey Founders Award Sandra Doebert Friend of NAFIS Award Friend of NAFIS Award Amy Castillo-Covert Karen Gray (shown with Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Assemblyman Vince Fong) Congratulations, and thank you for your support of Impact Aid! [ 7 ] Building for the Future | 2019 NAFIS Fall Conference [ 8 ] @NAFISSchools | #ImpactAid | facebook.com/nafisschools [ 9] PROGRAM PROGRAM Building for the Future | 2019 NAFIS Fall Conference AT-A-GLANCE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2019 TIME TITLE ROOM 8:30AM – 3:30PM Registration Area & Social Media Station Open Regency Foyer 8:30AM – 5:30PM Internet Café Open Regency Foyer 9:00AM – 10:15AM Conference Orientation & The Basics of Impact Aid Regency A 10:15AM – 10:45AM Policy & Advocacy 101 Regency A 10:45AM – 11:45AM Subgroup Meeting Concord/Lexington Mid-to-Low LOT Schools (MTLLS) 10:45AM – 12:00PM Subgroup Meeting Federal Lands Impacted Schools Association (FLISA) Columbia AB 11:30AM – 3:00PM Paint for a Cause Regency Foyer 12:00PM – 12:45PM Lunch on Your Own 12:00PM – 12:45PM State Chair Working Lunch (Invitation Only) Congressional A - Lobby Level 1:00PM – 4:15PM First General Session Regency A • President’s Welcome • Executive Director Remarks • Subgroup Leaders Panel • Friend of NAFIS Awards • Legislative Update • Keynote Speaker: Dr. John Draper, Crucial Conversations 4:30PM – 5:15PM School Board Members Session