OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL: REWIND, RETHINK, & REIMAGINE

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Wednesday, June 24, 2026

7:15-4:30           Registration and Visit Exhibitors

7:15-8:15           Breakfast Buffet-Grand Ballroom C

8:15-10:00        General Session- Welcome/Overview, Grand Ballroom A-B

                               Dr. Rico Buckhaulter, MAFEPD President
                              Dr. Judy Nelson, MDE Federal Programs

                               Speaker- Coach Camp

10:00-10:15    Break & Visit Exhibitors

10:15-11:30    General Session-Bruman, Grand Ballroom A-B

11:30-11:45     Break & Visit Exhibitors

11:45-1:15       Luncheon-Grand Ballroom C

                              Speaker- Rita Brent

1:15-1:45         Break & Visit Exhibitors

1:45-2:45         Concurrent Sessions

                             Jr. Ballroom D- The Private School Playbook: Strategy, Compliance, Success-Melissa Garrison, Harrison County
                            Meeting Room B- How Our District Serves McKinney Vento Students: Enrollment Practices and Use of Funds- Jeni Chandler, Tupelo Schools
                           Jr. Ballroom A-Lead the Read: Leadership Moves That Change Reading Outcomes- Dr. Melissa McCray, Rankin County School District
                           Jr. Ballroom B-From Compliance to Capacity: Elevating On-Site Support for School Improvement Success-Dr. Micca Knox, Jackson                    

                            Public Schools
                           Jr. Ballroom C-Planning and Organizing Federal Programs-Kathy True, Lafayette County Schools
                           Meeting Room A-  Federal Programs: Beyond the Grant-Dr. Chavis Bradford, Hattiesburg Public Schools               

2:45-3:00        Break & Visit Exhibitors

3:00-4:00        Concurrent Sessions
                            Jr. Ballroom D- Foster Care-Cynthia Hardy, CPS
                            Meeting Room B- Adjusting the Lens on McKinney Vento-Mrs. Tiffany Jones, Jackson Public Schools
                            Jr. Ballroom A- From ATSI to Acceleration: Leveraging District Partnerships to Drive Elementary School Turnaround-Dr. Taylor Sparks,          

                             Tupelo Schools
                            Jr. Ballroom B- A Web of Policies and Procedures: Managing the Strings of Federal Accountability-Dr. Missy Bufkin, Jones County
                            Jr. Ballroom C- Ensuring Compliance: Best Practices for English Learner Enrollment Procedures-Shelley Silvas, Harrison County
                            Meeting Room A- Ballroom C- Reimagining Parent and Community Engagement-Adrian Cross Phillips, Meridian Public Schools Care-Cynthia  

                            Hardy, CPS

 Thursday, June 25, 2026 

7:15-4:00          Registration & Visit Exhibitors

7:15-9:15          Breakfast & Annual MAFEPD Business Meeting

9:15-9:45          Break & Visit Exhibitors

9:45-11:00       General Session- Grand Ballroom A-B

                               Dr. Judy Nelson, Elisha Campbell

11:00-1:00        Lunch: Conference Participants on your own

1:00-2:00          Concurrent Sessions

                               Jr. Ballroom D- The Hallmark Myth vs. The Rural Reality-Shauna Bostick, Lee County Schools
                              Meeting Room B- Beyond Compliance: Leveraging Federal Dollars to Transform Instruction for English Learners-Heather Byars,                  

                               Tupelo Schools

                               Dr. Monique Henderson, English Learners Engage
                             Jr. Ballroom A- From ATSI to Acceleration: Leveraging District Partnerships to Drive Elementary School Turnaround-Dr. Taylor Sparks,                

                              Tupelo Schools
                             Jr. Ballroom B- Reimagining Parent and Community Engagement-Adrian Cross Phillips, Meridian Public School
                             Jr. Ballroom C- Strengthening Parent Engagement-Courtney Campbell and Marion Winders, Tupelo Public Schools
                             Meeting Room A- From Foundation to Flourish: How to Prepare New Principals for Title I Success-Christine Beeker, Meridian Public Schools
                             Kish- Russell Yoquelet, Kish Russell Grants and Compliance

2:00-2:30         Break & Visit Exhibitors

2:30-3:30         Concurrent Sessions
                            Jr. Ballroom D- Foster Care-Cynthia Hardy, CPS
                            Meeting Room B- How Our District Serves McKinney Vento Students: Enrollment Practices and Use of Funds -Jeni Chandler, Tupelo Schools
                            Jr. Ballroom A- Lead the Read: Leadership Moves That Change Reading Outcomes-Dr. Melissa McCray, Rankin County School District
                            Jr. Ballroom B- A Web of Policies and Procedures: Managing the Strings of Federal Accountability-Dr. Missy Bufkin, Jones County
                            Jr. Ballroom C- Planning and Organizing Federal Programs-Kathy True, Lafayette County Schools
                            Meeting Room A- Reimaging EL Support: The Atlas Journey-Mrs. Patrice Razor, Jackson Public Schools

Friday, June 26, 2026

7:15-8:00         Continental Breakfast- Grand Ballroom C

8:00-9:00         Concurrent Sessions   

                              Jr. Ballroom D- The Private School Playbook: Strategy, Compliance, Success-Melissa Garrison, Harrison County
                             Meeting Room B- Beyond Compliance: Using Federal Funds to Drive Student Achievement- Andrea McGreger, Amory Schools
                             Jr. Ballroom A- Reimagining Continuous School Improvement: A Principal’s Journey Using AI to Strengthen Coaching and PLCs-John Keith,          

                              South Tippah Schools-Dr. Keshia Swaringam, SIBME
                             Jr. Ballroom B- The Hallmark Myth vs. The Rural Reality-Shauna Bostick, Lee County Schools
                             Jr. Ballroom C- Supporting English Learners through Theory, Intervention, and Measurable Growth-Dr. Marcus Holbert, 

                               Forest Municipal                   

                              School  District Cynthia Gabbert and Ken Byars-Kids First
                             Meeting Room A- Beyond Compliance: Leveraging Federal Dollars to Transform Instruction for English Learners-Heather Byars, Tupelo Schools
                             Dr. Monique Henderson, English Learners Engage

9:00-9:15          Break

9:15-9:45          General Session, Ballroom A-B
                             Speaker- Kim Benton

9:45-11:30       Updates from MDE, Ballroom A-B

11:30-12:30     Speaker- Weston Kiechnick, Ballroom A-B

12:30-1:00        Door Prizes-Must be present to win.
                              Closing Remarks & Adjourn