‣ Professor, Educational Leadership at Florida Atlantic University
‣ Principal of the Year for Broward County Public Schools
‣ Recipient of Numerous Awards & Honors for his Work in Education
‣ Prolific author of 4 books in Education including “Parents, Don’t Forget your Homework”
Dr. Washington Collado began his career in education in 1986 in New York where he taught Spanish and English as a Second Language in New York City Public Schools. In 1992, he and his family moved to Florida and continued teaching at Miami-Dade Public Schools. In 1998, he moved to Broward County Public Schools’ Multicultural Department to write curriculum and conduct trainings for teachers and administrators on the contributions of Latinos, African Americans, and Women throughout the History of the United States.
Dr. Collado began his career in school administration as an assistant principal at Broward County Public Schools and was promoted to principal in 2005. He has served 17 years as principal at the middle and high school levels and served as president of the Broward Principals and Assistants Association (BPAA).
In February, 2021, Dr. Nino Collado received the distinction of Principal of the Year for Broward County Public Schools, the nation’s 6th largest school district. Dr. Collado is also an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University teaching courses on educational leadership and an Associate at Creative Leadership Solutions.
Throughout his career, Dr. Nino Collado has devoted much of his time to teaching and orienting and has travelled to various countries and over 20 states as a motivational speaker on matters of school leadership and family engagement.
He has also served as panelist at CNN Español, NPR (New York), Telemundo, Univision, and others. He has written over 100 articles for newspapers and magazines, including the Miami Herald and has also published four books:
‣ Parents, Don’t Forget your Homework (2009),
‣ Padres, no olviden su tarea (2004),
‣ Liderazgo y escuelas efectivas (2014).
‣ Beyond Conversations About Race (June, 2021)
Dr. Collado has received several honors and recognitions for his work in schools and communities. He is married to Carmen R. Collado for over 35 years and together they are proud parents of four gentlemen: Mario, Alejandro, Miguel, and Victor.
KEYNOTE 1
Singapore Premier
The Power of Collective Action: Creating Organization Synergy with Principles-based Leadership Commitment
BY Prof. Washington Collado
Synopsis
After serving as a school-based educator: teacher, department chair, vice-principal, and principal) for over 35 years in various communities, including low socio-economic communities, school leadership is more effective when educators synergize different forces to create supportive structures for teaching and learning. Research shows that the proper coordination of varying forces in a school is conducive to creating a supportive environment for teachers and students, leading to professional success and increasing student achievement (Fullan, 2016). I had the fortune of working with great teams of educators, and we had considerable success with students’ achievement and organizational coherence. Broward County Public Schools, the Unites States’ 6th largest school district, recognized this success in various areas, honoring me as Principal of the Year for 20-21; I accepted the honor on behalf of our entire school.
The reality is that schools are complex organizations by their very nature, particularly in low socioeconomic communities. Many students in these communities face varying degrees of challenges academically and socioemotionally that may lead them to a gradual disenfranchisement resulting in poor academic and socioemotional experience leading to dropping out of school. This is also true for education professionals who need to feel physically and psychologically safe in a healthy environment. These educational needs demand resourceful leadership to create a supportive network. This alignment of a supportive network has to be carefully choreographed and planned with a delicate balance of accountability and applying proactive, reactive, and interactive measures to engage, re-engage, and maintain students on a path of success.
Finding your Why in Education: The Practical Power of Conviction
BY Prof. Washington Collado
Synopsis
When we assume the role of an educator, we are bestowed with an honor few careers can claim: the trust of families to bring their children to our classrooms and schools for us to educate them and strengthen democratic values. Educators stand out when they understand, accept, assume the role, and clearly focus on building capacity, continually learning, and collaborating with other team members, grades, or schools. Many would call this finding their “why.” This conference will guide educators to set goals, find their “why,” and align their goals and objectives to those of the organization.
When people in the organization can understand the purposeful nature of a given initiative and can relate it to their own personal mission and approach, their commitment to succeed will be more significant, as author Simon Sinek (2009) stresses in his book Start with Why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. However, on other occasions, pursuing organizational “why” and focusing on objective can be dismissed as well-intended, but impractical to apply in actual organizational practices. Nothing can be further from the truth. Values-driven, ethical, and responsible leadership is a pragmatic approach with a high potential of motivating people within the organization to reach beyond their means to meet a goal or achieve a school’s collective mission and vision. Influential education leaders can transmit the value and meaning of the task at hand, clearly define the “why” of commitment to their followers, and compel them to walk with purpose.
Maximizing Synergy: Building Cohesion as School to Increase Student Achievement & Professional Success
BY Prof. Washington Collado
Synopsis
This master class looks at the effects of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) & Socio- emotional balance and their effects on students’ achievement and professional success. Effective schools are able to align a network of collaborative and supportive structures that are all conducive to increasing student achievement, engagement, or re-engaging students who are academically fragile. When schools have structure curricular cohesion, teachers are able to concentrate on the two most essential elements equally: teaching and learning. This masterclass will do a deep dive into the four elements of a true PLC, following key and respected research: curriculum, formative assessment, remediation, and enrichment (CARE).
The second part of this masterclass involves establishing a culture of learning with the students by strengthening their socio-emotional balance, helping them own their learning, and creating, in the classroom and the school, a process for constructive discipline where the students feel the responsibility of empowerment and are taught the values of civic responsibility constructively.
When schools are able to combine the supportive force of curricular cohesion with the student’s strength and emotional balance, student achievement improves, and, just as important, the school has the feeling of a supporting environment where learning is fun, safe, and where students can achieve their highest potential with individualized support. Participants will develop their own plan to create curricular cohesion and increase students’ socio-emotional balance at their schools.
Conceptual for Curricular Cohesion and Students’ Socio-Emotional Balance:
‣ PLC: Establishing the Essential Tenets of PLC:
‣ The Power of Formative Assessment for Academic Growth
‣ Tiered Intervention and Enrichment for Students.
‣ Lessons Learned from Covid: How to Strengthen Students Academically Module 6- Effective application of constructive discipline and socio-emotional Module 7- My plan for school synergy for students and teachers
Essential Leadership Practices for Effective Schools: Strengthening School Synergy to Maximize Students' Success
BY Prof. Washington Collado
Synopsis
In this masterclass, we propose to focus on two groups of educators: teachers, department heads, and academic support personnel, and the second group is oriented toward school-based administrators and other school leaders working on various aspects of a school. Schools are complex organizations by their very nature. Complex because everyone involved, parents, educators and staff, students, members of the community, and other stakeholders, have deeply held convictions of how schools should function, as they see it from their own vantage points.
These perspectives often coincide; other times, they are diametrically opposed to one another, and other times there are many areas in between, creating a more accessible opportunity for compromise. Irrespective of how big or small their differences may be, these convictions and opinions if well managed by leaders, may lead to the enactment of supportive efforts with opportunities for growth, collaboration, and constructively working out differences. Most importantly, synergizing all efforts should contribute to developing a learning organization that fosters strength in the diversity of ideas for students to maximize their learning and social potential.
We must own the moment, understand our role in society, establish professional goals, and adhere to a set of ethical values and principles-based approaches to our work. It is not a simple altruistic endeavor based on the ethereal concept of “good intentions.” It is a strategic plan to harness the power of positive, intentional commitment to plan synergistically to meet students’ needs and promote educators’ professional growth. Educators can start by establishing a clear demarcation of the ethical and moral approach to education and leadership in schools owning and living up to the valued societal roles we must adhere to as educators.
This masterclass will use research and hands-on experience to discuss school coherence and collective team approach to teaching, learning, and community engagement by delving into the following modules:
‣ Vision and Mission: In this part of the masterclass, we will discuss the theoretical, philosophical, and applicable concepts of what is vision and mission.
‣ Work Plan: This second part discusses a work plan or school progress plan that serves as a guide to achieving the goals sought to be achieved.
‣ The principal or director as curriculum leader: In this third module, we enter into what the curriculum means and its dimensions.
‣ Professional Learning Communities: This part of the masterclass will focus on research-based concepts of Professional Learning Communities.
‣ School management: Participants will analyze their organizations and will be able to conclude how they all relate closely towards a truly successful school.
‣ Communication: Effective schools are aware of how actors interact with the school: students, parents, government agencies, and businesses perceive the school and its effect on the community.
‣ Leadership, Ethics, and Conduct: In this part, we will analyze the importance of ethical, moral, and professional conduct that gives leaders the moral and professional authority to demand, correct, and celebrate.
