Utah Middle Level Association

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Home	Update: March 13, 2010

2010 Conference

On Saturday, March 13, 2010, at Butler Middle School we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the Utah Middle Level Association, bringing back three Utah-favorite speakers, Judith Baenen (1992, 1994, 2004), Jack Berckemeyer (2005), and Debbie Silver (1996, 2007). After brief introductions at a general meeting, during which we will also celebrate middle school students and teachers, each of our speakers will present three 90-minute sessions throughout the day. Download a reminder flyer here and get directions to Butler Middle School 7530 South 2700 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84121-4198 here.

Schedule for the day:

Breakfast: 7:15 – 8:00
Welcome and UMLA business : 8:00 – 8:30
Morning Keynotes: 8:30- 9:30
Break and book signing: 9:30- 10:00
Keynote 2 10:00 – 11:00
Break and book signing: 11:00- 11:30
Keynote 3 11:30- 12:30 Lunch 12:30- 1:30
Concluding session 1:30 – 2:30

Registration for UMLA Participants: All further registration will now take place on-site.

After March 1, registration will be $70 ($20 for non-educators). Lunch is not guaranteed after the March 1 deadline.

If your school or organization is paying for your registration, then let your school/organization register for you, unless you want to pay now and get reimbursed by your school/organization later.

UMLA is looking for those of you who are doing magical things for and with students. One of the hallmarks of our annual conference is that it highlights the important work of teachers and administrators and provides a wealth of ideas for participants. Do you have a philosophy or techniques that you can share with your peers? Do you know someone you have seen or heard at state conferences whom you think should present at the UMLA conference? The conference presenter form is included on the website. Please send in your presenter form for the March 2011 UMLA Conference before January 15, 2011.

Become a Presenter

Message From The President

Every day, millions of diverse, rapidly changing 10- to 15- year-olds make critical and complex life choices and form the attitudes, values, and dispositions that will direct their behavior as adults. They deserve an education that will enhance their healthy growth as lifelong learners, ethical and democratic citizens, and increasingly competent, self-sufficient individuals who are optimistic about the future and prepared to succeed in our ever-changing world.

The above is the first paragraph in the new release from the National Middle School Association, This We Believe. The Utah Middle Level Association echoes that same concern for early adolescent students in our state. UMLA is in harmony with NMSA and is working to bring Utah middle level educators together to collaborate on how we best meet the needs of our students.

Across the state, we have many different grade configurations for the middle level learners. The term middle level education has come to put the focus on the level of education that serves young adolescents rather than the particular school organization or grade plan. These learners have unique characteristics and needs that do not match their elementary or high school counterparts. UMLA is an organization to help Utah educators understand those characteristics and better meet their needs.

The organization is celebrating its thirtieth year. We invite all to celebrate and learn with us at our annual conference on March 13, 2010 at Butler Middle School. We have scheduled our own national quality conference by having the three most sought after speakers from NMSA: Jack Berckmeyer, Judith Baenen and Debbie Silver. They are all entertaining, informative and downright inspiring. I hope you will join us on March 13^th for a wonderful day of “middle level education.”

Sincerely,

Cathy Jensen