Workshops

Fast, Cheap and Under Control: Creating and Managing a Digital Media Publishing System in Three Hours or Less
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Tim Frick, Mightybytes

Need to publish your content online quickly and for free? This three-hour workshop will get you on the right track to digital publishing success with a series of lectures, discussions, and hands-on exercises built around a digital publishing workflow that incorporates free or open-source tools for content deployment and distribution. The course will include a general overview of media formats, a discussion of blogs and how to configure them to instantaneously publish a variety of media types, and a breakdown of social media tools you can use to distribute your content to millions of users with just a few clicks. Bring your laptop.

International CEO Roundtable
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Seth Russo, Edureach International Consulting LLC (Moderator)
Lewis Bronze, Espresso Education
Artur Dyro, Young Digital Planet SA
Sameer Shariff, Impelsys

In any language, "Free" is a powerful word. At this special international edition of AEP's highly popular CEO Roundtable series, you'll find out how companies from around the world are both competing against and taking advantage of the power of free content. The educational value alone makes this a must-attend event for any senior-level executive; the opportunity to network and share ideas with education companies from around the globe makes it the only event of its kind in the industry.

Separate registration fee required. Attendance is limited.
 

General Sessions 

2020 Forecast: Creating the Future of Learning
Thursday, June 11, 2009
9:00 - 10:30 am
Bernice Stafford, Evans Newton Incorporated (Moderator)
Monica Martinez, KnowledgeWorks Foundation

In what promises to be one of the year's most substantive and thought-provoking discussions about the future of education, Monica Martinez of KnowledgeWorks Foundation will explain how the most vibrant innovations in teaching and learning over the next decade will happen outside traditional institutions in places you'd least expect.

Learning in the World of Free
Thursday, June 11, 2009
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Suzanne Barchers, Ed.D., Author & Consultant (Moderator)
Lawrence Lezotte, PhD, Effective Schools Products, Ltd.
Margery Mayer, Scholastic Inc.
Kimberly Worthy, 2009 DC Teacher of the Year, Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science

In the midst of shifting business models, a revolution in distribution, and today's challenging economic climate, this panel of education experts will remind us to keep our eye on the ultimate goal--helping teachers teach and students learn.

Economic Forecast for the Education Market
Friday, June 12, 2009
9:00 - 10:30 am
Mark Stevens, NEA Member Benefits (Moderator)
Dr. Richard Sims, National Education Association

These days, you don't need Jon Stewart or Jim Kramer to tell you our nation's economy is struggling. American businesses are in dire need of expert advice on how to survive in these turbulent times, in which every decision could have long term ripple effects, because the economy is on everyone's mind.

The stimulus bill has got everyone talking and looking for answers. The educational publishing industry is in a unique position to see direct and immediate positive effects, but you need to know where to look and how to understand latest data, trends, and legislative guidelines and how the new economics of the 21st Century are going to work.

AEP has invited the Chief Economist from the National Education Association, Dr. Richard Sims, to lead the session on economic outlook at this year's Summit. An in-depth discussion and extensive Q&A session will combine for a timely, informational, and forward-looking presentation from the foremost expert on education and the economy.

Learning Platforms for the 21st Century and Beyond
Friday, June 12, 2009
2:15 - 3:45 pm
Frank Catalano, Intrinsic Strategy (Moderator)
Jeff Keltner, Google
Laura Porco, Amazon.com
Michael Riordan, Open Publishing Lab at Rochester Institute of Technology

With 2010 just around the corner and the 10th anniversary of the iPod (2011) not far behind, anyone in the business of content should be thinking in terms of platforms--and not just those that already exist.

The Summit's closing keynote session will feature representatives from groups on the cutting edge of platform development: Google’s Application Division, Amazon’s Kindle Book division, and the Open Publishing Laboratory at the Rochester Institute of Technology. The town hall-style discussion will focus on the impact of today's and tomorrow's technologies in the classroom and how this should factor into your product development--starting yesterday.
 

Curriculum

How Fair Use Enables Media Literacy to Thrive
Thursday, June 11, 2009
2:15 - 3:30 pm
Renee Hobbs, Temple University Media Education Lab
Peter Jaszi, Washington College of Law, American University

Media literacy educators use excerpts from movies, advertising, TV shows, music, websites, and digital media to promote critical thinking and communication skills. With children growing up online, these 21st Century literacy skills are more important than ever before, but few educational publishers have created media literacy curriculum materials, even though it is mandated in 49 of 50 states. For both educators and publishers, fear of copyright infringement has interfered with the development of the field. A better understanding of copyright and fair use can help to clarify the copyright confusion that is endemic among K-12 educators. Learn how fair use also enables educational publishers to make innovative use of copyrighted materials in their own creative work.

A Teacher in the Trenches: A Firsthand Account of Using Free in the Classroom
Thursday, June 11, 2009
4:00 - 5:15 pm
John Seelke, III, McKinley Technology High School

As a high school math teacher in a local DC public school, Seelke constantly relies on multiple resources to engage his students. During this session, participants will hear:

• Examples of how he currently uses textbooks and other technology resources provided by publishers;

• A candid perspective on how he uses web resources (include user-created resources) to supplement the curriculum, including showing examples of free-source user-created materials that are very similar to costly materials from publishers; and

• Ways in which publishers can modify their "sales pitch" to include more web-based materials that would attract teachers to educational publishers.

Virtual Pre-K: A Case Study of Multimedia Opportunities in Early Childhood Education
Friday, June 12, 2009
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Alicia Narvaez, Chicago Public Schools

Developed by a team of master preschool teachers from the Chicago Public Schools, Virtual Pre-K (VPK) is an early childhood resource for educators, child care providers, community members and families that connect early learning from the classroom to the home and community. Learn about this school readiness resource, which is being adopted nationwide, that contains standards-aligned themes in English and Spanish, video modeling of developmentally appropriate activities, lesson plans, home activity cards, and a website of resources and support (www.virtualpre-k.org).
 

Innovation

75 Ways to Use Social Networking Sites in Educational Publishing
Thursday, June 11, 2009
2:15 - 3:30 pm
Doug Kolmar, Marketing Consultant
Andrew Pass, Pass-Ed
Lisa Schmucki, edWeb LLC

During his successful campaign, President Barack Obama set incredible fundraising records by taking advantage of Web 2.0 tools available on social networking platforms. You can take advantage of these same tools to earn record profit and to engage hard-to-reach students in the teaching and learning process. This panel will present 75 strategies for effectively using social networking sites throughout the multi-faceted educational publishing industry.

Publishers, Developers, and School Districts: Change Agents in Transformation
Thursday, June 11, 2009
4:00 - 5:15 pm
Randi Brill, Quarasan
Keith Garton, Garton Media Strategy

Today, educators, developers, and publishers are expected to add much more value than ever before--and many are poised to do just that--but don't know where to begin. Our industry does not have time to "practice" what our future looks like. We will make many mistakes if we expect that "old solutions" will work going forward. Changing times mean it's time for change--now. Attendees will walk away with proven ideas, strategies, and game plans to apply immediately. We will target the top take-away actions that industry professionals of all types must begin to apply to ensure their relationships, strategies, and results are geared to vital 21st Century product development demands.

Mining Social Media For Market Intelligence
Friday, June 12, 2009
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Janet Eden-Harris, J.D. Power and Associates

"[I]t's as if a universe of focus groups is forming online. Tens of millions of people participate. Many write copiously. And from a marketer's point of view, many are gloriously indiscreet about practically everything."

- Stephen Baker, The Numerati

Most--if not all--companies in the 21st Century will include social media as part of their marketing mix. However, the value of blogs, wikis, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter (et al) goes beyond just having a presence. Valuable and actionable insights can be drawn from the conversations going on online, and not just on your own sites. Attendees of this session will learn about product tribes, analysis, and market segmentation through examples from the automotive, insurance, and other corporate industries.
 

Opportunities

Free For All: Free Resources Every Publisher Should Know About
Thursday, June 11, 2009
2:15 - 3:30 pm
Corinne Burton, Shell Education
Kati Elliott, KEH Communications
Joel Petersen, Thinkronize Inc.

Hear about free marketing, sales, and public relations/communication resources that are available to educational publishers and how to best put them into action.

Education Investment and the Economic Recovery
Thursday, June 11, 2009
4:00 - 5:15 pm
Sally Shake, Education Legislative Services, Inc.

In his April "House Upon a Rock" speech, President Obama listed investments in education only behind Wall Street reform as factors foundational to US economic recovery. In this session, AEP’s legislative consultant Sally Shake, President, Education Legislative Services, Inc., will highlight the links between reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind) and restoring America’s competitiveness in the world. Included will be updates on the implementation of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and the proposed federal funding for the school year 2010-11. Participants will leave with a clear idea of some issues and themes at the center of discussion on Capitol Hill, the Department of Education and the White House.

The Money's Not Free—What the Feds Will Expect for New ESEA Funding
Friday, June 12, 2009
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Kevin McAliley, Strategy Consultant (Moderator)
Daniel A. Domenech, AASA
Patricia Johnson, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Tom Zembar, NEA Senior Policy Analyst

At the same time that the recession is causing huge budget cuts at state and local levels, the record federal stimulus is beginning to flow down from the feds to the states and districts. Veteran industry executive Kevin McAliley will host a panel of federal, state and local experts. Topics covered will be what the feds will expect, when the money will flow and how much will be available for instructional materials for the remainder of  2009 and over the next few years.
 

Additional Events

Capitol Hill Event
Competing Globally: Beyond Stale Debates to Learning Solutions

Wednesday, June 10, 2009
7:30 am - 12:00 pm
Sally Shake, Education Legislative Services, Inc. (Moderator)

Representative Joe Barton (R-TX)
Representative Charles A. Wilson (D-OH)
James Bergeron, Deputy Director of Education and Human Services Policy, House Education and Labor Committee, Representative Howard McKeon (R-CA)
Lindsay Hunsicker, Senior Education Policy Advisor, Senate HELP Committee, Senator Michael B. Enzi (R-WY)
David J. Johns, Senior Education Policy Advisor, Senate HELP Committee, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
Lillian Pace, Policy Advisor, House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Representative George Miller (D-CA)

U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan (Invited)

AEP’s annual legislative briefing will begin with a breakfast and a program on Capitol Hill (tentatively scheduled for The Gold Room, RHOB 2168). Following the program, participants who have signed up in advance will meet with legislators based on the appointment schedule arranged by AEP. Bus transportation from the hotel to the meeting location will be provided.

Schedule
•Departure for the Hill: 7:30 am from the lobby
•Breakfast: 8:00 - 8:30 am
•Program: 8:30 - 10:00 am
•Legislator visits: 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

America’s economy is in crisis and its PreK-12 educational results are on a downward slope. On the other side of crisis is opportunity. President Obama and his administration are focusing on several key changes to reform our education system, produce 21st Century schools and prepare students to compete in the global economy. These include:

• uniform and high standards
• aligned and effective instructional materials
• extended classroom learning time
• investment in innovation and in what works
• innovation in technology, curricula, instruction and teacher preparation

Invited speakers will include legislators or staff from the House and Senate. Other resource persons may be invited as well, such as White House or Department of Education staff. Gain an inside perspective on their reactions to the President's education reform ideas, their ESEA/NCLB reauthorization recommendations and their own alternative or complementary ideas.

Separate registration fee required.

Field Trip: McKinley Technology High School
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
8:30 am - 12:00 pm

McKinley Technology High School (MTHS) re-opened its doors in 2003 as a school focused on STEM education. Since its reopening, it is only one of three public high schools in the DC Public School system that has achieved AYP. With a population of just over 800 students, MTHS has four Career and Technology Education (CTE) academies that allow its students the chance to experience hands on education. The academies include Mass Communications, Biotechnology, Information Technology and Enginnering.

You will get a chance to tour MTHS, to talk with teachers, students and faculty on how they use hands on learning to maximize student achievement. It will provide publishers a unique insight into how schools use their resources and how you can re-design your products to fit the changing needs of today's students.

This field trip is for registered Summit attendees only.

Space is limited. Download the registration form and fax to Doug Ferguson at 856-241-0709.

Help Desk
Thursday, June 11 and Friday, June 12, 2009
Appointments as scheduled

No half-hour wait times or soft jazz at this Help Desk--just fast and actionable advice. Contact Doug Ferguson at 856-241-7772 to schedule your 30 minutes of face time with our seasoned marketing, production, and finance professionals.

Kevin McAliley, Strategy Consultant and AEP Board member
Areas of expertise: general management, product development strategies, and finance.

Kevin has been the CEO of three educational media companies that came to dominate their market niches under his leadership: Newbridge, Films Media Group, and Triumph Learning. He believes that a strong product array that gives customers an "aha" moment delivered through aggressive sales and marketing is crucial to success in our industry. He is happy to talk about the components of this formula and how they apply to your business.

Jim McVety, Bill Smith Group
Areas of Expertise: Product Analysis: Examining how well product development and design are aligned with marketing objectives. Our team will provide one-on-one brainstorming to zero in on key product branding and design questions, such as:

1. Does your design and content accomplish your brand objectives--warmth, authority, contemporary-ness, or best-in-class?

2. Do your products cover key customer requirements?

3. Is your line cohesive--is it cogent and easy to use and to present?

4. Is your portfolio structured for growth? Where are the opportunities for expansion and how might expansion strengthen your brand?

Seth Russo, Edureach International Consulting LLC
Seth Russo is Principal of Edureach International Consulting LLC, a company he recently established after leading Scholastic's International Sales Division for the past twelve years. He has extensive experience in international sales and distribution practices for trade books, children's books and educational publishing. If you are seeking guidance regarding market entry strategies or expansion ideas in the retail, distribution, institutional or international school channels, please feel free to set up an appointment.

Ben Weintraub, Merit Software
Areas of Expertise: Ben led Merit Software full throttle into online marketing to schools in 1996 after a conversation with high school technology coordinator. Through Ben's leadership, Merit has achieved high organic search engine rankings, launched several successful viral marketing campaigns, and used various web analysis tools to qualify prospects and close sales. He is happy to share his expertise and discuss how it may apply to small and medium-sized print publishers.

Christopher Ziemnicki & Emily Garner, MDR
Areas of Expertise: Email Marketing, Direct Marketing, Product Development, Creative Development & Strategies

Chris has been the leader of E-Marketing Solutions for MDR for the past five years as well as chief strategic consultant on interactive
marketing to MDR's customers (and now QED's customers as well). In addition, Chris leads MDR's industry leading educational e-marketing research and best practices efforts by authoring numerous white papers, best practice guides, and annual industry trends reports as well as being a frequent presenter on MDR Educational Webinars. Chris will be happy to share his insight into the educational email marketing space, offer hands on consultation on all things email, and offer concrete actionable suggestions for improving your e-marketing ROI.

Emily was Director of Creative Services and Marketing for QED and now serves as leader of Creative Services for MDR following MDR's acquisition of QED. Emily works closely with clients to develop integrated marketing campaigns and can address creative strategies, targeting, offers and timing as well as provide feedback and recommendations for specific marketing pieces. Bring your catalog, direct mail, e-mail, web site, or online marketing strategy for review.

2009 Weekly Reader's Student Publishing Awards Luncheon
Thursday, June 11, 2009
12:30 - 2:00 pm

Featured Speaker: Candy Crowley, Senior Political Correspondent, CNN

During this luncheon, outstanding student writers and journalists from elementary, middle, and high schools will be presented with the Weekly Reader Student Publishing Awards. These awards recognize excellence in student-produced publications, as well as individual published non-fiction articles. Register now.

2009 Action Auction
Thursday, June 11, 2009
5:30 - 7:30 pm

Between the economy, gas prices, a historic election, and the adjustments that come with a new administration, it's been an interesting and, at times, challenging year. You've earned the right to kick back and have some fun and maybe even treat yourself by bidding on a vacation rental, a spa package, or some other special item up for bid at the annual Action Auction.

As always, the Auction begins with a silent portion on the Summit's opening day and concludes with a spirited sell-off led by professional auction emcee and Principal at Intrinsic Strategy Frank Catalano.

Contact Doug Ferguson or Laura Clarke to donate an auction item.

Annual Meeting Breakfast
Friday, June 12, 2009
7:30 - 8:45 am

The annual meeting is an opportunity to hear about the business side of the association. Find out how your member dues supported the organization in 2008 and what the plans are for the upcoming year. We’ll also honor outgoing president, Dick Casabonne, and formally welcome the incoming president, Suzanne Barchers.

2009 Beacon Awards Luncheon, sponsored by MDR
Friday, June 12, 2009
12:30 –2:00 pm

Featured speaker:
Joe Rospars, Founding Partner, Blue State Digital

Join us as we celebrate the unsung heroes of the marketing departments and firms that serve the educational resource industry, and hear an exclusive address from Joe Rospars of Blue State Digital, New Media Director on Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Register now.

Annual Awards Reception & Gala
Friday, June 12, 2009
6:00 - 10:00 pm

Join AEP and industry professionals for the 2009 Awards Banquet and Gala to find out who won the prestigious DAA and Golden Lamp Awards and see a display of the best products in the industry. Held at the National Press Club on Friday, June 12 from 6:00-10:00 pm, this black tie-optional event has become the hallmark for excellence in the education industry. The banquet begins with the cocktail reception from 6-7:00 pm. Following the reception is an outstanding performance by The Capitol Steps, a Washington-based troupe of Congressional staffers turned songwriters, interwoven with the awards presentations.

Separate registration fee required. Register now.