October 21 & 22, 2024
Hilton Mystic
20 Coogan Boulevard
Mystic, CT 06355
The GIBS Conference is the perfect professional development opportunity for heads of schools, coordinators, teachers, and district and school board officials to promote best practices in the Northeast region.
Follow us on Instagram @gibsnortheast
Conference Schedule
Monday, October 21 | ||||
Time | Sessions and Locations | |||
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM | Registration and Exhibitors Schooner Ballroom | |||
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM | Breakfast and GIBS Welcome with Andrea Darbee & Katie Rogers, GIBS Schooner Ballroom | |||
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM | Keynote Session: “Telling Our Stories of Resilience” with Amy Baldwin Schooner Ballroom What are the stories we tell and how can they have an impact on our and others’ wellbeing? This interactive workshop grounds the discussion of resilience and storytelling in the recent research on growth mindset and belonging and offers practical strategies for helping you and your students create a story of academic and personal success. | |||
10:45 AM - 11:30 AM | IB Program Meetings | |||
PYP with Diana Ljepoja and Felicia Prince Clipper III | MYP with Beth Billard and Katie Rogers Clipper I | DP/CP with Alison Scanlon and Tiffany Flynn Clipper II | PROSPECTIVE SCHOOLS with Antrina Leeth Soundings | |
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM | ||||
12:45 PM -1:45 PM | Lunch Schooner Ballroom You can also check out: Book Signing with Amy Baldwin Exhibitors Learn more about our exhibitors here. | |||
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | ||||
3:15 PM - 4:00 PM | IB Program Meetings | |||
PYP with Diana Ljepoja and Felicia Prince Clipper III | MYP with Beth Billard and Katie Rogers Clipper I | DP/CP with Alison Scanlon and Tiffany Flynn Clipper II | PROSPECTIVE SCHOOLS with Antrina Leeth Soundings | |
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Networking & Exhibitors Schooner Ballroom & Foyer | |||
Tuesday, October 22 | ||||
Time | Sessions and Locations | |||
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM | Breakfast and GIBS Remarks with Andrea Darbee & Katie Rogers, GIBS Schooner Ballroom | |||
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM | Special Remarks: TBD with Melissa Cuculich & Antrina Leeth IBO Schooner Ballroom | |||
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | ||||
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM | ||||
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM | IB Program Networking and Boxed Lunch | |||
PYP with Diana Ljepoja and Felicia Prince Clipper III | MYP with Beth Billard and Katie Rogers Clipper I | DP/CP with Alison Scanlon and Tiffany Flynn Clipper II | PROSPECTIVE SCHOOLS with Antrina Leeth Soundings | |
Keynote Speaker
Amy Baldwin
Amy Baldwin, Ed.D. is a Senior Lecturer in the Student Transitions department at the University of Central Arkansas where she served as the chair of the department for seven years. Previously, she was the chair of College Studies and instructor at the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College, two-year college. At both institutions, she has taught and supported first-year students who need academic support. She is the author of OpenStax' College Success, College Success Concise, and Preparing for College Success as well as a co-author of Promoting Belonging, Growth Mindset, and Resilience (Stylus) and A High School Parent's Guide to College Success (Wise Media). Her work in the student success field has taken her all over the US to speak to teachers, college faculty, staff, students, and parents. In her spare time, she posts ideas, confessions, and strategies for teaching as @thecuriousprofessor on Instagram.
Find out more about Amy and view more resources on her website.
Special Remarks from IBO
Melissa Cuculich
Melissa Cuculich is a Senior IB Schools Manager, working with U.S. public schools in the northeast, parts of the Midwest and Brazil. Prior to joining the IB, she has been an IB district and school coordinator, as well as a Theory of Knowledge and Language & Literature teacher in the MYP and DP. She has served as the Vice President of the Illinois IB Association of World Schools and has consulted with the IB in the development of the MYP and as a curriculum specialist for the IB’s Building Quality Curriculum service. For over 15 years, Melissa has worked in a variety of school contexts and settings, including a large urban school district, a suburban district, and an independent international school. She remains strongly committed to working across the IB continuum to support school program development. She earned her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Buffalo, two master’s degrees in Teaching and Educational Leadership from North Park University and in 2011, she achieved National Board Certification.
Antrina Leeth
Antrina Leeth is an educator with more than 20 years of experience. She currently serves as Senior Outreach & Development Manager for the International Baccalaureate (IB). Her initial introduction to IB began as a Primary Years Programme (PYP) teacher, before moving into the role of IB Coordinator. Prior to joining the IB, Antrina served as a school leader and managed all IB Programmes for District of Columbia (DC) Public Schools, supporting the sustainability and success of each IB Programme. Antrina is also the proud parent of 3 children with 2 of her children earning the full IB Diploma in 2022 and 2023 respectively. She avidly supports building life-long learning skills for students, educators, and school communities around the world.
Breakout Sessions
Monday, October 21
Block 1:
Reflection Strategies for Deep(er) Learning Presenter: Amy Baldwin Location: Ballroom | Session Description: When students are engaged in metacognitive strategies, they become stronger students. This session focuses on what we can do to help students develop a sense of self-awareness and self-efficacy to support their thinking, learning, and growing. |
Programme Development Plan and Strategic Planning Presenter: tbd Location: tbd | |
Champion of the IB: System-level IB Leadership Presenter: Melissa Cuculich Location: tbd | Session Description: This event is intended for district, group and system level leaders with current IB programs (though all are welcome) to network with other leaders across the association and learn ways that system-level stakeholders can embrace the IB and support IB programmes at their schools. This session will cover the following topics:
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Breakout Sessions
Monday, October 21
Block 2:
Reflection Strategies for Deep(er) Learning Presenter: Amy Baldwin Location: Ballroom | Session Description: When students are engaged in metacognitive strategies, they become stronger students. This session focuses on what we can do to help students develop a sense of self-awareness and self-efficacy to support their thinking, learning, and growing. |
Single and Ready to Mingle: Fostering Resilience, Well-Being, and Transdisciplinary Connections Through Single Subject Areas in the PYP Presenters: Kerry Darby & Wes Ruimerman Location: tbd | Session Description: This interactive presentation aims to equip administrators and teachers with strategies to integrate the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) elements into single subject areas. By focusing on resilience, well-being, teamwork and overcoming challenges, participants will explore innovative ways to support holistic student development within their educational environments. |
Telling Your IB Story Presenter: Melissa Cuculich | Session Description: How do you tell your IB story to strengthen your offered programs? Participants will have time to review mission and vision statements as they align to IB philosophy. We will discuss how IB's Standards and Practices influence school culture. Participants will walk away with practical strategies that they can use tomorrow or next week to publicize IB programs, impact culture, and enhance student experiences. |
Breakout Sessions
Tuesday, October 22
Block 3:
Empowering Learners: Utilizing ATL Skills for Student Success Presenter: Jennifer Hickey Location: | Session Description: If you’re an educator who is seeking to enhance student success through a more explicit implementation of the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills, this is the breakout session for you! This interactive session will offer practical strategies and insights on how to effectively integrate each of the five categories of ATL skills into everyday teaching and learning. We will also develop an understanding of how ATL skills correlate to both various state standards and Tier 1 strategies found in the MTSS (Multi Tiered System of Supports) framework. Participants will work collaboratively in small groups during this session to create lessons and activities to bring back to their respective schools in order to help students develop critical skills for both academic achievement and personal growth. |
IB for All Presenter: tbd Location: | Session Description: |
CP 101 Presenter: tbd Location | Session Description: |
Conference Resources
All the resources shared during the conference are linked below!
Don't forget to complete the Conference Survey
Keynote Session
Amy’s resources can be found HERE
Resources from IBO
IB Programme Group Meetings
Here are General Resources. Click the folders below for programme-specific resources.
Breakout Sessions
Block 1
Block 2
Block 3
GIBS Board of Directors
President
President-Elect
Past President
Director of Conferences
Director of Finance
Director of Communications
Director of Outreach and Social Media
Did you know?
IB in the United States
1971
First
IB World School
1,914
IB World Schools
621 schools
719 schools
966 schools
147 schools
GIBS Members
2023-24
103
IB World Schools
23 schools
22 schools
65 schools
6 schools
Grant Opportunities
2024-25
GIBS project grants will be used to provide funding to support significant inquiry experiences that promote the ideals of the International Baccalaureate Programs. Projects could include the following:
- PYP: Exhibition or IB experience
- MYP: Community Project, Personal Project, student conference or IB experience
- DP: Creativity, Activity, and Service Project, student conference or IB experience
- CP: Service Learning Project, student conference or IB experience
GIBS will allocate $2,000 ($500 per program) in grant funding in the 2023-24 school year to support four projects with the goal of allocating funding across all IB programs. If no grant is awarded in one of the four programs, funds may be allocated to support a second project in another program.
DEADLINE: TBD
Meet our Exhibitors