Fall Kick-off Webinar:
Supporting Multilingual Students in Schools and Classrooms
Monday, September 18, 2023 5:30pm Eastern/4:30pm Central
Thank you for joining us!
Two experienced EL educators share examples from their work supporting multilingual student populations and connecting with students’ families and communities, including ideas and strategies for working with refugee students and developing and sustaining long-term family-school partnerships.
Featured Presentations
Nurturing Relationships and Empowering our Refugee Scholars: A Path to Success
Here is a link to Dr. Winmill’s presentation and materials
Dr. Marissa Winmill, NBCT
Educator, Mentor, Coach, Consultant
Kent School District, Washington
In a world where displaced individuals often face challenges that go beyond the academic realm, the power of nurturing relationships and empowerment cannot be underestimated. This webinar will explore the profound impact of fostering supportive connections within educational settings, among peers, families, and communities. Discover how these relationships serve as a catalyst for success, propelling refugee scholars towards personal growth, academic excellence, and a brighter future. Through inspiring case studies, insightful strategies, and real-world examples, we will delve into the ways we can collectively create a more inclusive and empowering educational environment for these resilient individuals. Join us to learn, engage, and contribute to a discussion that highlights the incredible potential that lies within nurturing relationships and empowering refugee scholars.
Creating an Inclusive Culture: One Community’s Voice
Heidi Booker, MS
ESL Teacher
Jefferson County Schools, Tennessee
“What do you need from the school and How can we help?” Two simple questions asked of our EL parents and families have initiated an ongoing conversation for the past five years at White Pine School in Jefferson County, TN. In this session, I’ll share how this conversation has nurtured school-home communication, integrated cultural celebrations, provided adult English classes, fostered parent engagement in their children’s education, planted a community garden, addressed challenges of bilingual families in a monolingual educational system, and ultimately established Familia ESL: a Multilingual Parent Association.
Meet our Featured Speakers
Dr. Marissa Winmill, a distinguished Filipino American educator, embodies educational excellence with the Golden Apple Award and national board certification. Her impact at Kent-Meridian High School is transformative, inspiring multilingual learners. A doctorate in Educational Leadership from the esteemed American College of Education underscores her expertise.
Dedicating six years to the Professional Educator Standards Board and leading educators state training, Dr. Winmill champions inclusivity and diversifies the educator workforce, empowering multilingual students and paraeducators. Her adept grant writing and transformative professional development foster equitable communities. Her leadership expanded the Refugee Educator Academy and co-authored a pivotal book chapter on refugee education.
Globally, she advances educational paradigms through Childhood Education International and promotes Filipino Ethnic Studies integration as Vice President of Filipino American Educators of Washington. Co-founding the Kent Educators of Color Network, she’s a social justice and equity champion, redefining educational excellence with indomitable spirit.
Heidi Booker has served as an English as a Second Language teacher with the Jefferson County Schools in East Tennessee for 15 years. Heidi’s teacher leader roles include ESL department chair, school leadership and data teams, RTIB team, mentor teacher for 23 student teachers and practicum students, and as a 2017-2018 Fellow with the Jefferson County Leadership Academy. In 2016 and 2020, Heidi’s was recognized as the district teacher of the year. Her instructional commitment to whole child education and family engagement has been recognized through local, regional, and state presentations and activities of service. Since 2017, Heidi has led Familia ESL, a Hispanic parent association at White Pine School, where her colleagues and she host monthly parent meetings and weekly adult language classes, grow a salsa garden, and offer community-wide events through Christmas in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo, and Salsa night. If you ask Heidi for what she is most proud, she will highlight the positive academic and behavioral outcomes for her English Learners as a direct result through Familia ESL parent engagement.
Heidi’s bachelor and master’s degrees were conferred by Carson Newman University. A second career educator, Heidi worked with Nickelodeon and Oasis Productions for 10 years. A native of Georgia, Heidi resides in Morristown, Tennessee with her husband, Byron, daughter, Parker, and her dog Rockie.