Event Details

Join us at Leesville Road High on Sept. 19 and 21 for two days of seminars, engaging professional learning, and keynote addresses from Jimmy Casas and Joy Kelly. With the variety of district calendars, we will ensure there are learning opportunities for both school staff and families on both days. However, Saturday’s event will cater more to Family and Community involvement, while Monday's focus will be more on staff professional development.  Register today! 
 

What to expect

Saturday, Sept.19: Family & Community-Focused Professional Learning
Keynote Speaker: Jimmy Casas, Author of  "CULTURIZE: Every Student, Every Day, Whatever It Takes"

Monday, Sept. 21: School & District-Focused Professional Learning
Keynote Speaker:  Joy Kelly, Author of "Handle With Care-Managing Difficult Situations With Dignity & Respect" (co-authored with Jimmy Casas)

Keynote Speaker: Jimmy Casas
Jimmy Casas has been an educator for more than 30 years, serving 22 years as a school leader. Under his leadership, his school was named one of the Best High Schools in the country three times by Newsweek and US News & World Report.

Jimmy was named the 2012 Iowa Secondary Principal of the Year and was selected as runner-up NASSP 2013 National Secondary Principal of the Year. In 2014, Jimmy was invited to the White House to speak on the Future Ready Schools pledge. Jimmy is also the author of eleven books, including the Washington Post’s best- selling book "CULTURIZE: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes," which has sold over 350,000 copies to date. His latest release, The Drip Effect: Breaking Free From Hustle Culture, is available now on Amazon.

Jimmy is the owner and CEO of J Casas & Associates, where he and his team serve as professional leadership coaches for school and district leaders across the country. In January 2020, Jimmy launched ConnectEDD, a publishing company aimed at giving back to the profession by supporting educators to become published authors.
 

Keynote Speaker: Joy Kelly
Joy Kelly brings over 30 years of experience in education as a teacher, principal, and executive leadership coach. A passionate advocate for cultivating trust, excellence, and meaningful relationships, Joy was recognized as the 2015 Iowa Associate Principal of the Year. She believes that a strong, positive culture is the foundation of every successful school.

She is the co-author of Handle with Care: Managing Difficult School Situations with Dignity and Respect, written with Jimmy Casas, which provides educators with practical strategies to navigate challenges with professionalism and compassion.

Today, Joy works with school leaders across the country, helping them clarify core values, cultivate trust, hold themselves and others accountable, and build leadership capacity. Her work inspires schools to become places where educators thrive, parents feel confident, and students excel in safe, engaging environments.