Calling all Public School Leaders and Advocates! Register Now to Attend!

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Become inspired and improve your skills at Montana's largest gathering of school leaders!

Join us on October 18-20, 2023 in Billings!

Plan on attending Thursday's Opening and Friday's Closing Keynote Presentations!

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Thursday, October 19 - Alberta Bair Theatre

The Strategic Legislative Leaders’ Panel will be held at the Alberta Bair Theater. This session will be facilitated by Jason Dougal, president and COO of the National Center on Education and the Economy

Panelists will include:

• Representative David Bedey, Chair, Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education
• Senator Shannon O’Brien, Senate Leadership, Minority Whip and member of Senate Education and Cultural Resources
• Representative Llew Jones, Chair, House Appropriations

During the interim preceding the 2023 Legislature, these legislative leaders led multiple gatherings of various bodies with constitutional authority and responsibility for quality education in Montana. Focused on ensuring the people's goal of developing the full potential of each person, the groups reached a consensus on four keys to the future success of Montana’s public schools:

1. Transforming the Teaching Profession
2.  Targeted Early Literacy Interventions
3. Career and Technical Education
4. Proficiency-based Education

Our facilitator, Jason Dougal, will set the stage for the panel discussion with an overview and cross reference of these Montana-specific priorities to NCEE’s Blueprint for a High-Performing Education System. Dougal will facilitate a discussion of panelists regarding their reflections on challenges and successes championing these priorities during the 2023 Legislative Session and their thoughts on the next steps in our work together.

Learning about the details of this initiative is perhaps the most important step you can take in the coming year to ensure the future success of your community schools. 

Friday, October 20 - DoubleTree Billings

Join us in welcoming Levi Horn in a return visit as our closing keynote speaker at MCEL 2023.  Levi was our highest-rated speaker at MCEL 2022 and brings a great message of youth empowerment inspired by his personal experience in overcoming odds and achieving success in college, the NFL, and beyond. Levi’s emphasis on empowering and supporting youth in pursuing excellence will give us just the right send-off at the end of MCEL 2023. We are excited to have him back in Montana and appreciate the support and leadership of MTSBA’s Indian School Board Caucus in making it happen.

An excerpt from Levi’s website provides a preview of his keynote:

I started my football career in high school and became an All-State tight end my senior year for Rogers High School in Spokane, WA. I received a scholarship to the University of Oregon.  I was not ready for this first year of college and transferred to the University of Montana, where my mentors and coaches helped me attain All-American status by my senior year and my shot at the NFL.

We, as Native Americans, have always known words have power, and I spread hope through the power of positivity. I first shared when I was six years old that I wanted to play in the NFL and was laughed at. I look to empower our youth to set a dream and shoot for it. We must not perceive failure as a negative but a lesson learned in our journey.

Accolades- 2005-First Team All State Tight End, 2009-First Team Big Sky Left Tackle, 2009-Third Team All American Associated Press and The Sports Network, 2009-First Team All-American AFCA, 2009-University of Montana Paul Weskamp Award, 2011- Top 40 under 40 National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development 

Tribal Affiliations: Northern Cheyenne, Arikara, Blackfoot (Blood Tribe), Gros Ventre 

You can read more at https://levihorn.com.