(Harrisburg, PA)—More than 200 elementary and secondary school principals will convene in Camp Hill for the eleventh annual conference of the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (PA Principals Association) to be held October 19-21, 2003, at the Radisson Penn Harris Hotel.

Dr. Paula K. Hess has been selected to receive the PA Principals Association’s prestigious Educational Excellence Award. The honor is given annually to a citizen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who has made significant contributions to the attainment of education excellence in the state’s elementary and secondary schools. Dr. Hess has demonstrated a sincere commitment to the quality of public education in the Commonwealth. The award will be presented to Dr. Hess during the PA Principals Association’s annual banquet
(6 p.m. on Monday, October 20, 2003).

In addition to the more than 70 vendors exhibiting their wares for schools and classrooms, a multitude of professional and informational breakout sessions and keynote addresses will be presented to attendees during the three-day conference. Carl P. Beard, Esq., is a partner in the law firm of Andrews & Beard in Altoona and practices in the areas of labor, employment and school and municipal law. Beard formerly served as the legal counsel for the Pennsylvania Schools Boards Association. He will present the “School Law Update” during the first general session on Sunday, October 19, 2003.

Dr. Douglas Reeves, chairman and founder of the Center for Performance Assessment, will discuss “Standards and Accountability for Individual Student Progress” on Monday, October 20, 2003, at the second general session. Schools throughout the United States and in several other countries are transforming their approach to standards, assessment and accountability by using Dr. Reeves’ practical popular books and video series. Dr. Reeves has published 14 books, and he is the author of the best-selling, Making Standards Work, now in its third edition.

In the third general session on Tuesday, October 21, 2003, Jamie Vollmer, a speaker/consultant who works to increase community support for public education, will deliver a keynote address titled, “You Cannot Do This Alone.” Vollmer is a former corporate CEO and attorney who now works to halt the erosion of public trust in public schools. He is president of Vollmer & Associates, Inc., in Fairfield, Iowa.

For further information or to schedule an interview or photo opportunity, please contact
Sheri Thompson, PA Principals Association Director of Communications at (717) 732-4999 or e-mail sherit@paprincipals.org.

PA Principals Association’s mission is to: Assist members in fulfilling their role as instructional leaders and effective managers who promote the best educational program for all students; give members an effective voice in the educational decision-making process at the local, state and national levels; and improve members’ working conditions so that their rights are protected, their job descriptions are reasonable, the importance of their instructional leadership role is recognized and their salaries and fringe benefits are equitable.