Building Educational Communities of Inclusion in PreK-12 Settings
This webinar, hosted by CAL, took place on April 25, 2016 and is posted to our website for the convenience of those who could not attend.
Watch the webinar.
About the Webinar
Students from non-English-speaking backgrounds are the fastest growing segment of the K-12 student population in the United States. An increasing number of these students are newcomers – recent arrivals who have limited or no English language proficiency and who often have had limited formal education in their native countries.
In this webinar, we outline the context for increased diversity in school settings, examine the critical role played by cultural proficiency in successfully welcoming and orienting newcomers to their schools and communities, and explore examples of approaches that increase educational access and opportunity for every student.
Meet Our Presenters
- Sanja Bebic, Senior Consultant, Immigrant and Refugee Integration, Center for Applied Linguistics (moderator)
- Dr. José Medina, Director of Dual Language and Bilingual Education, Center for Applied Linguistics
- Dr. Rachelle Warren, Education Project Director, Anti-Defamation League
Sanja Bebic is CAL’s senior consultant for immigrant and refugee integration. Ms. Bebic has more than 20 years’ experience in delivery, design, training, and management of overseas and domestic education programs working to provide refugees and other newcomers with the information, skills, and attitudes they will need to adjust to life in the United States. She served as director of Immigrant and Refugee Integration and the Cultural Orientation Resource Center, housed at CAL, from 2003 – 2015, where she managed all program activities, including the development and dissemination of publications, videos, capacity-building trainings and presentations, and all facets of technical assistance to Federal agencies, states, and local communities. She has held positions with the International Catholic Migration Commission, the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, among others. Ms. Bebic holds an M.A. in International Training and Education from American University.
José Medina, EdD, is Director of Dual Language and Bilingual Education at CAL. As an English learner himself, José understands first-hand the importance of ensuring that all students have access to educational opportunity. Prior to joining CAL, Dr. Medina was the Director of Bilingual and ESL education at a school district in Texas. In that role, Dr. Medina provided guidance and professional development to teachers, and implemented systems to ensure that all elementary, middle and high school teachers were well equipped to effective meet the needs of English learners. Prior to that, he was the founding campus Principal at an elementary school in central Texas. In twenty years of service in the field of education, Dr. Medina has worked as an educator and school administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and he holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership.
Rachelle Warren, EdD, serves at the Education Project Director at the Anti-Defamation League in the Dallas regional center. In this position, she guides the expansion of educational services in the North Texas/Oklahoma region. Additionally, she facilitates anti-bias and anti-bullying programs for students and adults. Prior to serving in this capacity, Dr. Warren was a district leader and campus principal in Pflugerville ISD where she was responsible for the implementation of cultural proficiency and No Place for Hate district-wide initiatives.
