2024 Schedule
Friday, October 18, 2024 – Professional Development Day
Highline College’s annual Professional Development Day is one of four opportunities throughout the academic year when campus is closed to the public to bring all staff and faculty together in-person to learn and grow. Many of the workshops are offered as hyflex options to allow for some amount of flexibility in scheduling. Employees unable to attend in person are asked to make advance arrangements with their supervisor and to obtain direct approval from your Executive Cabinet representative.
Wellness Events: 8:00-8:45 a.m.
Campus Bird Walk!
Facilitator: Lonnie Somer
The wooded lower, western portion of campus provides a green oasis in a largely urbanized area and can be a great location to find birds at any time of the year. Our guide, Lonnie Somer, has personally identified nearly 100 species there. Note: There will be downhill walking. Binoculars would be helpful but are not required.
Location: meet on the east (upslope) side of Bldg. 8
Morning Wellness Yoga
Facilitator: Maurea Brown
Join us for a relaxing and rejuvenating morning yoga session led by Maurea Brown. This calming activity is open to all faculty and staff. Come dressed in comfortable clothing and bring a water bottle. A yoga mat is recommended, but not required.
Location: Building 4, Room 109
Coffee with a Colleague
Facilitator: None
For those looking for unguided connection time, a cup of coffee or tea, and a place to check-in with beloved colleagues, this morning activity is for you!
Location: Building 8, Mt. Townsend
Session 1 Workshops: 9:00-10:15 a.m.
For descriptions and locations of individual workshops, please see Workshops.
Session 2 Workshops: 10:30-11:45 a.m.
For descriptions and locations of individual workshops, please see Workshops.
Pre-Lunch Dog Therapy Session: 11:45 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Do you feel stressed? Need a little time to just chill out? Love dogs? This is your chance to spend a few minutes just petting a therapy dog –dogs who love nothing more than to sit or lay down and feel your caring pats. Petting a dog has been shown to reduce stress and increase happiness. Join in this event with College Dogs and find your own peace of mind.
Location: Building 8, Mt. Jupiter, 3rd Floor
Lunch
Time: 12- 1:00 p.m.
Location: Building 8, Mount Townsend will be set up for campus to each lunch together in community.
Menu: Vietnamese Bánh Mì Sandwich and Salad Bar
Keynote: 1:00-2:30p.m.
What Does it Mean to Become a Hispanic Serving Institution? Burning Questions and Critical Practices
Dr. Melissa Salazar. ESCALA CEO
For colleges like Highline that are on the brink of earning the Hispanic Serving Institution designation, now is an opportunity to hold dialogues about servingness, or the ways Highline can intentionally put into place practices that foster Latinx/e student success. In this keynote address/workshop Dr. Melissa Salazar, the founder of ESCALA Educational Services Inc. will share what she identifies as the “Burning Questions”, or key discussions that emerge in HSIs as they attempt to shift away from a historically white institutional culture. Dr. Salazar will also share practitioner stories from her organization’s work partnering with more than 75 HSIs across the country, and which practices have been making the biggest difference for Latinx/e students.
Learning Outcomes:
- As a result of the session, participants will
- Be familiar with the landscape and history of Hispanic Serving Institutions in higher education, and the importance of HSIs in equity and social justice work.
- Begin to engage in present day key cultural dialogues that HSIs must hold when transitioning from historically white institutions to Hispanic Serving Institutions.
- Know three practices that are beneficial to Latinx/e students, that all practitioners can start utilizing in an HSI.
Location: Building 8, Mt. Townsend
Speaker Bio:
Melissa L. Salazar, PhD Education (UC Davis), MS Food Technology (UC Davis), and BS Chemistry/Chemical Engineering (UC Berkeley).
Dr. Salazar had an active research and teaching career in food science and cultural nutrition before realizing that her true passion was creating equity in college classrooms for students of color. She now has over 25 years of experience in higher education, as an instructor and now professional developer.
In 2012, Dr. Salazar formulated the idea for ESCALA Educational Services, her consulting and professional development company, after realizing the need for her college colleagues to learn more about the impact of culture on teaching and learning outcomes for Latinx/e and Hispanic students. She built ESCALA from scratch into a thriving school of professional development that now offers 5 different training programs on equity, culture, and teaching to staff, faculty and administrators in emerging and current Hispanic Serving Institutions. To date ESCALA has delivered programming to thousands of practitioners in more than 100 two- and four-year Hispanic Serving Institutions. ESCALA continues to be the only national organization that specializes in providing professional learning for practitioners working in the uniquely diverse context of Hispanic Serving Institutions.
Wellness events to close: 2:45pm
Pickup Basketball
Facilitator: Sam Alkhalili
Pickup basketball for faculty and staff at the gym where you can play for fun and get to meet others. Staying in shape physically and mentally.
Location: Building 27
Table Tennis
Enjoy a fun-filled hour of table tennis! Whether you’re a seasoned player or just learning the art of the backhand, this is a great opportunity to have fun and promote well-being.
Location: Gym/Building 27
*Part-Time faculty may request a stipend for all workshops and the keynote. Please complete the Adjunct Faculty Stipend Request form to request a stipend(s).