Call for Presentations

NMSA's 37^th Annual Conference and Exhibit
Baltimore, Maryland, November 4-6, 2010

Submission Information

You may apply to present sessions that fit one of the 3 categories below:

• Half-Day Workshops (3-hour)
  Held before the opening of and throughout the conference, these sessions are half-day (3-hour) presentations on topics that are current, thought-provoking, and interactive. Workshop selection is highly competitive. To attend these sessions attendees must pay an additional fee. Typically, between 20 and 30 half-day workshops are selected. Presenters are persons who possess exceptional qualifications. Applications for workshop presentations must be submitted by January 3, 2010. Please do not submit an application for more than two Workshops.
• Concurrent Sessions (75-minute)
  These are 75-minute sessions dealing with a variety of current topics appropriate to middle level education. Innovative instructional methods, trends, and special programs are featured. Applications for Concurrent Sessions must be submitted by January 31, 2010. Please do not submit an application for more than three concurrent sessions.

Deadline

In order to be considered for acceptance NMSA must receive your completed application from this Call for Presentations by:

• 6 hour or 3 hour Workshops - January 3, 2010
• Concurrent Sessions - January 31, 2010

Submit online or send one copy of both pages of your application by fax or mail.

Conference Information

Middle level educators from around the world gather at the National Middle School Association's Annual Conference. This is the conference for dialogue, learning, and exploration of topics critical to schools, agencies, and individuals dedicated to the education, development, and growth of young adolescents.

We are interested in sessions that speak to the various experiences and knowledge base of all middle level educators. Sessions that provide direction and ideas to those new to the middle school are as important to this conference as are sessions geared to established middle level practitioners. We provide a range of sessions that include practical, hands-on sessions and theoretical, research-based presentations. Our goal is to offer a varied program selection where the professional middle level educator—teacher, principal, assistant principal, guidance counselor, central office administrator, community agency employee, and other youth worker—can find her or his niche.

Please consider this opportunity to submit a proposal to present and contribute to the growing body of knowledge on middle level education.

Conference Strands

NMSA has selected conference strands to reflect language of the 3rd edition of This We Believe.

View conference strands and descriptions

Application Review Process

Applications are read as part of a juried process by the Program Review Committee. Applicants will be notified of their proposal's status after the Program Review Committee's evaluation of all entries. Applicants must:

• Develop a proposal to represent the selected strand
• Make sure the proposal is relevant and significant to middle level education
• Clearly describe the goals and rationale for the proposed presentation
• Indicate the intended audience, e.g., beginning teachers, advanced teachers, administrators, professors, etc.
• Make sure the title reflects the content of the proposal
• Avoid pejorative references and discriminatory comments

The Program Review Committee chooses presenters from a broad spectrum of geographical, racial, ethnic, and professional groups. In addition to the guidelines listed, evaluations from previous NMSA annual presentations, as well as the number of applications submitted per presenter, are taken into consideration. Presenters are not guaranteed continuing slots on the program, even though past sessions may have been well received.

Applications are graded on 10 aspects relevant to this event and our audience.

Explanation of the grading process

Half-day Workshop selections will be made by February 2010. Selections for the 75-minute concurrent sessions will be made by April 2010. The Program Review Committee's decision will be mailed to all primary/contact presenters after this date.

Presenters serve on a contributing basis and are required to register for the annual conference and pay the presenter rate. As contributors, presenters are not reimbursed for lodging, travel, audiovisual rental, or conference registration. Presenters must also agree to submit their session handouts no later than September 21, 2010 to be provided to all conference attendees in an electronic format.

Guidelines for Completing the Application

All information must be typewritten in the space provided on the application form. Handwritten abstracts and descriptions will not be accepted. The abstract/description page may be electronically reproduced. Additional room will be needed for the narrative portions of the application, attach typed sheets as needed. Do not attach supplemental materials. The Program Review Committee will consider only the information from the application. Presenters may not submit more than three proposals or include themselves as a co-presenter on more than two additional proposals (a total of five proposals). Applications for Workshops must be received by January 3, 2010 and applications for Concurrent Sessions must be received by January 31, 2010. You may complete this application online at www.nmsa.org or fax it to 614-895-4750.

Presentation
Abstract content must be clear and contain the three listed requirements. Presentations which contain negative references based on ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, and beliefs will not be considered. Please make sure the title reflects the content of the session.

Program Book Description
NMSA reserves the right to edit program book descriptions and titles for clarity and/or space limitations.

Deadline
In order to be considered for acceptance NMSA must receive your completed application from this Call for Presentations by:

• 3 hour Workshops - January 3, 2010
• Concurrent Sessions - January 31, 2010