New Jersey Education Association

NJEA PDII Impact Conference
2026-07-15 07:30 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Princeton Marriott at Forrestal, 100 College Rd E, Princeton, NJ, 08540, United States
For many educators, summer provides an opportunity to pause and reflect on the school year and invites them to reimagine what next year might bring. NJEA’s IMPACT Conference will provide an opportunity for educators to engage with various topics and themes in ways that spark joy and creativity. Following a keynote address from Prof. Temple Grandin, world-renowned neurodiversity pioneer, select from a variety of breakout sessions on topics such as technology, arts integration, diversity, teacher leadership, healing-centered practices, and more, designed to renew your passion for education. Plus, enjoy book giveaways and prizes throughout the day.
ARRIVE EARLY on conference day to be among the first 25 participants to attend a private book signing with Temple Grandin! Doors open at 7:30 a.m.
Conference Schedule
7:30 – 9 a.m. | Registration, Breakfast, Exhibits
7:45 – 8:45 a.m. | Wellness Activities
9 – 10:15 a.m. | Keynote
10:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. | Morning Breakout
12:20 – 1:50 p.m. | Lunch, Wellness, Exhibits
1:50 – 3:50 p.m. | Afternoon Breakout
3:50 – 4 p.m. | Prize Giveaway
Keynote: Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is a professor of animal science at Colorado State University. When she was two and a half years old, she had no speech and all the symptoms of severe autism. Early intensive speech therapy enabled her to speak by age four. Her mother always encouraged her interest in art and urged her to draw many diﬀerent things. Good teachers and mentors were essential for Temple’s success. Her high school science teacher challenged her with interesting projects where she had to ﬁgure out how to make things work. When studying in school became a pathway to becoming a scientist, she was motivated to study.
An HBO movie titled Temple Grandin was made about her life, and Temple was inducted into The National Women’s Hall of Fame and The Academy of Arts and Sciences. Facilities she has designed handle over half the cattle in the U.S. Some of her most important books are New York Times Bestseller “Animals in Translation,” “Thinking in Pictures,” “The Autistic Brain,” and “The Way I See It.” Riding horses and caring for them helped her get through diﬃcult teenage years when she was bullied and teased.
Free books for participants courtesy of BookSmiles

NJEA & BookSmiles: Banned on the Run
BookSmiles will distribute thousands of free books at the conference, including many titles found on banned books lists. Every attendee can leave the conference with multiple books for their classroom libraries.
COST: $95 for NJEA members
Refund deadline: July 8, 2026
Registration fee includes program, breakfast and lunch.
The conference provides up to five hours of professional learning credit.
Register
Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Only registered participants may attend. No on-site registration. Registration deadline: July 8, 2026.
Purchase order registrations are not available online and must be placed with the conference registrar, Krista Orellana, at korellana@njea.org. Questions? Email pdevents@njea.org
If you have a special physical, communication, dietary, or other related need which may require assistance or accommodations to permit or facilitate your attendance/participation in the conference please contact Krista Orellana, at korellana@njea.org.

NJEA IMPACT Conference Flyer

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NJEA R.I.S.E. Conference
2026-07-22

NJEA Jack Bertolino Summer Leadership Conference
2026-08-01 - 2026-08-05 | Harrah’s Atlantic City, 777 Harrah’s Boulevard, Atlantic City, 08401, United States
The 2026 NJEA Jack Bertolino Summer Leadership Conference will offer a broad menu of workshops that equip members to become stronger association advocates.
Session 1 – Aug. 1-3, 2026

Session 2 – Aug. 3-5, 2026

How do I register?
If you are an NJEA member, you are eligible and encouraged to attend the conference. To register, you should talk to your local and/or county association president.
Local and county association presidents will receive registration brochures with detailed information about the 2026 NJEA Jack Bertolino Summer Leadership Conference (SLC). You should consult the SLC brochure and/or contact your local president for details on lodging, daily schedules, accommodations for members with special needs and registration procedures. Each SLC session has its own registration link, so please be sure to select the correct link(s). If you plan to attend both Session I and Session II, you must register for each session separately by selecting the corresponding links.
If your association will be covering the cost of your participation at SLC, you should speak with your local and/or county association president before completing your online registration.
Most workshops offer 7.5 hours of training. Now That I’m President, What Do I Do? is an extended workshop providing additional training time for new presidents.
If you are an NJEA member, you are eligible and encouraged to attend. You will find topics among the workshop offerings that will prepare you for your current or future roles, sharpen your leadership skills and show you how your local can develop to its full-functioning capacity.
There are two three-day program options:

Workshop I – Aug. 1-3 (Saturday to Monday)
Workshop II – Aug. 3-5 (Monday to Wednesday)

Not all of the workshops are offered in each workshop period. The workshop descriptions indicate when each program is scheduled. To accommodate educational support professional members (ESP) who may wish to limit use of vacation or personal time, Workshop #25 is scheduled from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.
For all other workshops, registration opens on Day One at 1 p.m. The opening session begins at 3 p.m. The conference concludes on Day Three with a brunch served at 10:30 a.m. following the final workshop session.
This year’s summer leadership conference will take place at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City. Since the conference is dedicated to developing association advocate representatives, no professional development credit is given for attendance in any workshop.
Special needs
If you have a special physical or communication need or disability that may require assistance or accommodations, or if you have any questions or concerns about housing arrangements, please contact NJEA at slc@njea.org or at 609-599-4594, ext. 2270 by June 1.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available for first-time attendees. See your local president for more information or visit njea.org/slcapplication. The deadline to apply is May 3.
Pricing and payment
Conference costs for all attendees include workshop materials, self-parking, organized meals and coffee breaks, entertainment, taxes and service fees. Pricing for members staying overnight also includes hotel accommodations and taxes.
The pricing for all workshops, except Workshop #1 is as follows:

Commuter – $275 per session
Double Occupancy – $325 per session
Single Occupancy – $450 per session

The Now That I’m President, What Do I Do? workshop has an additional $150 fee because an extra overnight training session will be held in October.
Checks must be made payable to “NJEA/SLC” and returned with registration material to:
NJEA Summer Leadership Conference
c/o WSFS Bank
PO Box 13661
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3661
Please note that registrations and payments are first mailed to the bank where checks are deposited. Afterward, registration materials are forwarded to NJEA for processing. For this reason, deposited checks should not be viewed as confirmation that a registration has been accepted and processed. It is recommended that checks be mailed no later than three days after registering online and must include copies of the confirmation email or receipt. Checks mailed without an accompanying list of attendee names will result in delayed registration confirmations until the names are provided. All registrations are pending until the conference registrar has been notified that the check has cleared. If the conference reaches capacity, a refund will be issued.
Which workshop(s) should I take?
Whether you are currently serving in a leadership position or you aspire to become involved in some capacity within your local association, there are trainings that can help develop and hone your skills. To guide you, this page lists various association roles followed by workshops that may be beneficial for each position.
Being an officer is not the only position within your association, and there are opportunities to get involved in other ways. Additionally, we have included a track for those exploring future
leadership roles. Please note that not all advocacy workshops are offered at the 2026 SLC. Some may be available at other conferences throughout the year. These courses are listed in no particular order and are not mandatory to serve in any position.
