Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program

The APSI will be held July 9 to 12, 2019. Registration is open. Contact Wendy Barnes at wbarnes1@nd.edu or 574-631-4878 with questions

General Information:

• Location:  Pike High School
  5401 West 71st Street
  Indianapolis, Indiana
• Date: Tuesday, July 9 through Friday, July 12, 2019
• Schedule: 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., daily (30 contact hours)
• Lunch and Snacks: on-site, included with registration
• Registration Fee: $695
• Payment may be made by credit card, check, or purchase order.  
• Seats are limited and will be filled on a first come first serve basis.

Sessions offered (unless otherwise stated all sessions are combined):

Humanities

• Government and Politics - U.S., Presenter: Matt Furfaro, IN
• U.S. History, Presenter: Jay Hohenstein, MN
• World History, Presenter: Leslie Keeney, NM

Math

• Calculus AB  -  Experienced Teachers, Presenter: Janice Rech, NE
• Calculus AB  -  New Teachers, Presenter: Paul Gruber, NJ
• Calculus BC, Presenter: Barbara Montgomery, MI
• Computer Science A, Presenter: James Huggins, MI
• Computer Science Principles, Presenter: John Meinzen, IL
• Statistics  - Experienced Teachers, Presenter: Leigh Nataro, PA
• Statistics  - New Teachers, Presenter:  Michael Legacy, TX

Science

• Biology - Experienced Teachers, Presenter: Brenda Royal, TN
• Biology - New Teachers, Presenter:  Jody Saxton West, MN
• Chemistry - Experienced Teachers, Presenter: TJ Dortch, OK  
• Chemistry - New Teachers, Presenter:  Paul Groves, CA
• Environmental Science, Presenter: Scott Cole, GA
• Physics 1, Presenter: Oather Strawderman, KS

English

• English Language and Composition - Experienced Teachers, Presenter:  Mary Jo Zell, TX
• English Language and Composition - NewTeachers, Presenter:  Timothy Moxey, PA
• English Literature and Composition - Experienced Teachers, Presenter:  Elizabeth Davis, TX
• English Literature and Composition - NewTeachers, Presenter:  Joyce Herr, TX

The consultants for the  AP Summer Institute are all College Board certified and AP Exam Readers.

Presenters for the 2019 AP Summer Institute

AP Biology (Experienced Teachers)

Brenda Royal

To be posted soon.

AP Biology (New Teachers)

Jody Saxton West

Jody Saxton West is an AP Biology teacher at Northfield High School in Northfield, Minnesota, and is passionate about the potential for high-quality science education to positively impact the world. She has been teaching for 23 years, including 18 years teaching AP Biology. Jody is a Question Leader at the AP Biology Reading and is a College Board Consultant. She has presented multiple times at the AP Annual Conference as well as at NABT conferences. Outside of teaching, Jody enjoys coaching her high school's competitive Speech Team, cooking, scrapbooking, reading, and spending time with her husband and two sons.

AP Calculus AB (Experienced Teachers)

Janice Rech

Dr. Janice Rech is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is engaged nationally in Inquiry-Based Learning in Calculus with faculty from many different institutions. She has developed an extensive library of material for teachers to use in calculus classes. Her research interests include active learning in mathematics, the mathematical content knowledge of future elementary teachers, and the mentoring of future mathematics teachers. Dr. Rech has received NSF grants to prepare future math teachers. She has been involved with the College Board as a Calculus consultant for over 20 years and has worked with teachers from across the country.

AP Calculus AB (New Teachers)

Paul Gruber

After 32 years in education, Paul Gruber still has a passion for teaching. He has taught high school Mathematics in an urban area since 1983 and still looks forward to going to work every day. In the 1990s, in a school where the passing rate on the NY Regents was very low, yearly, his scores were in the 90+ percentile. On the APs, where the passing rate in Calculus in urban districts is usually in the 20th percentile, his was in the 65-70th percentile each year with about 35% scoring fives. Rather than try to get a higher percentile to pass the course, because of his belief in equity, each year he goes out and recruit’s more kids to take the course. In the school that he currently teaches, the number of students taking AP Calculus has jumped from 12 in 2011 to over 150 in 2019. This year, 2019, the district is offering BC Calculus for the first time.

Over the years, aside for grading the AP exam, Paul has done workshops for the College Board in Calculus and has inculcated much of what he knows on Brain-Based Learning to enhance student learning. In the past, he has also done workshops on the use of Patty Paper, Using a Visual Approach in Algebra and more. In the 1990s. Educationally, Paul has earned his undergraduate degree from Baruch College, his masters from City College of NY, his administrative license through Kean University and he was 80% complete with his Doctorate from Columbia University / Teacher’s College.

Paul's goals at an APSI is fourfold. He will share his knowledge of Calculus and will include, several hands-on activities that will enhance the learning of Calculus. He will review questions from prior AP exams and review the nuances to answer the question where a student can get the most points. Since he is a true believer in Brain-Based Learning, he will share with you how to maximize student learning through the use of transfer, Discovery Learning, proper use of closure, etc., in your Calculus class and for the new teachers, he will help you with registering to teach AP and share resources in improving your skills.

Currently, Paul teaches at Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth, NJ. He resides in Hillside, NJ with his wife of 35 years. Paul has three boys and two daughters-in-law.

AP Calculus BC

Barbara Montgomery

Barbara earned her teaching certificate and a BS in Mathematics from Michigan Technological University (Houghton, Michigan), then later received an MS in Educational Leadership from Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids, Michigan). She is an experienced classroom teacher who has taught every level of mathematics from 7th grade through AP Calculus BC. Currently, she is teaching statistics and AP calculus while serving as department chair for 15 teachers at East Kentwood High School, the most diverse high school in Michigan. Barbara is developing a school-wide program, Mathematical Thinking Across the Curriculum, to highlight mathematical use and awareness in all subject areas as well as improve mindsets toward mathematics in both adults and students. She enjoys reading, running, and watching Jeopardy! Please share your favorite titles with her!

AP Chemistry (Experienced Teachers)

Thomas "TJ" Dortch

TJ has been a high school educator for over 24 years and an AP Chemistry teacher for the past 18 years. He has been an AP Chemistry Exam Reader for the past five years and has been a consultant for College Board for the past six years. He has done workshops in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, Oklahoma, Texas, Indiana, and Arkansas and is looking forward to presenting in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 2008, he was named Oklahoma’s Siemens Award winner for Advanced Placement. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma, which is about 15 miles north of Oklahoma City. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, he has taught high school science in Illinois, Texas, and Oklahoma. He has five children that he adores and a loving wife to keep him sane. He enjoys discussing chemistry education and is always trying to improve his craft.

AP Chemistry (New Teachers)

Paul Groves

Paul Groves taught chemistry and AP chemistry at South Pasadena High School in South Pasadena, CA, until 2016. He has taught AP since 1983 and has worked for the College Board as a consultant in AP Chemistry for over two decades.

Paul’s website, chemmybear.com, is a popular destination for new and experienced AP Chemistry teachers. Paul has chaired the American Chemical Society’s High School Exam (Advanced), was a member of the SAT Chemistry Subject Test Development Committee and is a member of the committee who writes the National Chemistry Olympiad exam.

Paul is an AP chemistry question leader, table leader, and exam reader beginning in 1989. He has presented many one-day and week-long AP teacher workshops.

Paul is the recipient of several local and national teaching awards including the 1995 National Presidential Award for Science Teaching, the 1993 Chemical Manufacturer’s Association Regional Catalyst Award, and the 1987 and 2011 Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year and finalist for the 2011 California Teacher of the Year.

In addition to his love of chemical education, Paul enjoys attending theater, traveling, and community service.

AP Computer Science A

James Huggins

Dr. Jim Huggins is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. Dr. Huggins has been involved with the AP Computer Science A annual examination reading since 2004, when Java was adopted as the language of instruction. He has served in various leadership roles within the Reading since 2010, including serving as Operational Exam Leader in 2018. He works as a consultant to ETS and the AP Computer Science A Development Committee. He is a College Board endorsed workshop presenter.

AP Computer Science Principles

John Meinzen

John Meinzen has developed 5 Advanced Placement courses including two AP Computer Science (CSP & CSA), two AP Calculus (AB & BC), and AP Statistics. He has been a Table Leader for the AP CSA Exam and a Reader for over 10 years. John created a Special Topics in Computing course 20 years ago that has been the foundation for his district's AP CS-Principles course.

During his 25-year-teaching tenure, John has developed over 17 different high school math-related courses including 3 dual-credit courses; led 22 teachers as math department chair for 9 years; served on several state-level math standards committees; and served as an Illinois representative at the federal level. His recognition in Illinois and nationally include the ICTM Richard Rhode Award, Dr. Mary Ellen Verona Computational Science Teacher Leader Award, and Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.

AP English Language & Composition (Experienced Teachers)

Mary Jo Zell

Mary Jo Zell lives and teaches in Keller, Texas. She received her B.A. from Villanova University and her master’s degree from Georgia Southwestern University. She began her teaching career in Pennsylvania and Georgia and is currently the Department Chair of English at Keller High School, where she has taught for 18 years. She is in her 25th year teaching high school English, and has taught every level 9-12th. Presently, she teaches AP Language and AP Literature. For the past 14 years, she has served as an AP Language Reader for the College Board; she is currently a Table Leader for the AP Language and Composition exam. She is an AP College Board Consultant and has conducted various workshops and summer institutes. Additionally, since 2010 she has worked with NMSI - conducting teacher trainings, leading mock readings, and presenting Saturday Sessions.

AP English Language & Composition (New Teachers)

Timothy Moxey

Tim Moxey has been teaching at Lower Moreland High School (Huntingdon Valley, PA) for 27 years. He has been the AP English Language and Composition teacher for 15 years, and also teaches a British Literature survey course to college prep and honors students. He has served as a reader and table leader for the AP English Language exam since 2007, and consulted on the newly designed curriculum framework for the course in 2015. He has a BA in English from La Salle University, where he was an adjunct lecturer in American Studies in 2017-2018, and an MA in English from Beaver College (now Arcadia University). He has taught Freshman Composition at the University of Delaware. Prior to his teaching career, Tim worked for a few years as a copywriter at a small ad agency outside of Philadelphia. He has published in The English Journal and Aethlon: The Journal of Sports Literature, in addition to local newspapers.

AP English Literature & Composition (Experienced Teachers)

Elizabeth Davis

Elizabeth Davis is a 1988 graduate of Texas A&M University with an English Composite teaching field. After fifteen years at A&M Consolidated High School in College Station and fourteen years at Westwood High School in Austin, she has returned “home” to teach at College Station High School. In her thirty-year teaching career, Elizabeth has taught Advanced Placement, honors, and on-level junior and senior English, sponsored the yearbook and student council, and served as English Department chair at two high schools. Currently, Elizabeth reads for the English Language exam and also works in collaboration with The College Board in developing English Literature resources for 2019-2020. Having taught both AP English Literature and AP English Language has deepened her understanding of making connections and building bridges between the two courses and reinforced the importance of teaching writing and analysis at all levels of the vertical team, intentionally scaffolding instruction of skills. Outside the classroom, Elizabeth enjoys being a wife, a mother of two young men and their lovely brides, a spoiler of dogs, and a singer in her church choir and praise team.

AP English Literature & Composition (New Teachers)

Joyce Herr

With over 40 years’ experience teaching AP English Literature and Composition and Freshman Composition and Literature, Joyce Herr lives in Winston Salem, North Carolina. She served as the AP Vertical Team Lead Leader for Amarillo Independent School District and taught AP English Literature for the Amarillo Independent School District for 17 years. Prior to moving to Texas, she was an instructor at Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College. Currently, she is an adjunct instructor via distance learning at Amarillo College teaching Freshman English and Composition I and II, and serves as a mentor to new and experienced AP English teachers in several states. She has served as a reader/table leader for the AP English Literature and Composition Exam for the past 16 years. Since 2000, Joyce has served as lead AP English Literature consultant for the College Board presenting at week-long AP Summer Institutes and one- and two-day workshops. She has presented several professional development breakout sessions at the AP Annual Conference as well as pre and post main conference sessions for new and experienced AP English Literature teachers. In addition to her College Board affiliations, she presents AP professional development programs for AP English teachers for the National Math and Science Initiative’s College Readiness Program and AP Student Study Sessions.

AP Environmental Science

Brian "Scott" Cole

Scott attended East Tennessee State University and receive a B.S. in Ed in the concentration of Biological Education. Scott taught Biology, Physical Science, and Environmental Science for 5 years in 3 schools in Tennessee, spanning all SES ranges and locations (small urban, rural, and urban). For the last 13 years, he has taught in the north Atlanta suburbs in Georgia. He began teaching APES 12 years ago, teaching students numbering from 24-80 students in up to three sections on a traditional schedule. Scott has been an AP Reader for 9 years and just finished his second year as a Table Leader.

AP Government and Politics - U.S.

Matt Furfaro

Matt Furfaro is a teacher at Concord High School in Elkhart, Indiana, where he has taught since 1996. He currently teaches AP United States Government & Politics. Matt is an AP Reader and is also on the AP Instructional Design Committee for the AP U.S. Government & Politics Course.

AP Physics 1

Oather Strawderman

Oather Strawderman has taught Physics in Lawrence, Kansas for the past 22 years. He currently serves as the Science Department Chair at Lawrence Free State High School. His teaching experience includes all forms of AP Physics. He has worked as a Question Leader, Table Leader, and Reader at the annual AP Physics Reading in June since 2012. As a result of his experience as a Reader, he has had the opportunity to be an item writer and reviewer for the AP Physics 1, 2 and C exams. As a College Board endorsed AP Physics International Consultant he has presented day-long and week-long workshops in 29 states. He has also presented at multiple AP Annual Conferences and AAPT National Conferences. In addition, Oather was honored to have had the opportunity to present International Workshops in Kunming, China, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Oather is currently the Co-Chair of the AP Physics 2 Development Committee where he helps develop the exam and works on the preparation of the Curriculum Framework.

Oather can be reached at www.PhluidPhysics.com.

AP Statistics (Experienced Teachers)

Leigh Nataro

Leigh’s career began as a mathematics teacher in 1992 and during that time she has taught at public schools, independent schools, and community colleges. Sixteen of those years have included teaching high school statistics, AP Statistics and statistics at the community college level. She renewed her National Board Certification in 2015 and she currently teaches at Kent Place School in Summit, New Jersey. 

An AP Statistics exam reader since 2010, Leigh has also written multiple-choice items for the AP Statistics Exam. Over the past year, she has served on the Instructional Design Team for AP Statistics in preparation for the new resources being released by the College Board in the fall of 2019. She has led both one-day and four-day workshops for AP Statistics since 2015. In her spare time, Leigh volunteers with the Global Math Department by hosting webinars and coordinating behind the scenes work for the webinars.

AP Statistics (New Teachers)

Michael Legacy

Michael is a past member of the AP Statistics Development Committee (2001-2005) and a current Table Leader for the Operational Exam. He was, for many years, a Table Leader the Alternate and Overseas Exams. He has been a lead teacher at many AP Summer Institutes over the past nineteen years and is a frequent presenter at College Board conferences. Michael was the statistics content editor for the series, Laying the Foundation: Connecting to AP Mathematics funded by the O’Donnell Foundation. He was also the author of the 2007 College Board AP Statistics Teacher’s Guide available on the College Board website. He has also authored the AP-style multiple-choice and free-response cumulative review sections for The Practice of Statistics for AP* 4e, 5e, and 6e editions as well as the Prep for the AP Exam Guide 4e. Michael also authored the practice exams for the Strive for a 5 Guide (Molesky/Legacy) to accompany TPS 5e and TPS 6e and was a reviewer of Josh Tabor's Annotated Teacher's Edition for TPS 5e.

In February 2010, Michael was honored by the Siemens Corporation as the Texas AP Math/Science Teacher of the year. He served as an AP statistics consultant to Pasadena ISD (TX) for 2010-12 under the auspices of the National Math + Science Initiative and then filled the same role for Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD (TX) and Birdville ISD (TX). Michael teaches AP Statistics and Honors Precalculus at Greenhill School in Addison, Texas.

AP U.S. History

Jay Hohenstein

Jay Hohenstein is an AP US History teacher at Robbinsdale Armstrong high school in Plymouth, MN. He has been a teacher since 1998 in the Robbinsdale School District at both the middle school and high school levels. He has been a reader for the AP US History test since 2008 and has also worked as a table leader.

AP World History

Leslie Keeney

Leslie Keeney has been a teacher for over 25 years in Micronesia, Alaska, and New Mexico and has taught AP World History, AP Literature and Composition, and pre-AP English since 2003. National Board Certified in English Language Arts, she serves as the English Instructional Leader at Rio Rancho High School in New Mexico. Leslie has consulted with NMSI (The National Math and Science Initiative) and led professional development for Rio Rancho High School in AP World History, Literacy, and essay scoring. In addition to teaching two AP courses, she serves as the AP Coordinator at her school, has read AP World exams since 2006 and serves as a table leader. She was awarded the Southwest Region AP Award in 2014 for her commitment to the AP program. Leslie has also traveled to South Korea through the Korean Educators award, authored the Micronesia pamphlet for the Culturgrams series, writes curriculum for Academic Decathlon and NMSI and holds an MA in curriculum and instruction from the University of New Mexico.

Friday, September 20, 2019

8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

The 2019 Fall Conference will be held at Indiana University - Purdue University, Indianapolis, Hine Hall, 875 West North Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Registration is open. If you are using a purchase order or check, use this link for registration. If you are using a credit card to pay for registration, use this link for your registration. Registration will close on Monday, September 9 at 5:00 p.m.

AP Math Courses:

The AP-TIP IN Fall Conference will focus on both pedagogical supports for challenging topics and reviewing the AP exam itself.  Teachers will spend some time considering the new course supports the College Board is launching on August 1.  We will also take into consideration teacher concerns after the AP Summer Institute, but we anticipate including:

• AP Calculus AB - Graphical and Numerical Representations, Applications
• AP Calculus BC - Sequences and Series, Polar Coordinates
• AP Computer Science A - Object-oriented Programming, Iteration
• AP Computer Science Principles - Teaching and Scoring the Create Task
• AP Statistics - Probability, Inference

AP Science Courses:

We will highlight the new 2019-20 AP resources that will help you plan and focus instruction on where your students need additional practice.  In a hands-on, educator-to-educator training session, AP science participants will also work through classroom strategies and emphasize specific science practices as follows:

•  AP Biology - Statistical Tests and Data Analysis along with Argumentation
• AP Chemistry - Model Analysis and Argumentation
• AP Environmental Science - Mathematical Routines and Environmental Solutions
• AP Physics - Argumentation and Making Connections

AP English Courses:

The AP-TIP IN Fall Conference will highlight the new 2019-20 AP resources (e.g. Course and Exam Description guides, web-based classroom tools, revised analytical scoring rubric) that will help you plan and focus instruction on where your students need additional practice.  In addition, the English sections will feature the following topics:

• AP English Language - Addition of "writer choices" questions on the multiple-choice section 
• AP English Literature - Movement from "literacy analysis" to "literary argumentation" 

Agendas will be posted soon, please check back.

If you are not a member of an AP-TIP IN grant school, the registration fee is $199.   If you attended the AP Summer Institute at Pike High School, July 2019, the fee is $149.  If you are a member of an AP-TIP IN Cohort 6 or 7 schools (see list below), the grant will support the cost of attendance. If you are a teacher at an affiliate high school,  the fee is $99.

On Friday, September 20, beverages and lunch will be served.

If you have a question regarding the Fall Conference, please contact Wendy Barnes, Program Coordinator, at (574) 631-4878 or wbarnes1@nd.edu.