33rd Annual School Client Conference

Friday, January 12, 2018
Millennium Hotel Buffalo
2040 Walden Avenue
Cheektowaga, New York
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Registration and continental breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m.

This seminar is complimentary and exclusive to clients and friends of Hodgson Russ. Please register early. Space is limited.

Who should attend: board members, superintendents, business officials, and school administrators.

Agenda
Registration and Breakfast: 8:30 a.m.

Introduction/Overview, Jeffrey Swiatek: 9:00 - 9:25 a.m. 

Session 1 (choose one program) 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Social Media and the Limits of Free Speech 
Elizabeth D. McPhail and Lauren C. Hojnacki 

Sexual Harassment and Discrimination: Best Practices for Handling Reports and Complaints in the “Me Too” Era 
Melanie J. Beardsley and Jeffrey B. Same

How to Handle Section 504 – from Eligibility to Implementation
Andrew J. Freedman

Break: 10:30 – 10:45 a.m.  

Session 2 (choose one program) 10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Best Practices and Opportunities: Collective Bargaining and Arbitration
Jeffrey F. Swiatek

Employee Benefits Developments
Michael Flanagan

Handling OCR Investigations Regarding School Website Accessibility
Ryan Everhart

Lunch 12:00 – 1:10 p.m.

Session 3 (choose one program) 1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

What You Need to Know about the Open Meetings Law, Freedom of Information Law and Public Communications
Jeffrey F. Swiatek and Ryan L. Everhart

The Seven Factors of Just Cause: How to Develop a Case for Employee Discipline or Termination
Jeffrey B. Same and Melanie J. Beardsley

Setting the Record Straight on Student Discipline  
Andrew J. Freedman and Luisa D. Johnson

Break 2:15 – 2:30 p.m.

Session 4 (choose one program) 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Effectively Managing Employee Absences and Paid Family Leave 
Emina Poricanin and Kinsey A. O’Brien

Capital Projects/Financings: Your Issues for 2018
John A. Alessi, Emily A. Dinsmore, Andrew R. Mark, Jeffrey W. Stone and Marla Waiss

Disabled Students in Athletics- New Issues and Developments
Ryan L. Everhart

Cocktail Reception: 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Please register by January 5, 2018.