The Nye County School District is set to kick off the 2006-2007 school year with an educational conference intended to energize both veteran staff and newly hired teachers.

The "Omni Conference" held at Rosemary Clarke Middle School, began Aug. 14 and will run all week until mid-day Aug. 18.

Well-known and respected educators from all across the United States will be in Pahrump to address a select group of about 50 veteran teachers from every school building in Nye County, as well as school administrators and all new teachers who were hired for this school year.

Monday's keynote speaker is Tom Many, an advocate of collaboration through Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), whose Illinois school district has been recognized as one of the highest-achieving educational entities in that state.

Tuesday's keynote speech will center on differentiating instruction within the classroom and will be delivered by Nancy Weber, who has presented over 1,000 seminars and keynote speeches throughout the United States.

Wednesday, Tony Brewer, one of the nation's leading experts in the use of technology in the classroom, will speak on "Communication, Computing and Critical Thinking" and how they are easily infused into every imaginable lesson.

Friday's closing session will feature Duane Baker, president of the BERC Group and director of school information services for the Washington School Research Center, who will make a presentation on "Active Teaching and Active Learning."

Elementary and secondary teachers will be able to attend separate workshops after the keynote addresses that are tailored to their unique educational needs.

Speakers and a wide array of workshop presenter, including Donna Vander Weide ("Fun and Games with Differentiated Instruction"), Rick Berry ("Differentiated Instruction"), Melissa Dickson ("Becoming a Rambo Teacher"), Kim Geddie ("Rekindle Your Passion and Light Thier Fires") and Ladd Skelly ("Using Technology to Differentiate Instruction") will offer breakout sessions where they will share thier expertise with small groups of educators.

Additionally, the third grade staff a J. G. Johnson will be on hand to share their successful Professional Learning Communities practices with teachers and administrators.

The Omni Conference is part of the Nye County School District's Department of Student Achievement staff development efforts for the 2006-2007 school year which will stress the use of strategies to differentiate instruction and infuse educational technology into the classroom in order to promote active learning by Nye County's students.