Program

8-9:00  Registration / Coffee & Breakfast

9-9:30  Welcoming Remarks

• Ms. Katrina Griffin, AATG Maryland/DC Metro
• Dr. Lawrence Poos, Catholic University
• Ms. Andrea Christ, Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany
• Mr. Ulrich Braess, Goethe-Institut Washington

 9:30-12:30  Discussion Panels (consecutive)

• Panel 1: Why learn German? Perspectives from the Business and Government World (Moderator: Dr. Mohamed Esa, McDaniel College)
  Dr. Daniel Hamilton, Center for Transatlantic Relations, SAIS
  Mr. Dennis Burnett, EADS North America, Inc.
  Mr. Peter J. Esser, Representative of German Industry & Trade
  Mr. Tyson Barker, Bertelsmann Foundation, Washington DC

• Plenary Address: The State of German Education in the US
  Ms. Helene Zimmer-Loew, Executive Director of AATG
  
  Coffee Break

• Panel 2:  Current Challenges to Offering German  – Facts on the Ground (Moderator: Ms. Amy Peterschmidt, Bryn Mawr School)
  Ms. Susan Spinnato, Maryland Department of Education
  Ms. Claudia Bezaka, Washington, DC Public Schools 
  Ms. Helen Small, Virginia Department of Education
  Ms. Leslie Grahn/ Ms. Debbie Espitia, Howard County Public Schools

• Panel 3:  Success Stories / Direct & Local (Moderator: Ms. Deborah McGee Mifflin, Johns Hopkins University)
  Dr. Bill Heiser, Mr. George Lindley, and Ms. Katrina Griffin, Anne Arundel County Public Schools
  Ms. Jennifer Kraeer & Attilie Kilmon, Dorchester County Public Schools
  Dr. Lawrence Poos, Dr. Claudia Bornholdt, Catholic University

12:30  Lunch

1:30 – 3:00  Breakout for Working Groups (concurrent)

• Group 1: Creating partnerships with the business community
• Group 2: Creating new promotional materials – Why learn German?
• Group 3: Creating educational partnerships across school levels
• Group 4: Improving the pool of qualified German teachers
• Group 5: Connecting / Outreach to the community

3:00 – 3:30  Coffee Break

3:30 – 4:15  Group Reports

4:15  Future Planning: “Sustaining the Momentum” & What’s Next?

4:30  Cocktail Reception