Kilby Laboratory School to Host IALS Conference

Apr. 04, 2022

Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392

FLORENCE, AL – Kilby Laboratory School, on the University of North Alabama campus, will play host to the 2022 International Association of Laboratory Schools (IALS) Conference on Wednesday through Friday.

The conference is designed to allow laboratory schools from across the United States and around the globe to come together to share research findings, engage in networking and fellowship, and to have conversations that will advance the mission of recruiting and preparing teachers for the classroom.

“It is an honor to be able to host this conference,” said Dr. Eric Kirkman, Director of Kilby. “The greatest excitement for us comes from knowing that we will get to engage with other laboratory school educators and hear about what they are doing to advance their practice, while we get to share all the great things we are doing here at Kilby. Most of the participants have never been to Alabama, let alone UNA, so we are eager to make a great first impression of our state and our city.”

IALS is committed to preparing teachers while delivering quality instructional programs for children in the classroom. IALS schools are located across the world and are affiliated with a college or university. Research presenters from laboratory schools associated with colleges in California, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Europe, and the Middle East are expected to be in attendance at this year’s conference.

“Given the complex needs of current P-12 learners, the need to facilitate and inspire innovation in today’s classrooms is critical,” said Dr. Katie Kinney, Dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences. “The University of North Alabama is excited to host the IALS Conference and share the great work taking place at Kilby as well as at other laboratory schools around the world.”

In addition to the research presenters, conference attendees will also hear from UNA and Kilby faculty. Talladega City Schools Superintendent Dr. Quentin Lee will provide the keynote address.\

This is the first time for Kilby to host the IALS Conference. Last year, the lab school, the last one in Alabama, was named “Outstanding Laboratory School” from IALS.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.