STLinSTL 2025

STLinSTL 2025

9:15am CDT

Play Matters: the Power of Play in Education

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Play is the purest expression of our humanity. What is happening in our brain when we play? How can we incorporate more play into the lives of our students? And how can we get better at play as adults? Some say we are most alive when we play. Let’s get better at it. In this session, I will share the research on play, how it is a key component of what has made us human from the beginning of our existence, and practical ways we can incorporate play into our day.

Speakers

Denise Ford

Gifted Teacher, Kirkwood School District

Passionate about Gifted Education, innovation, creativity, and learning.

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

9:15am CDT

The Past, Present, and AI: A Year of Experimentation in the History Classroom

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

What if your most powerful teaching assistant was an AI? This presentation pulls back the curtain on a year-long exploration of AI in a history classroom, revealing how tolls like Gemini are transforming the way we teach and learn about the past. From brainstorming captivating lesson plans to streamlining grading and fueling student-drive projects, we’ll uncover the surprising potential of AI in history education. Learn about real-world examples and practical strategies, with a focus on finding ways to implement ideas immediately.

This session goes beyond the hype, offering a candid look at the realities of AI integration. We’ll share both the successes and the stumbles, discussing how AI can scaffold learning, provide personalized feedback, and ignite student interest. Crucially, we’ll address the ethical dimensions of AI in education, including bias, plagiarism, and the impact on critical thinking. Leave equipped to harness the power of AI responsibly and ethically, creating a richer and more engaging learning environment for your students.

Speakers

Dr. Tanya Roth

Upper School History Teacher, MICDS

Dr. Tanya Roth teaches a wide variety of upper school history classes at MICDS, and is always looking for new ways to help her students see what makes history so fascinating. She earned her Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 2011 with research on women’s integration... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Schools of the Future

9:15am CDT

The Power of Connection: Let's Chat

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

In this session, we will explore the crucial role of teacher-student connections in improving both academic and emotional growth and student engagement. You will learn how to engage your students in a way that they (and you!) get to know and respect each other. You will learn practical strategies such as using open-ended and personalized questions as check-ins, writing prompts, or group activities to promote interaction, communication, and understanding. You will start with simple, flexible techniques that lead to a better and more supportive classroom atmosphere and how to build on them. You will also gain insight on how to tailor them to fit individual teaching styles, topics, units, and student needs.

Speakers

Eric Richards

World Language Educator - German / Department Chair, Fort Zumwalt North High School - O'Fallon, MO

Eric Richards is an experienced high school German teacher, department chair, author, and presenter. Eric is a 2021 ACTFL Teacher of Year Finalist. He was selected as the FLAM Distinguished Educator in 2019, and went on to be named as the Central States Teacher of the Year in March... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Knowing and Valuing Students

9:15am CDT

When the Primary Goal is Real World Impact

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Marc Prensky has written books on unlocking the power of students to change the world by prioritizing student-led projects where real world impact is the goal, and learning happens along the way. Letting go of my curriculum, state standards, and my understanding of what education looks like, I dove in with a team of teachers to see what happens when you unleash your students on the world’s challenges. Come live vicariously through my students' experiences to learn about the pitfalls and successes of this approach.

Speakers

Mark Russo

Integrated Studies Teacher, Principia School

Mark Russo began as a naturalist at state parks and outdoor education centers before finding his calling as a middle and high school classroom teacher. He has worked in traditional, non-traditional inner city classroom settings in Saint Paul, Minnesota since 2000, combining his love... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

10:30am CDT

AI in Action: Transforming Your Classroom with Purpose

Thursday June 5, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Transform your teaching practice through understanding AI literacy and exploring purposeful AI integration. Utilizing AI can enhance student learning and reduce teacher workload. This hands-on session empowers educators to confidently understand the power AI can have in their classroom and allows them ideas of how to navigate AI. Participants will explore practical classroom applications, learn to evaluate AI resources, and develop strategies for meaningful implementation that aligns with curriculum goals. Leave with ready-to-use strategies that make AI work for you and your students.

Learning Objectives - By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Understand tenants of AI Literacy
Create efficient workflows using AI tools to streamline lesson planning, differentiation, and assessment tasks
Design lesson activities that leverage AI to promote deeper learning while developing students' digital literacy and critical thinking skills

Speakers

Shauna Stephanchick

President, STEP Up

At STEP Up, we recognize systemic flaws in Missouri education, particularly in curriculum design. Amidst record-high teacher turnover, we advocate for replacing curriculum frustrations with curriculum innovation, and we're here to guide you through each step of this transformatio... Read More →

Sue Herrera

Educational Consultant, STEP Up Consulting

Sue Herrera’s career in education spans 37 years, during which she has held various roles, including Administrator, Instructional Coach, classroom teacher, mentor and Champion of Students. Her extensive experience in suburban, rural, and urban settings in grades K-6 has equipped... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Category Schools of the Future

10:30am CDT

Empowering Future-Ready Learners: Building Resilience and Engagement Through Student-Centered Practices

Thursday June 5, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Participants will explore how resilience-building practices and student-centered strategies can transform learning environments. By focusing on emotional intelligence, growth mindset, and empowerment techniques, educators will learn how to engage students in meaningful ways and support their personal and academic development. Attendees will leave with actionable tools to create an inclusive, future-focused classroom culture where every student feels valued and equipped to succeed.

Speakers

Leila Lawson

Professional Life Coach, Gottabeme79 Leadership and Training

Leila is a certified life coach with over a decade of experience in personal and career transitions. She uses evidence-based techniques and a compassionate, client-centered approach, focusing on goal-setting, work-life balance, and self-confidence. Before coaching, Leila enjoyed a... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Category Knowing and Valuing Students

1:45pm CDT

Authentic Research Experiences: A Pathway to STEM Identity, STEM Positionality, and a Sense of Belonging

Thursday June 5, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

The knowledge and use of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills are essential for thriving in the STEM community. However, the professional STEM community does not accurately represent the community of students present in STEM classes today. Many students, from populations that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM, lack a positive STEM identity, STEM positionality or sense of belonging in STEM classes. Some students do not thrive when it comes to traditional STEM classes in schools in the United States and therefore do not go on to join the STEM community. The overall purpose of this study was to investigate how Authentic Research Experiences (ARE) can be used to disrupt the narrative in the science classroom of what it means to do science and what it means to be a doer of science for students traditionally underrepresented in STEM.

In an effort to disrupt the narrative of traditional science education, this multiple case study determined how Authentic Research Experiences (ARE) influence student STEM identity, STEM positionality and sense of belonging in 6th grade students at one K-12 independent school in the United States. ARE incorporate discovery, original data and information, engagement with research practices and techniques, encourage collaboration, utilize iterative design and process skills, and incorporate mentors and expert knowledge (Burmeister et al., 2021; Gentile et al., 2017). ARE provide authentic opportunities for teachers to empower students and change the narrative on how students learn science. This could lead to an altering of the STEM pipeline in ways that are more inclusive and socially just. In this study, students were observed, surveyed, and interviewed to determine how ARE influence how students perceive themselves as a participant in the STEM classroom or are recognized as a STEM person (STEM identity), how experiences influence a students’ STEM positionality (all of the aspects that position a student as an insider or outsider in STEM), and how these experiences influence a student’s sense of belonging in science courses.

Speakers

Christine Pickett

Upper School Science Teacher, Mary Institute and Country Day School

Christine Pickett is an Upper School Science teacher at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School as well as a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education at Saint Louis University. Her dissertation research is titled Authentic Research Experiences... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

1:45pm CDT

Deep Education: Transcending Turbulence, Unleashing Creativity

Thursday June 5, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

“Deep” often signifies profound or universal. What is “deep education”? This response will surprise you. Building on an innovative approach implemented in hundreds of schools worldwide, this concept will be explored from methods for transcending the turbulent surface level of our thinking to revealing insights from ancient wisdom and modern scientific research. Be prepared to stretch your thinking about education, human nature, and how we equip our students to manage stress and realize their innate potential.

Speakers

Richard Beall

High School Member, Maharishi School

I am a passionate educator who over a 40-year career has helped establish two new schools and pioneer an innovative approach called Consciousness-Based Education that has spread from its source in Fairfield, Iowa, to applications across the nation and around the world. As a teacher... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Category Schools of the Future

3:00pm CDT

Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry

Thursday June 5, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Explore how to teach and learn through inquiry and by questioning with good questions. Understand how good questions prompt students to demonstrate different levels of thinking and discuss their Depth of Knowledge (DOK). Rephrase learning expectations and targets into good questions that will set the instructional focus, serve as assessments, and personalize learning. Pose good questions that pique student curiosity and promote students to share and summarize their learning. Use generative AI to craft good questions that will engage students in deep inquiry. Most importantly, realize how teaching and learning with an inquiring mind ensures the experience is meaningful, measurable, and motivating.

Featured Speakers

Erik M. Francis

Author / Educator / Presenter, Maverik Education

Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., is an international author, educator, presenter, and professional development provider with 30 years of experience in education. He is the author of Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry (Solution Tree), Deconstructing... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

3:00pm CDT

Struggly: Unlocking Children's Unlimited Potential

Thursday June 5, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Neuroscience and growth mindset research says that the best time for our brains to learn and grow is when we struggle! The Struggly program is all about supporting teachers and students to embrace struggle as an exciting and integral part of the learning process. Struggle pairs visual, creative, and conceptual math tasks with an irresistible game-like pull and growth mindset messaging for students in grades K-8. The program is modeled after Dr. Jo Boaler’s Mathematical Mindset approach to mah teaching and learning.

Speakers

Kristina Jones

Middle School Math Teacher, MICDS

Kristina Jones is a part of the 5th grade team at MICDS as the Math Teacher. This is her 4th year teaching at MICDS and previously she has spent time teaching various grades from SK to 8th. She holds a Master of Arts in education. Kristina was born and raised in northern Minnesota... Read More →

Thursday June 5, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Category Schools of the Future

9:15am CDT

Brain Moves

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Brain Moves is an innovative educational program designed to transform classrooms into spaces where students are actively engaged and empowered in their learning. Rooted in the Fundamental Movement Patterns of Total Body Connectivity developed by Irmgard Bartenieff and Peggy Hackney, the program equips teachers with effective strategies to integrate movement into their daily teaching, creating an environment that values the whole child. By incorporating dynamic movement activities, Brain Moves strengthens the body-mind connection, supporting not only physical health but also cognitive development, emotional regulation, and social-emotional growth in young learners. By incorporating movement into the classroom, Brain Moves helps improve focus, attention, presence, and self-awareness, while encouraging positive social interactions and relationships among students. Attendees will leave with practical ideas and movement activities that they can implement in the classroom right away.

Speakers

Summer Beasley

PE Faculty, MICDS

Summer Beasley received a BFA from Webster University and a MFA from Lindenwood University. She has performed and choreographed across the U.S. and she has performed internationally with Karlovsky & Company Dance. Summer completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training with Pam Schulte... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Knowing and Valuing Students

9:15am CDT

Personalizing Learning by Design

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

When we clearly identify desired results and carefully consider the necessary evidence, we are able to design the most relevant and engaging learning experiences. Our decisions about what to teach and how to teach are guided by the priorities in Stages 1 and 2 of the Understanding by Design framework and by what we know about the learner in terms of readiness, interest, and learning profile. In this session, we will explore resources and tools to support creativity and innovation in designing learning experiences that honor and amplify learners’ interests and passions while equipping them for success.

Speakers

Charity Meyer

Director of Elementary Learning, School District of Greenfield

Charity Meyer serves as the Director of Elementary Learning in the School District of Greenfield. In her role, she works side by side with leaders and educators, delivering coaching and professional learning experiences, emphasizing deep implementation of modern curriculum, assessment... Read More →

Patrice Ball

Director of Secondary Learning, School District of Greenfield

Patrice Ball serves as the Director of Secondary Learning in the School District of Greenfield where she facilitates the professional learning, curriculum, assessment, and instruction in grades 6-12. Previous roles include instructor of assessment courses in the graduate program at... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

9:15am CDT

Project Based Learning for the Traditional Classroom

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Do you work at a college prep or traditional model school but want to push the envelope a little? ARTIful (Authentic, Relevant, Transferable, and Impactful) teaching by integrating authentic projects into student experiences has the capacity to move students from compliance to genuine interest. You can start small without sacrificing weeks of your class time and see the results of students’ critical thinking skills applied to your content. Authentic projects give students genuine opportunities to practice future ready skills such as cooperation and communication, and they allow students to push their creativity to the limits by creating a virtual museum exhibit for Cahokia Mounds, learning chemistry by creating a food truck business, or discovering energy and circuitry by wiring a basement or presenting to the St. Louis city planners about green energy. Participants of this workshop will learn the basic foundations of ARTIful project learning and how to find an authentic audience, choose a meaningful project, and create an assessment that holds students to your high standards.

Speakers

Mark Russo

Integrated Studies Teacher, Principia School

Mark Russo began as a naturalist at state parks and outdoor education centers before finding his calling as a middle and high school classroom teacher. He has worked in traditional, non-traditional inner city classroom settings in Saint Paul, Minnesota since 2000, combining his love... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

9:15am CDT

The Depth is in the Discussion: Making Learning Visible with Depth of Knowledge (DOK)

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

What does deeper learning look, sound, or feel like? How could you ensure your students are learning at the level demanded by academic standards, activities, and assessments? Examine how Depth of Knowledge establishes and evaluates the depth and extent students must demonstrate and discuss their learning. Understand how Depth of Knowledge categorizes and clarifies the complexity and demand of academic standards, activities, and assessments. Analyze which part of a learning expectation determines its DOK Level. Use the language of DOK to specify what exactly and how deeply students must comprehend and communicate their learning to demonstrate proficiency or perform successfully. Most importantly, discover how Depth of Knowledge ensures teaching and learning experiences are actionable, measurable, and visible.

Featured Speakers

Erik M. Francis

Author / Educator / Presenter, Maverik Education

Erik M. Francis, M.Ed., M.S., is an international author, educator, presenter, and professional development provider with 30 years of experience in education. He is the author of Inquiring Minds Want to Learn: Posing Good Questions to Promote Student Inquiry (Solution Tree), Deconstructing... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 9:15am - 10:15am CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

10:30am CDT

Classroom- and School-based Strategies to Support the Whole Learner

Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Our district focuses on the WHOLE Learner. As leaders, educators embrace the opportunity to enrich our approach to bolster students’ academic and affective needs. Research has shown that since the COVID-10 Pandemic, students’ social-emotional needs have multiplied. While colleges and universities prepare general education teachers to facilitate academic learning, equipping educators to support students’ social-emotional needs is something that many pre-service programs do not fully address. This session will focus on adding effective strategies to classroom- and school-based instructional environments to better support students’ academic buoyancy and grow 21st century skills and dispositions.

Speakers

Charity Meyer

Director of Elementary Learning, School District of Greenfield

Charity Meyer serves as the Director of Elementary Learning in the School District of Greenfield. In her role, she works side by side with leaders and educators, delivering coaching and professional learning experiences, emphasizing deep implementation of modern curriculum, assessment... Read More →

Patrice Ball

Director of Secondary Learning, School District of Greenfield

Patrice Ball serves as the Director of Secondary Learning in the School District of Greenfield where she facilitates the professional learning, curriculum, assessment, and instruction in grades 6-12. Previous roles include instructor of assessment courses in the graduate program at... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Category Knowing and Valuing Students

10:30am CDT

Empowered Learning: Lessons from Implementing ARTI-ful Learning (ABL) to Elevate Engagement and Teacher Practice

Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

When students are placed at the center of learning – given choice, voice, and real-world relevance – engagement soars, ownership deepens, and learning becomes more meaningful and lasting. However, shifting to student-centered learning through ARTI-ful Learning (ABL) requires a fundamental change in teacher practice.

This session, led by an educator who has implemented ABL across multiple grade levels and a school leader who guided elementary faculty through this transition, will explore what it takes to shift from teacher-directed to student-driven learning. Participants will gain practical insights from our experiences, including:

The Why of ABL - Why Authentic, Relevant, Transferable, and Impactful learning leads to deeper engagement and 21st century skill development.
How We Supported Teachers - Strategies we used to help teachers transition from traditional instruction to student-centered facilitation.
What Was Hard - The biggest stumbling blocks in shifting to ABL and how we overcame them.
What We Would (and Wouldn’t) Do Again - Lessons learned, missteps to avoid, and key actions that made the biggest difference.

Speakers

Rissa Arens

Principia School

Rissa is a career long elementary educator and classroom teacher. She thrives in leading teachers through change helping them develop a responsive classroom and techniques to inspire and engage students. She currently coaches teachers at Principia Lower School to create classrooms... Read More →

Peter Dry

Director, The PDL Group

Dr. Peter Dry is an educational leader focused on innovation in schools and organizations. He specializes in strengths-based leadership and future-ready education. He works with schools and teams to improve engagement and effectiveness.His experience includes leading strategic innovation... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

10:30am CDT

Structuring Group Projects for Student Success

Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

If group projects can be a powerful educational tool, why do so many teachers (and students) groan when the topic is brought up? After years of trying different tactics, I realized that I need to teach the collaboration skills needed right along with my content. This session will cover six ways to change how you structure your group projects that will increase accountability, engage everyone in a meaningful way, and assess each individual student's contribution and skills.

Speakers

Mark Russo

Integrated Studies Teacher, Principia School

Mark Russo began as a naturalist at state parks and outdoor education centers before finding his calling as a middle and high school classroom teacher. He has worked in traditional, non-traditional inner city classroom settings in Saint Paul, Minnesota since 2000, combining his love... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

1:45pm CDT

Designing Future-Ready Schools Through Authentic, Relevant, Transferable, and Impactful Learning

Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

The traditional classroom model is outdated. Instead, we need schools that prioritize ARTI-ful learning – where students engage in real-world problem solving, meaningful projects, and community-based learning.

Key Takeaways:

What ARTI-ful Learning is and why it matters in the AI age
How experiential learning, project-based approaches, and emerging technologies support deep learning.
Success stories from work in ARTI-ful units.
How educators can start shifting their classrooms today.

Speakers

Peter Dry

Director, The PDL Group

Dr. Peter Dry is an educational leader focused on innovation in schools and organizations. He specializes in strengths-based leadership and future-ready education. He works with schools and teams to improve engagement and effectiveness.His experience includes leading strategic innovation... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Category Schools of the Future

1:45pm CDT

Enhancing Student Engagement Using Instructional Practices in Learning By Scientific Design Principles

Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

In this case study, the post-doctoral fellow collaborated with a K-5 Urban school to investigate the impact of instructional practices on student engagement. Due to consistent student behavior, the school generated the problem of practice that focused on developing the school-wide classroom management plan and social-emotional learning curriculum for students so that students can regulate their emotions effectively and teachers can deliver engaging lessons by building a conducive learning environment. The fellow partnered with the school leadership team to develop an instructional cycle that consisted of observing and providing feedback to the teachers on their goals set up using the Learning By Scientific Design Principles. In this instructional cycle, the teachers watch their GoReact videos and select the goals for themselves using teacher actions from Learning by Scientific Design Principles. The instructional coach and the post-doctoral fellow observed the teacher using the two observational rubrics that measured the teacher's instructional practices and student engagement. The feedback shared with the teachers was based on the implementation of those practices and the number of students engaged in the classroom with a focus on planning and preparing rigorous and challenging lesson plans that are aimed at improving student engagement and, thereby, increasing student outcomes. The student outcome was assessed by the exit card data for each lesson and the student engagement rubric, which played a crucial role in developing and enhancing different instructional practices as per the academic needs of the students.

Speakers

Natalie Bolton

Associate Professor, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Natalie Bolton is an associate professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis within the College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Preparation. She earned her Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Louisville. She has an M.A. in secondary education... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

1:45pm CDT

Practical, Effective Ways to Foster Connection in the Classroom

Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Building strong, authentic connections in the classroom is essential for student engagement, well-being, and academic success. This session explores practical and effective strategies to cultivate meaningful relationships between students and educators. Participants will learn how to integrate restorative techniques into their academic rigor to create a classroom culture of trust, respect, and belonging.

Speakers

John Converse

Director of Restorative Practices, EducationPlus

John Converse is a restorative practitioner who brings 19 years of educational experience to life in his interactions with others. He has a set of skills that foster belonging and connection through the art of restorative practices. He is a certified trainer with the International... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Category Knowing and Valuing Students

3:00pm CDT

Cognitive Strategies to Increase Student Achievement

Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Are you exhausted at the end of each day, while your students seem to leave with boundless energy? It’s time to turn the tables and empower your students to take charge of their own learning! Discover effective strategies to actively engage your students at a cognitive level throughout your lesson, with minimal preparation required. In this dynamic session, you’ll learn a variety of techniques, all of which are adaptable to any content area. Leave this workshop armed with practical, tangible strategies that will invigorate your classroom and empower your students to thrive.

Speakers

Tanya Garcia

St. Louis RPDC Educational Consultant, EducationPlus

Tanya Garcia serves our member districts by developing tailored learning opportunities and professional development programs and working with area districts to provide supports for effective teaching and learning. Throughout her 15 years in education, Tanya has served in various roles... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Category Student-Centered Best Practices

3:00pm CDT

Leading Change: Transforming Schools for an Unpredictable Future

Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Schools must evolve to prepare students for a rapidly changing world, but meaningful change is often met with resistance. This session equips school leaders with practical strategies to drive innovation, overcome barriers, and create buy-in for new educational models. Drawing from expertise in leadership development, strengths-based coaching, and Appreciative Inquiry, this session will provide actionable insights to help administrators and educators navigate change effectively.

Key Takeaways:

Understand the psychology of change: Why educators resist and how to engage them.
Learn how to use Appreciative Inquiry to foster a culture of innovation.
Explore Strengths-Based Leadership and how it can develop a growth mindset in staff and students.
Discover practical strategies to create buy-in for new pedagogies, including ARTI-ful learning, AI integration, and interdisciplinary approaches.

Why This Session Matters: This session blends leadership best practices with real-world applications for transforming schools. Designed for administrators, education leaders, and instructional coaches, it offers the tools needed to lead change with confidence, ensuring that innovative practices take root and thrive.

Speakers

Peter Dry

Director, The PDL Group

Dr. Peter Dry is an educational leader focused on innovation in schools and organizations. He specializes in strengths-based leadership and future-ready education. He works with schools and teams to improve engagement and effectiveness.His experience includes leading strategic innovation... Read More →

Friday June 6, 2025 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Category Schools of the Future

STLinSTL 2025

From $250.00