School Leaders routinely face uncomfortable, high-stakes conversations. Success depends on knowing how to navigate these moments with empathy, clarity, and professionalism rather than avoiding them.
Major Clarity is a college and career readiness program that bridges the gap between academic planning and real-world career outcomes. In this session, schools will design an implementation plan for the 2026-2027 school year
This worksession will provide dedicated time for teams to continue working on their professional development plan in support of the school's Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (CSIPs). Teams can access targeted support and feedback from the Department of Professional and Organizational Development. These sessions are intended to provide teams with the time, space, and support needed to strengthen the implementation of their school professional learning efforts.
If your teachers are "doing" PLCs but student results aren't budging, you’re likely stuck in PLC Lite. Join us to learn how to flip the script from compliance-driven meetings to a PLC Right culture that turns teacher collaboration into your school’s greatest competitive advantage.
This interactive workshop introduces Leaders to STEAM carts as a tool for strengthening engagement, rigor, and cross-curricular instruction. Leaders will participate in a hands-on STEAM challenge, examine classroom look-fors, and identify strategies to support effective implementation across schools.
Are your multilingual learners participating in lessons but still struggling to access grade-level content? Wondering how to support language development without creating a separate lesson for every student? Join us to explore practical, classroom-ready strategies that strengthen Tier 1 instruction for multilingual learners and students with similar language and learning needs. Discover how to unpack the language demands within the SOLs, leverage WIDA resources and Can Do Descriptors, strengthen collaboration between content and EL teachers, and use instructional look-fors to guide implementation. Walk away with actionable tools and strategies that will help create more inclusive, language-rich classrooms where all students can engage, achieve, and thrive.
Don’t just hope for high-quality math instruction—know how to see it. This session equips leaders with the skills to audit the powerful synergy of HQIM (Mathspace) and IXL. We’ll bridge the gap between high-level conceptual struggle and the personalized data loops that keep students on track. You’ll engage in real-world observation protocols and live feedback cycles, learning to identify the “Student Success Markers” that prove teachers are closing gaps in real-time. By mastering the "look-fors" within this digital ecosystem—balancing Mathspace’s conceptual "Why" with IXL’s data-driven "How"—you will leave with the diagnostic confidence to ensure every student experiences high-ceiling math instruction. If you’re ready to turn "busy" math instruction into "good Tier 1" practice, this is your roadmap
Are your PLC meetings turning into venting sessions, or is a mismatch between your curriculum and assessments leading to stagnant student growth? Join us for an interactive, hand-on workshop where you’ll move past the spreadsheet overwhelm and learn to truly “listen” to what your numbers are saying. Instead of just looking at abstract charts, you’ll work directly with your own building’s real-time data dashboard to identify hidden rigor gaps, uncover underserved student subgroups, and ensure the written, taught, and tested curricula are perfectly synced. Through collaborative data protocols and role-play simulations, you will discover how to shift your school culture from “my students” to “ our students.”
School Leaders routinely face uncomfortable, high-stakes conversations. Success depends on knowing how to navigate these moments with empathy, clarity, and professionalism rather than avoiding them.
Major Clarity is a college and career readiness program that bridges the gap between academic planning and real-world career outcomes. In this session, schools will design an implementation plan for the 2026-2027 school year
This session addresses a persistent leadership challenge: PLCs that feel productive on paper but fail to consistently translate into meaningful changes in classroom instruction. Grounded in the 4 essential PLC questions, participants will explore how to move teams beyond surface level planning and into disciplined, data driven conversations that demand evidence of student learning and clear instructional next steps.
How do we know if our assessments are actually measuring what matters most? Too often, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) get stuck in a cycle of creating assessments that test compliance or memorization rather than true mastery. To move the needle on student achievement, leadership must guide teams to look beneath the surface of their curriculum. This interactive, leadership-focused session equips leaders with the tools and frameworks needed to guide PLCs through the critical process of deconstructing essential standards. Participants will learn how to help teaching teams isolate core targets, define clear criteria for "proficiency," and audit or design common formative assessments (CFAs) that yield highly accurate student data.
As school leaders, we spend significant time ensuring new initiatives are launched, schedules are followed, and curricula are delivered. But how do we know if our hard work is actually moving the needle for students? This interactive session resets the framework for school oversight by cleanly separating it into two critical lenses: monitoring for implementation (Are we doing what we said we would do?) and monitoring for impact (Is it working?). Principals will learn how to look past simple compliance checklists and instead analyze adult behaviors alongside student artifacts and data without burning out. Participants will leave this session with a balanced monitoring rhythm, practical look-for tools, and data-reflection protocols designed to help leadership teams make swift, evidence-based adjustments that protect teacher morale while driving measurable student growth.
School Leaders: Bridge the gap between instructional intent and impact with "Clarity in Motion." Unpack the district instructional framework and establish a unified language for differentiated teacher support. Leave with a ready-to-use planning matrix for your building.
Student attendance is about more than tracking absences; it is about creating a school culture where students feel connected, supported, and excited to come to school every day. In this session, elementary school leaders will explore how to leverage a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework to identify and address attendance barriers before they become chronic issues. Participants will learn practical strategies for using attendance data to drive interventions, developing tiered supports for students and families, and fostering strong partnerships that promote regular attendance. The session will also highlight innovative ways to build a positive school climate through incentives, student engagement, relationship-building, and schoolwide traditions that encourage students to want to be at school. Attendees will leave with actionable tools, real-world examples, and proven strategies for transforming attendance efforts from compliance-focused practices into a culture where every student feels valued, connected, and motivated to show up each day.
School teams will have the opportunity to participate in CSIP Work Sessions designed to support the ongoing Continuous School Improvement Process. These sessions will provide dedicated time for teams to continue their work on their Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (CSIPs). Teams may access targeted support and feedback from district staff as needed. These sessions are intended to provide teams with the time, space, and support needed to address challenges, refine strategies, and strengthen the implementation of their school improvement efforts.
This interactive session equips Assistant Principals, especially those new to the role, with the tools and confidence to effectively monitor, review, and support IEP implementation. Participants will engage in hands-on activities, including IEP analysis, classroom walkthrough simulations, feedback role-play, and scheduling challenges to deepen their understanding of compliance, instructional alignment, and student progress monitoring. Emphasis is placed on providing actionable feedback to staff, strengthening collaborative practices, and ensuring decisions align with the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. By the end of the session, participants will leave with clear “look-fors,” practical strategies, and ready-to-use approaches to improve IEP quality and support teacher effectiveness, ensuring equitable access and success for all students.
"A vision for high-quality instruction is the bridge between a student’s current struggle and their future success. If the bridge is built right the first time, we spend less time pulling people out of the river." Join us to discover how to help Leaders clearly state their vision of strong Tier 1 instruction being the greatest equity tool they can possess. Without a clear Tier 1 vision, teachers provide "information," but students don't gain "knowledge," leading to a cycle of endless re-teaching.
This interactive session explores how intentional leadership practices can positively shape school culture, strengthen staff morale, and improve collaboration within school communities. Participants will engage in reflective discussions, real-world leadership scenarios, and practical culture-building strategies centered around relationships, recognition, staff voice, and work-life balance. Through multiple learner-style perspectives, school leaders will leave with actionable tools and immediate next steps to help create more supportive, engaging, and sustainable school environments for both staff and students.
This session addresses a persistent leadership challenge: PLCs that feel productive on paper but fail to consistently translate into meaningful changes in classroom instruction. Grounded in the 4 essential PLC questions, participants will explore how to move teams beyond surface level planning and into disciplined, data driven conversations that demand evidence of student learning and clear instructional next steps.
How do we know if our assessments are actually measuring what matters most? Too often, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) get stuck in a cycle of creating assessments that test compliance or memorization rather than true mastery. To move the needle on student achievement, leadership must guide teams to look beneath the surface of their curriculum. This interactive, leadership-focused session equips leaders with the tools and frameworks needed to guide PLCs through the critical process of deconstructing essential standards. Participants will learn how to help teaching teams isolate core targets, define clear criteria for "proficiency," and audit or design common formative assessments (CFAs) that yield highly accurate student data.
In this interactive table discussion, school leaders will move beyond the "compliance" of Professional Learning Communities to focus on high-leverage effectiveness. Using the DuFour PLC Continuum as a diagnostic lens, participants will evaluate their school’s current reality and identify the specific collaborative structures needed to move their teams forward. The focus of this session is on the "right work." You will collaborate with your peers and core team members to bridge the gap between where your school is now and where it needs to be to maximize student outcomes.
What’s really driving disruptive behavior in K to 5 classrooms, and how can school leaders respond proactively instead of reactively? Join this collaborative, discussion-based session where Leaders will exchange ideas, problem-solve real-world challenges, and walk away with practical, developmentally appropriate strategies to strengthen self-regulation, support teachers, and build calmer, more responsive school environments.
This interactive workshop is designed to support school-based Safety Points of Contact in developing a comprehensive, compliant, and school-specific Crisis Management Plan that addresses prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Participants will review and update critical plan components, clarify roles and communication procedures, identify gaps and action steps, and leave with strategies to finalize, train, share, and maintain their plan throughout the school year.
CSIP got you down? Is your school struggling with continuous school improvement? If so, check out this session and learn some valuable tools & strategies that you can use to develop coherent and effective systems to meet your goals and support your school mission.
Are your PLCs truly improving instruction, or have they become meetings focused more on compliance than student learning? In this interactive leadership session, participants will explore what it means for collaborative teams to do the “right work” by focusing PLC conversations on essential learning, evidence of student understanding, and instructional response. Through scenario analysis, collaborative problem-solving, and leadership reflection, participants will examine how effective PLC processes strengthen Tier I instruction and improve student outcomes. Walk away with practical protocols, instructional look-fors, and a PLC Leadership Action Map that can be immediately implemented to strengthen collaboration, instructional rigor, and student learning across classrooms.
School teams will have the opportunity to participate in CSIP Work Sessions designed to support the ongoing Continuous School Improvement Process. These sessions will provide dedicated time for teams to continue their work on their Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (CSIPs). Teams may access targeted support and feedback from district staff as needed. These sessions are intended to provide teams with the time, space, and support needed to address challenges, refine strategies, and strengthen the implementation of their school improvement efforts.
Every multilingual learner walks into the classroom with a tall glass of cultural and linguistic assets. As educators, we must continue to fill each glass to the brim with vital skills and techniques to empower our young English Language Scholars. Glass Half Full is an interactive workshop that equips educators with collaborative Tier 1 strategies and Can Do Descriptors that dismantle the deficit mindset and unpack SOL language demands so teachers can drive real engagement and measurable achievement. Let's stop looking at what's missing and start leveraging what's already there.
Think CTE is "just an elective"? Think again! Career and Technical Education is the secret to helping our students shine as they prepare to enroll, enlist, or be employed after graduation. This professional development session is all about flipping the script on traditional CTE and equipping you with the "superpowers" to make these programs the heart of your campus! We’ll dive into a fun, hands-on workshop to explore how to make CTE a top priority in your master schedule and staffing. We’re moving past the "boring" theory to give you a toolkit of "leader actions" such as using effective walk-through rubrics and becoming your school’s biggest cheerleader for student wins like industry certifications, career exploration opportunities, and real-world work experiences. Let’s prepare our students for what awaits them beyond the diploma!
Don’t just hope for high-quality math instruction—know how to see it. This session equips leaders with the skills to audit the powerful synergy of HQIM and IXL. We’ll bridge the gap between high-level conceptual struggle and the personalized data loops that keep students on track. You’ll engage in real-world observation protocols and live feedback cycles, learning to identify the “Student Success Markers” that prove teachers are closing gaps in real-time. By mastering the "look-fors" within this digital ecosystem—balancing HQIM’s conceptual "Why" with IXL’s data-driven "How"—you will leave with the diagnostic confidence to ensure every student experiences high-ceiling math instruction. If you’re ready to turn "busy" math instruction into "good Tier 1" practice, this is your roadmap.
Ever feel like your building’s Technology Innovation Coach (TIC) is trapped in a never-ending loop of resetting student passwords and fixing paper jams instead of moving your academic goals forward? It’s time to break the cycle and upgrade your school’s most powerful instructional asset! Join us for a fast-paced, hands-on planning sprint that breaks down the wall between data and delivery. You’ll open your CSIP, raid the brand-new DTI Professional Learning Pathways catalog, and purposefully map out expert-led teacher training that targets your specific reading, math, or behavioral bottlenecks. Don't leave your school improvement to chance—walk away with a customized, schedule-ready Semester 1 deployment plan that turns your coach into an instructional multiplier.
In this interactive table discussion, school leaders will move beyond the "compliance" of Professional Learning Communities to focus on high-leverage effectiveness. Using the DuFour PLC Continuum as a diagnostic lens, participants will evaluate their school’s current reality and identify the specific collaborative structures needed to move their teams forward. The focus of this session is on the "right work." You will collaborate with your peers and core team members to bridge the gap between where your school is now and where it needs to be to maximize student outcomes.
What’s really driving disruptive behavior in K to 5 classrooms, and how can school leaders respond proactively instead of reactively? Join this collaborative, discussion-based session where Leaders will exchange ideas, problem-solve real-world challenges, and walk away with practical, developmentally appropriate strategies to strengthen self-regulation, support teachers, and build calmer, more responsive school environments.
In this interactive table discussion, school leaders will move beyond the "compliance" of Professional Learning Communities to focus on high-leverage effectiveness. Using the DuFour PLC Continuum as a diagnostic lens, participants will evaluate their school’s current reality and identify the specific collaborative structures needed to move their teams forward. The focus of this session is on the "right work." You will collaborate with your peers and core team members to bridge the gap between where your school is now and where it needs to be to maximize student outcomes.
What’s really driving disruptive behavior in K to 5 classrooms, and how can school leaders respond proactively instead of reactively? Join this collaborative, discussion-based session where Leaders will exchange ideas, problem-solve real-world challenges, and walk away with practical, developmentally appropriate strategies to strengthen self-regulation, support teachers, and build calmer, more responsive school environments.
Starting from the learner’s perspective, participants will then apply the instructional assessment chart (Beers, 2023) to pinpoint where a student's reading may be challenged and practice using the "Notice & Note" signposts students need to decode complex, state-test-level texts. Most importantly, you will leave with a turnkey leadership toolkit that includes ready-to-use rotation blueprints, coaching templates, and resources. This will allow you to go back to your school and show your teachers exactly how to build these student-led tools to support your students in analyzing dense and complex text.
Are you exhausted at the end of each school day from constantly managing chaos, responding to behavior concerns, and putting out fires? This session explores how intentional systems and consistent practices can transform school climate and culture by creating structure, clarity, and predictability for students and staff. Participants will examine practical strategies that strengthen communication, improve consistency, support positive behavior, and build a more productive learning environment. Walk away with actionable ideas to create sustainable change, reduce daily stressors, and develop systems that lead to stronger outcomes for your entire school community.
Why do your Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) still yield inconsistent results? This high-level briefing provides organizational leaders with the strategic vision to shift the culture from isolated work to consistent, high-impact collaboration. We will define the three non-negotiable pillars of instructional excellence—soundness, intentionality, and agility—and outline the systems necessary to ensure all secondary teams are doing the "right work" at the right time. Leave with a clear charge and a framework for evaluating and aligning your current systems to meet key instructional goals.
Let’s be honest: PBIS has been around for over a decade, and many of your teachers feel like it just doesn’t work for secondary students. They’re tired of "token economies" that feel like bribes and systems that seem to prioritize "being nice" over actual accountability. This session is for the leaders who are ready to move past the fluff and turn PBIS into a high-functioning engine that protects instructional time. In this session we will strip PBIS down to the mechanics and focus on automation, not just appreciation.
This interactive workshop is designed to support school-based Safety Points of Contact in developing a comprehensive, compliant, and school-specific Crisis Management Plan that addresses prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Participants will review and update critical plan components, clarify roles and communication procedures, identify gaps and action steps, and leave with strategies to finalize, train, share, and maintain their plan throughout the school year.
Strong systems don’t happen by chance—they are built, refined, and sustained through intentional leadership. In this engaging session, building and department-level leaders will dive into the “how” behind high-functioning systems that drive team success. Participants will explore practical strategies to design, communicate, and continuously improve systems that keep teams aligned and accountable. Through collaborative learning and real-world application, leaders will uncover ways to monitor what’s working, adjust what isn’t, and strengthen consistency across their teams. The session will wrap with each participant creating a clear, actionable next step to improve a current system, turning ideas into immediate leadership impact.
School teams will have the opportunity to participate in CSIP Work Sessions designed to support the ongoing Continuous School Improvement Process. These sessions will provide dedicated time for teams to continue their work on their Comprehensive School Improvement Plans (CSIPs). Teams may access targeted support and feedback from district staff as needed. These sessions are intended to provide teams with the time, space, and support needed to address challenges, refine strategies, and strengthen the implementation of their school improvement efforts.
If your teachers are struggling to turn small-group time into focused, differentiated instruction, it’s time to stop spinning your wheels. We’ll equip you with proven strategies for supporting teachers in setting up structures to support small group instruction (e.g., classroom management, rotation planning, small group instruction) that lead to truly engaged and empowered learners.
Are students with disabilities in your schools receiving truly individualized instruction, or are well-meaning accommodations filling the space where Specially Designed INstruction (SDI) should be? In this workshop, school Leaders will use real student case studies to sharpen their ability to recognize SDI in action, explore High-Leverage Practices through an instructional leadership lens, and apply a research-aligned K-8 Walkthrough Tool to strengthen classroom observations. Walk away with a shared instructional language, tools you can use the very next day, and one specific leadership commitment to carry into the 2026-2027 school year. Because, when every Leader builds shared ownership of SDI, student outcomes change.
Supervisor of Exceptional Learning, Chesapeake Public Schools
With over 33 years of experience in the field of education, Ms. Hough serves as the Supervisor of Exceptional Learning for Chesapeake Public Schools. Her extensive career spans roles such as assistant principal, principal, inclusion facilitator, and behavior specialist. As a Board... Read More →
Starting from the learner’s perspective, participants will then apply the instructional assessment chart (Beers, 2023) to pinpoint where a student's reading may be challenged and practice using the "Notice & Note" signposts students need to decode complex, state-test-level texts. Most importantly, you will leave with a turnkey leadership toolkit that includes ready-to-use rotation blueprints, coaching templates, and resources. This will allow you to go back to your school and show your teachers exactly how to build these student-led tools to support your students in analyzing dense and complex text.
Are you exhausted at the end of each school day from constantly managing chaos, responding to behavior concerns, and putting out fires? This session explores how intentional systems and consistent practices can transform school climate and culture by creating structure, clarity, and predictability for students and staff. Participants will examine practical strategies that strengthen communication, improve consistency, support positive behavior, and build a more productive learning environment. Walk away with actionable ideas to create sustainable change, reduce daily stressors, and develop systems that lead to stronger outcomes for your entire school community.
Why do your Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) still yield inconsistent results? This high-level briefing provides organizational leaders with the strategic vision to shift the culture from isolated work to consistent, high-impact collaboration. We will define the three non-negotiable pillars of instructional excellence—soundness, intentionality, and agility—and outline the systems necessary to ensure all secondary teams are doing the "right work" at the right time. Leave with a clear charge and a framework for evaluating and aligning your current systems to meet key instructional goals.
Starting from the learner’s perspective, participants will then apply the instructional assessment chart (Beers, 2023) to pinpoint where a student's reading may be challenged and practice using the "Notice & Note" signposts students need to decode complex, state-test-level texts. Most importantly, you will leave with a turnkey leadership toolkit that includes ready-to-use rotation blueprints, coaching templates, and resources. This will allow you to go back to your school and show your teachers exactly how to build these student-led tools to support your students in analyzing dense and complex text.
