What is wrong with our current design of schools?

• Paula Dillon, Assistant Superintendent of Barrington (RI) Schools
• Corey Mohn, Executive Director of the CAPS Network
• Chad Carlson, Director of Research and Design, One Stone  

There are educators across the country that have created new “images of possibility” in regards to new school designs.  These educators share and discuss these new possibilities. 

• Jon Ketler, co-Director and co-founder of SOTA, SAMI, and IDEA schools of the Tacoma Public Schools
• Trace Pickering, Executive Director and co-founder of IowaBig
• Ben Owens, former teacher at Tri-County Early College and co-founder of Open Way Learning
• Gregg Brown, Network Coordinator, Center for Advanced Professional Studies Network

An inordinate amount of time, energy, and resources have been spent on increase students’ ELA and Math scores on standardized tests.  It’s not that begin able to read, write, and do math are not important – but what happens when we ask the question: What is most important for our students to know and be able to do to pursue the lives they want?

• Laura Shibulla, Founder of Building21
• Ayris Colvin, Principal of Building21 school in Philadelphia
• Theresa Moore, Founder and President of T-Time Productions
• Tessa Simmonds, graduate of One Stone
• Grace Belfiore, Co-Lead Researcher and Co-Author of NGLC MyWays

The old model of schools with the focus on content delivery and skills not attentive to or directly connected to the interests, passions, and context of youth needs to go.  But how can we pursue new designs of teaching, learning, and schooling that far better engages our youth and affords them the capacity to pursue the lives they want?

• Jeff Petty, Regional Director of Big Picture Learning and Founder and Director of the Puget Sound Consortium for School Innovation
• Alexis Gwin-Miller, Executive Director of Momentum Edge Coaching and Consulting Agency and former Principal of Crosstown High School
• Jenn Charlot, Transcend Education and co-founder of Rev-X
• Sonya Wrisley, who helped to develop and was the first Principal at Design39 in San Diego

If we are going to make a dent in our education system today and both imagine and pursue new possibilities for our youth and the adults who serve them, then we each have to ask ourselves: What can I do?  Three educators offer their thoughts on how each of us can assist, support, and be a part of the education revolution as a classroom, school, and district leader.

• Mike Poore, Superintendent of the Little Rock (AR) Public Schools
• Nicole Allard, Interim Executive Director of Innovation & Educational Excellence at Vista (CA) Unified School District
• Saskia Op den Bosch, Transcend Education and co-founder of Rev-X
• Alexa Sorden, Founding Principal of Concourse Village Elementary School in the Bronx, which was awarded the National 2018 Blue Ribbon school for Exemplary Performance, and recipient of the 2017 Ryan Award for being a transformational school principal serving urban, low-income, minority students
• Ethan Wiechmann, Director of Cedar Falls CAPS
• Hadley Ferguson, co-founder and Executive Director of Edcamp Foundation

There has been a very strong press for networks as catalyzers, incubators, and supports to engender the development of new schools, transformation of schools, and agents of change in our educational ecosystem.  Come hear three leading educational leaders talk about the power of networks in driving and supporting educational opportunity and visions for educators and communities around the world.

• Tom Vander Ark, co-founder of Getting Smart
• Joanne McEachen, CEO/Founder of The Learner First
• Justin Aglio is currently the Director of Academic Achievement and District Innovation at Montour School District and a frequent columnist for several educational blogs on innovation in schools and school systems

Three educators who have been working in the arena of system change in education for many years will share their insights as to what and HOW the system of education and educators at various levels of the system can effectively pursue new possibilities in agency and opportunity for all youth moving forward, potentially culminating in a much needed and desired revolution in education. In sharp focus here: How might this happen NOW?!

• Andy Calkins, Director of the Next Generation Learning Challenges
• Grant Lichtman, an advisor, consultant, and partner in change in education
• Kelly Young, President of Education Reimagined