EduLead 2025

9:45am CST

Connecting Digital Citizenship to Advisory / Homeroom: A Whole-School Approach to Student Well-Being LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

2nd Floor Tech Cube

One of my key takeaways from years in the field is that students are begging for help. “Don’t tell me what not to do, teach me how to deal with all of this.” is a direct quote from a student who inspired me at the beginning of my journey as a social worker in education. This session will provide practical strategies to help students cope with stress, anxiety, and social challenges—whether they stem from online interactions, academic pressure, or personal struggles. Advisory teachers will immediately understand the connection to digital citizenship and why it is important to work hand in hand with this program. They will also learn how to support students in navigating challenges with resilience and finding constructive solutions to the problems they face.

Key Takeaway:
Educators will leave with practical, discussion-based advisory tools to help students develop coping strategies, manage stress effectively, and approach challenges with a problem-solving mindset, reinforcing both emotional well-being and a sense of belonging.

Speakers

Allison Ochs

Founder and Owner, Edit change management -Digital Wellbeing and Citizenship

Allison Ochs is an American-Swiss social pedagogue, author, lecturer, and consultant specializing in digital literacy and citizenship in schools and beyond. With a background in social work and education, Allison has worked with families, children, and schools in diverse capacities... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
2nd Floor Tech Cube

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

Redesigning Learning: Foundations of Student-Centered Design (Session 1) LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

2C80

This two-session workshop invites educators to reimagine their classroom practices through the powerful combination of design thinking and project-based learning. Moving beyond traditional instruction, participants will explore how intentionally designed learning experiences can transform student engagement and foster authentic belonging in school communities. The workshop bridges theory and practice, providing teachers with both conceptual frameworks and dedicated time to develop implementable units for their specific contexts.
Session 1: Redesigning Learning: Foundations of Student-Centered Design
In our first session, participants will explore the research-backed connections between student choice, engagement, and belonging. Through interactive activities and case studies, we'll examine how design thinking principles can be applied to curriculum development, creating learning experiences that honor diverse perspectives and learning styles. Teachers will analyze successful models that balance academic rigor with student autonomy, identifying specific strategies for implementation in their own classrooms.

Speakers

Aparna Sundaram

With over 30 years of dedicated service in education, Aparna has established herself as an innovative educator, strategic leader, knowledgeable recruiter, and respected consultant. She has led curriculum initiatives focused on culturally responsive pedagogy, design thinking... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
2C80

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

Stretching your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

Lower School Library

At this moment in time when things are ever shifting, it is critically important that we strive to develop ourselves, not just as educators, but as human beings. What can we do to be bigger and better versions of ourselves as collaborative team members and as leaders? This workshop, based on Jennifer’s new book, Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work, will introduce us to adult developmental theory and to five focused ways we can develop ourselves at work.
We will build our skills to:

know ourselves and our identities
better suspend our certainty and think with greater complexity and openness
take increased responsibility for our language and communications
engage with reciprocity and live ‘out loud’ our belief of mutual respect for all
build our resiliency and work on our emotional hygiene
Consider what it means, in practice, to grow (up) – to develop our skills and capacities as lead learners in our schools.

Speakers

Jennifer Abrams

Communications Consultant

Jennifer Abrams is an international educational and communications consultant specializing in supporting public and independent schools, universities, and non-profits. She trains and coaches educators, administrators, and other professionals on new teacher and employee support, having... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
Lower School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

UBD Part 1: Understanding by Design (UbD) a framework for creating a future ready curriculum LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

n this introductory session, Janelle will present an overview of the UbD framework and address the following questions:

What are the drivers and goals of a future ready curriculum?
How should we design curriculum ‘backwards’?
What is understanding and how does it differ from ‘knowing’?
How should we design curriculum connecting students to ways of thinking, working and living in the world?

Speakers

Janelle McGann

Janelle is a global educator with over 25 years’ experience in public and private schools in Australia, Ireland and the US. As a teacher, leader, consultant and lecturer, Janelle understands the demands of a changing educational landscape for teachers and leaders. She has a passionate... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
Legacy Commons

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

Understanding Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): PART 1 LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

In today’s diverse classrooms, meeting the needs of all students requires proactive, structured approaches. This session introduces the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework—a whole-school approach designed to ensure every learner receives the right level of academic, behavioral, and social-emotional strategies to access curriculum. Participants will explore what MTSS is, why schools are adopting it.  We’ll engage with and unpack the core principles of tiered interventions and set the stage for exploration of the ‘how’ of MTSS in Part 2. Whether you’re new to MTSS or looking to strengthen your understanding, this session provides a foundation for effective, student-centered support.

Speakers

Kristen Pelletier

Kristen Pelletier is a highly regarded educational consultant, coach, and teacher trainer dedicated to fostering inclusive cultures and practices in international schools. Her consulting, Castle Corner-Redefining Access recently relocated to Portugal, leverages over 20 years of experience... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
Lotus Lounge

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

Unlocking Potential: Differentiation Through Universal Design for Learning LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

Upper School Library

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a dynamic framework that promotes equitable access to meaningful and engaging learning experiences for all students. This workshop will explore strategies to meet our diverse learners and, foster deeper student engagement to overcome barriers to success. We will explore flexible, student-centered approaches that create inclusive classrooms where every learner can reach their full potential!

Speakers

Kristel Solomon

Kristel Solomon is an accomplished International Educational Consultant with over 20 years of experience dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their individual pathways to excellence. She has served as Director... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
Upper School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

12 Big Questions School Must Answer to Imagine Irresistible Futures LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

MPR

This session offers a guided exploration the just-released ebook on 12 Big Questions (free download here), following the popular  9 BIG Questions Schools Must Answer to Avoid Going "Back to Normal" (*Because "Normal" Wasn't That Great to Begin With) by Tavangar and Richardson.

The big questions are being used as a provocation to drive meaningful and fearless inquiry around school change and efficacy in the midst of volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) conditions in the world and in education.

Through probing, interactive activities we will audit and explore questions such as What is Learning? Why Do We ______? Who is Unheard? and Are We OK? as well as the three new questions: What is Your Story? What is Success? and What is Your Legacy? Embarking on a systematic interrogation of key questions, our “why” becomes clearer, to unlock new “how’s” for steering schools through crisis and uncertainty.

This session encourages educators and leaders to interrogate deeply held assumptions, clarify their shared purpose, and uncover pathways for designing learning environments that are inclusive, innovative, and responsive to both present challenges and future possibilities.

Key Takeaways:

Develop a shared language and framework for school transformation using the 12 Big Questions
Engage in reflective and collaborative inquiry to surface core values, assumptions, and beliefs about learning
Explore how questions of identity, equity, and purpose shape student experiences and school culture
Clarify your individual and collective “why” to inspire innovative “how’s” for navigating change
Leave with a set of tools and protocols for facilitating continued dialogue and strategic reflection within your own teams and communities

Speakers

Homa Tavangar

Cofounder, Big Questions Institute

Homa Tavanger is the co-founder of the Big Questions Institute and the Oneness Lab.She brings 30+ years’ experience helping diverse organizations and individuals to build cultural, racial and global competence, strategic governance, and visionary, generative leadership in diverse schools and organizations. She coaches leaders on accountability for equity... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
MPR

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Developing & Assessing Psychological Safety in the Classroom LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

Middle School Library

We know many reasons that psychological safety is important in the classroom: it provides an environment in which students can take intellectual risks, be creative, and engage in critical thinking. And yet, there are students who find it difficult to engage, and no matter how we might coax them, their verbal contributions to class conversations remain minimal. What might be getting in the way? How do we go about deliberately establishing an environment in which all students feel safe enough to contribute their thinking? In this workshop, we will explore ways in which teachers deliberately establish a psychologically safe space for student engagement, and how we might assess our successes.

Speakers

Dr. Ochan Kusuma-Powell

Ochan Kusuma-Powell is co-founder and director of Education Across Frontiers, an organization that promotes teacher education towards the development of professional learning communities. A graduate of Columbia University with a doctorate in international education development, she... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Middle School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Fostering Cultures of Dignity and Respect: The Educator’s Role in Addressing Bullying and Identity-Based Harm LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

Harmony Theater

Bullying and identity-based harm are pervasive challenges in international schools, impacting student well-being, academic success, and overall school climate. However, not all harm constitutes bullying. This interactive workshop introduces Dr. Gay’s Fostering Cultures of Dignity and Respect framework, equipping educators with research-based strategies to recognize, address, and prevent harmful behaviors while distinguishing between bullying, conflict, and teasing.

Grounded in evidence-based approaches, this session shifts schools beyond punitive discipline toward proactive, belonging-centered practices. Through discussion, reflection, and case studies, educators will examine their role in setting norms, modeling inclusive behavior, and fostering student agency in creating a respectful school climate. Participants will explore the defining characteristics of bullying, understand how differences are used to marginalize peers, and learn interventions that mitigate and address harm. Additionally, they will gain practical strategies to build a culture where all students feel seen, valued, and safe—ensuring a school environment that prioritizes dignity, respect, and inclusion.

Speakers

Dr. Derrick Gay

Dr. Derrick Gay is a globally recognized Belonging and Intercultural Strategist, dedicated to fostering cultures of dignity and respect. With multifaceted expertise as an international speaker, author, researcher, educator, and university lecturer, Dr. Gay empowers individuals and... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Harmony Theater

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Redesigning Learning: From Concept to Classroom (Session 2) LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

2C80

This two-session workshop invites educators to reimagine their classroom practices through the powerful combination of design thinking and project-based learning. Moving beyond traditional instruction, participants will explore how intentionally designed learning experiences can transform student engagement and foster authentic belonging in school communities. The workshop bridges theory and practice, providing teachers with both conceptual frameworks and dedicated time to develop implementable units for their specific
Session 2: Redesigning Learning: From Concept to Classroom
Building on our foundational understanding, the second session provides structured planning time for teachers to design or redesign a unit using project-based methodology. Participants will work collaboratively to address common challenges—from assessment design to scheduling constraints—while leveraging the collective wisdom of colleagues from diverse disciplines. Teachers will leave with a framework for a unit that incorporates authentic student choice, community connections, and real-world problem-solving.

Speakers

Aparna Sundaram

With over 30 years of dedicated service in education, Aparna has established herself as an innovative educator, strategic leader, knowledgeable recruiter, and respected consultant. She has led curriculum initiatives focused on culturally responsive pedagogy, design thinking... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
2C80

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

UbD Part 2: Designing for deeper learning LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

Our students need to experience that their lives have influence; that they have power (internal locus of control); and that they can master new skills that assist them to handle future challenges.
Janelle will present a set of practical and proven strategies and tools to help students make meaning, build deep understanding and transfer their learning into the wider world. We will explore the following questions:

What is deeper learning and why is it important?
What is worth learning deeply? How do we decide?
Learn a process for framing curriculum for deeper learning
What kinds of instruction will support students to learn deeply?
Learn practical tools and strategies

Speakers

Janelle McGann

Janelle is a global educator with over 25 years’ experience in public and private schools in Australia, Ireland and the US. As a teacher, leader, consultant and lecturer, Janelle understands the demands of a changing educational landscape for teachers and leaders. She has a passionate... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Legacy Commons

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Understanding Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Part 2: From Theory to Practice LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

Upper School Library

Building on the foundational principles explored in Part 1, this session takes a deeper dive into the practical application of MTSS within school communities. Participants will move beyond the "what" and "why" of MTSS to explore the "how"—how to implement, refine, and sustain a tiered support system that effectively meets the diverse needs of all learners.

Speakers

Kristel Solomon

Kristel Solomon is an accomplished International Educational Consultant with over 20 years of experience dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their individual pathways to excellence. She has served as Director... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Upper School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

Gen AI Wonderings?: Consider Hopes, Cautions, and Possibilities to Support Neurodiverse Learners LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

This is a non-technical, open conversation for those who might be feeling curious and possibly a bit apprehensive about AI’s role in education, especially for those with neurodiverse learning profiles. We’ll unpack the recently released NFI and ISLES Position Statement on AI opportunities—focusing on the real-world tensions between hope and careful consideration. Can AI truly enhance accessibility and personalization? What are the risks of over-reliance? Through discussion, we’ll explore how to approach AI thoughtfully. Whether you’re optimistic, cautious, or simply curious, this session offers a space to reflect, question, and engage without technical jargon.

Speakers

Kristen Pelletier

Kristen Pelletier is a highly regarded educational consultant, coach, and teacher trainer dedicated to fostering inclusive cultures and practices in international schools. Her consulting, Castle Corner-Redefining Access recently relocated to Portugal, leverages over 20 years of experience... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
Lotus Lounge

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

Having Hard Conversations LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

Lower School Library

As administrators, coaches or colleagues, we often come up against situations where difficult topics must be addressed. What do we know about the best strategies for those moments? What questions should we be asking ourselves before we speak, and what environments are best for when we do speak? Based on Jennifer’s book, Having Hard Conversations, and her work with conflict and interpersonal communication, this session will provide participants with action plans and scripting tools for having those necessary hard conversations.
Participants will learn how to:

Identify why they hesitate having hard conversations
Choose questions to ask themselves before they choose to speak up
Articulate in professional language the challenges they are facing
Determine the goals of the conversation and write an action plan of support
Script the conversation avoiding trigger words that put others on the defensive
Choose the best ‘wheres’ and ‘whens’ for a productive discussion

Speakers

Jennifer Abrams

Communications Consultant

Jennifer Abrams is an international educational and communications consultant specializing in supporting public and independent schools, universities, and non-profits. She trains and coaches educators, administrators, and other professionals on new teacher and employee support, having... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
Lower School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

Managing the Digital Shift: How Online Communication Impacts the Classroom & School Community LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

2nd Floor Tech Cube

Have you ever walked into class and felt like something was off—students whispering, a shift in energy, or tension between friends—but you had no idea what had happened? In today’s world, so much of student life unfolds online, in group chats, gaming communities, and social media. What happens in these spaces doesn’t stay there—it spills over into the classroom, shaping friendships, conflicts, and overall school culture. This session will explore how online interactions influence student dynamics and how educators can foster a safe, connected learning environment that bridges the gap between digital and real-world relationships

Why this matters:

Students bring their online conflicts into the classroom, but educators often lack the tools to address these digital behaviors effectively.
Bullying, exclusion, and miscommunication online have real consequences for school culture.

Practical strategies:

Identifying digital conflicts early before they disrupt classroom culture.
Establishing proactive classroom norms that prevent online bullying and exclusion.
Effective interventions when online meanness spills into in-person interactions.
Schoolwide safeguarding approaches to ensure students feel safe both online and offline.

Key Takeaway: Educators will learn specific techniques for noticing, addressing, and preventing digital conflicts while fostering a classroom culture of belonging.

Speakers

Allison Ochs

Founder and Owner, Edit change management -Digital Wellbeing and Citizenship

Allison Ochs is an American-Swiss social pedagogue, author, lecturer, and consultant specializing in digital literacy and citizenship in schools and beyond. With a background in social work and education, Allison has worked with families, children, and schools in diverse capacities... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
2nd Floor Tech Cube

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

UbD Part 3: Essential Questions – Opening Doors to Student Understanding LIMITED

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

A good essential question serves as a doorway for engaging student inquiry, helps teachers ‘uncover’ the big ideas of curriculum content and leads students to deeper understanding. We will explore critical questions including:

What makes a question ‘essential’?
If the content represents the ‘answers’ then what were the questions that led to content knowledge in the first place?
How can Essential Questions be used to guide inquiry and deeper learning?

Participants will learn how to craft essential questions and get examples of excellent discipline specific Essential Questions that can be used across year levels and units.

Speakers

Janelle McGann

Janelle is a global educator with over 25 years’ experience in public and private schools in Australia, Ireland and the US. As a teacher, leader, consultant and lecturer, Janelle understands the demands of a changing educational landscape for teachers and leaders. She has a passionate... Read More →

Friday May 9, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
Legacy Commons

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

Belonging at TAS: Insights from Focus Groups and the Path Moving Forward LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

Harmony Theater

Taipei International School remains deeply committed to fostering a school community grounded in dignity and respect. Over the past two years, Dr. Gay has partnered with TAS to support and refine these efforts, working closely with faculty, staff, students, parents, and the board. During his most recent visit in October, he conducted focus groups to examine the lived experiences within the school, gathering valuable insights into TAS’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth.

In this workshop, Dr. Gay will present key themes that emerged from these discussions, situating them within broader trends in international schools. Participants will engage with research-based frameworks to deepen their understanding of belonging and learn strategies that support meaningful and sustained progress. Through guided conversations, they will discuss key insights, explore their implications, and consider how these findings can inform ongoing efforts at TAS. This session will provide an opportunity to connect past and present work, reinforcing a shared commitment to fostering a culture where all members of the community experience a strong sense of belonging.

Speakers

Dr. Derrick Gay

Dr. Derrick Gay is a globally recognized Belonging and Intercultural Strategist, dedicated to fostering cultures of dignity and respect. With multifaceted expertise as an international speaker, author, researcher, educator, and university lecturer, Dr. Gay empowers individuals and... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
Harmony Theater

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

On Being Agentic: Cultivating Self-Directed Learners  LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

What does it mean to be truly agentic in learning and life? This session explores the dimensions of agency and the key factors that empower individuals to take ownership of their learning. Participants will examine key dimensions and explore strategies to design learning experiences that cultivate efficacy, adaptability, and lifelong learning skills. If you are a learner, or facilitator of learning in others, this session is for you.  

Speakers

Kristen Pelletier

Kristen Pelletier is a highly regarded educational consultant, coach, and teacher trainer dedicated to fostering inclusive cultures and practices in international schools. Her consulting, Castle Corner-Redefining Access recently relocated to Portugal, leverages over 20 years of experience... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
Lotus Lounge

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

Redesigning Learning: Foundations of Student-Centered Design (Session 1: Repeat) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

2C80

This two-session workshop invites educators to reimagine their classroom practices through the powerful combination of design thinking and project-based learning. Moving beyond traditional instruction, participants will explore how intentionally designed learning experiences can transform student engagement and foster authentic belonging in school communities. The workshop bridges theory and practice, providing teachers with both conceptual frameworks and dedicated time to develop implementable units for their specific contexts.
Session 1: Redesigning Learning: Foundations of Student-Centered Design
In our first session, participants will explore the research-backed connections between student choice, engagement, and belonging. Through interactive activities and case studies, we'll examine how design thinking principles can be applied to curriculum development, creating learning experiences that honor diverse perspectives and learning styles. Teachers will analyze successful models that balance academic rigor with student autonomy, identifying specific strategies for implementation in their own classrooms.

Speakers

Aparna Sundaram

With over 30 years of dedicated service in education, Aparna has established herself as an innovative educator, strategic leader, knowledgeable recruiter, and respected consultant. She has led curriculum initiatives focused on culturally responsive pedagogy, design thinking... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
2C80

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

9:45am CST

Stretching your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work (REPEAT) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST

Lower School Library

At this moment in time when things are ever shifting, it is critically important that we strive to develop ourselves, not just as educators, but as human beings. What can we do to be bigger and better versions of ourselves as collaborative team members and as leaders? This workshop, based on Jennifer’s new book, Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work, will introduce us to adult developmental theory and to five focused ways we can develop ourselves at work.
We will build our skills to:

know ourselves and our identities
better suspend our certainty and think with greater complexity and openness
take increased responsibility for our language and communications
engage with reciprocity and live ‘out loud’ our belief of mutual respect for all
build our resiliency and work on our emotional hygiene

Consider what it means, in practice, to grow (up) – to develop our skills and capacities as lead learners in our schools.

Speakers

Jennifer Abrams

Communications Consultant

Jennifer Abrams is an international educational and communications consultant specializing in supporting public and independent schools, universities, and non-profits. She trains and coaches educators, administrators, and other professionals on new teacher and employee support, having... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 9:45am - 11:00am CST
Lower School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Developing & Assessing Psychological Safety in the Classroom (Repeat) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

Middle School Library

We know many reasons that psychological safety is important in the classroom: it provides an environment in which students can take intellectual risks, be creative, and engage in critical thinking. And yet, there are students who find it difficult to engage, and no matter how we might coax them, their verbal contributions to class conversations remain minimal. What might be getting in the way? How do we go about deliberately establishing an environment in which all students feel safe enough to contribute their thinking? In this workshop, we will explore ways in which teachers deliberately establish a psychologically safe space for student engagement, and how we might assess our successes.

Speakers

Dr. Ochan Kusuma-Powell

Ochan Kusuma-Powell is co-founder and director of Education Across Frontiers, an organization that promotes teacher education towards the development of professional learning communities. A graduate of Columbia University with a doctorate in international education development, she... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Middle School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Leading in Transition:  What Are the New Skills, Literacies, and Dispositions for Liminal Times? LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

MPR

This session offers a guided exploration the just-released ebook on 12 Big Questions (free download here), following the popular  9 BIG Questions Schools Must Answer to Avoid Going "Back to Normal" (*Because "Normal" Wasn't That Great to Begin With) by Tavangar and Richardson.

The big questions are being used as a provocation to drive meaningful and fearless inquiry around school change and efficacy in the midst of volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) conditions in the world and in education.

Through probing, interactive activities we will audit and explore questions such as What is Learning? Why Do We ______? Who is Unheard? and Are We OK? as well as the three new questions: What is Your Story? What is Success? and What is Your Legacy? Embarking on a systematic interrogation of key questions, our “why” becomes clearer, to unlock new “how’s” for steering schools through crisis and uncertainty.

This session encourages educators and leaders to interrogate deeply held assumptions, clarify their shared purpose, and uncover pathways for designing learning environments that are inclusive, innovative, and responsive to both present challenges and future possibilities.

Key Takeaways:

Develop a shared language and framework for school transformation using the 12 Big Questions
Engage in reflective and collaborative inquiry to surface core values, assumptions, and beliefs about learning
Explore how questions of identity, equity, and purpose shape student experiences and school culture
Clarify your individual and collective “why” to inspire innovative “how’s” for navigating change
Leave with a set of tools and protocols for facilitating continued dialogue and strategic reflection within your own teams and communities

Speakers

Homa Tavangar

Cofounder, Big Questions Institute

Homa Tavanger is the co-founder of the Big Questions Institute and the Oneness Lab.She brings 30+ years’ experience helping diverse organizations and individuals to build cultural, racial and global competence, strategic governance, and visionary, generative leadership in diverse schools and organizations. She coaches leaders on accountability for equity... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
MPR

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Redesigning Learning: From Concept to Classroom (Session 2: Repeat) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

2C80

This two-session workshop invites educators to reimagine their classroom practices through the powerful combination of design thinking and project-based learning. Moving beyond traditional instruction, participants will explore how intentionally designed learning experiences can transform student engagement and foster authentic belonging in school communities. The workshop bridges theory and practice, providing teachers with both conceptual frameworks and dedicated time to develop implementable units for their specific
Session 2: Redesigning Learning: From Concept to Classroom
Building on our foundational understanding, the second session provides structured planning time for teachers to design or redesign a unit using project-based methodology. Participants will work collaboratively to address common challenges—from assessment design to scheduling constraints—while leveraging the collective wisdom of colleagues from diverse disciplines. Teachers will leave with a framework for a unit that incorporates authentic student choice, community connections, and real-world problem-solving.

Speakers

Aparna Sundaram

With over 30 years of dedicated service in education, Aparna has established herself as an innovative educator, strategic leader, knowledgeable recruiter, and respected consultant. She has led curriculum initiatives focused on culturally responsive pedagogy, design thinking... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
2C80

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Reframing Perspectives: Shifting Mental Models Through Asset-Based Language LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

Upper School Library

The language we use shapes our perceptions, teaching practices, and interactions with students. This workshop explores how asset-based language can shift mindsets, fostering a more inclusive and strengths-focused approach to neurodiverse and multilingual learners. Participants will examine how mental models influence their perceptions of student abilities, learn to reframe challenges as opportunities for growth, and explore strategies that empower all learners to thrive.

Speakers

Kristel Solomon

Kristel Solomon is an accomplished International Educational Consultant with over 20 years of experience dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their individual pathways to excellence. She has served as Director... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Upper School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

UbD Part 4: A focus on performance LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

Learn a process for developing more ‘authentic’, performance-based assessment tasks that assess student understanding and capacity to apply knowledge, integrate important thinking skills and develop student agency.
Participants will learn:

key features of authentic performance-based assessment tasks
a framework for designing authentic tasks that integrate important thinking skills with academic content
how to structure tasks for student choice and agency

Speakers

Janelle McGann

Janelle is a global educator with over 25 years’ experience in public and private schools in Australia, Ireland and the US. As a teacher, leader, consultant and lecturer, Janelle understands the demands of a changing educational landscape for teachers and leaders. She has a passionate... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Legacy Commons

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

11:15am CST

Understanding Multi Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): PART 1 (Repeat) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST

In today’s diverse classrooms, meeting the needs of all students requires proactive, structured approaches. This session introduces the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework—a whole-school approach designed to ensure every learner receives the right level of academic, behavioral, and social-emotional strategies to access curriculum. Participants will explore what MTSS is, why schools are adopting it.  We’ll engage with and unpack the core principles of tiered interventions and set the stage for exploration of the ‘how’ of MTSS in Part 2. Whether you’re new to MTSS or looking to strengthen your understanding, this session provides a foundation for effective, student-centered support.

Speakers

Kristen Pelletier

Kristen Pelletier is a highly regarded educational consultant, coach, and teacher trainer dedicated to fostering inclusive cultures and practices in international schools. Her consulting, Castle Corner-Redefining Access recently relocated to Portugal, leverages over 20 years of experience... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 11:15am - 12:30pm CST
Lotus Lounge

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

12 Big Questions School Must Answer to Imagine Irresistible Futures (REPEAT) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

MPR

This session offers a guided exploration the just-released ebook on 12 Big Questions (free download here), following the popular  9 BIG Questions Schools Must Answer to Avoid Going "Back to Normal" (*Because "Normal" Wasn't That Great to Begin With) by Tavangar and Richardson.

The big questions are being used as a provocation to drive meaningful and fearless inquiry around school change and efficacy in the midst of volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) conditions in the world and in education.

Through probing, interactive activities we will audit and explore questions such as What is Learning? Why Do We ______? Who is Unheard? and Are We OK? as well as the three new questions: What is Your Story? What is Success? and What is Your Legacy? Embarking on a systematic interrogation of key questions, our “why” becomes clearer, to unlock new “how’s” for steering schools through crisis and uncertainty.

This session encourages educators and leaders to interrogate deeply held assumptions, clarify their shared purpose, and uncover pathways for designing learning environments that are inclusive, innovative, and responsive to both present challenges and future possibilities.

Key Takeaways:

Develop a shared language and framework for school transformation using the 12 Big Questions
Engage in reflective and collaborative inquiry to surface core values, assumptions, and beliefs about learning
Explore how questions of identity, equity, and purpose shape student experiences and school culture
Clarify your individual and collective “why” to inspire innovative “how’s” for navigating change
Leave with a set of tools and protocols for facilitating continued dialogue and strategic reflection within your own teams and communities

Speakers

Homa Tavangar

Cofounder, Big Questions Institute

Homa Tavanger is the co-founder of the Big Questions Institute and the Oneness Lab.She brings 30+ years’ experience helping diverse organizations and individuals to build cultural, racial and global competence, strategic governance, and visionary, generative leadership in diverse schools and organizations. She coaches leaders on accountability for equity... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
MPR

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

Collaboration and Leadership Skills for Team Leads, Department and Committee Chairs and Others LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

Lower School Library

We know how to do our jobs well and then we are appointed ‘lead’ of a group of adults. We have a credential or license to do our educational and/or clinical work yet becoming a department chair, committee head or team lead requires different set of skills. In this session participants will discuss the role of “group leader” and the skill set that goes with this new role in building collaborative and professional culture within their workplaces.
Participants will learn how to:

Increase one’s credibility in the role as chair or team lead
Understand adult learning theory and how that plays out in meeting design
Use non-verbal language to create an approachable or credible stance depending on the needs of the situation
Listen and paraphrase effectively so others feel heard
Ask questions others want to answer
Provide effective feedback through praise, suggestions and requests

Speakers

Jennifer Abrams

Communications Consultant

Jennifer Abrams is an international educational and communications consultant specializing in supporting public and independent schools, universities, and non-profits. She trains and coaches educators, administrators, and other professionals on new teacher and employee support, having... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
Lower School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

DEVELOPING A KLSS CULTURE (Being Known, Loved, Safe & Successful) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

Middle School Library

Organizations get the most of all members of a community when they feel known, loved, safe and successful. How might we be deliberate in designing and implementing a culture in which all stakeholders feel a sense of belonging? Among other variables, our intentions need to be specific and deliberate. Powell & Zoller (2024) have identified five for this purpose. 

In this session, participants will explore some of the intentions that might serve in designing a culture for inclusion, including:

Embracing equity of voice
Honoring and valuing cultures
Being compassionate
Living collective purpose
Dialoguing for generativity

Please come and explore these intentions and consider how they might apply in your own setting. 

Speakers

Dr. Ochan Kusuma-Powell

Ochan Kusuma-Powell is co-founder and director of Education Across Frontiers, an organization that promotes teacher education towards the development of professional learning communities. A graduate of Columbia University with a doctorate in international education development, she... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
Middle School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

UBD Part 1: Understanding by Design (UbD) a framework for creating a future ready curriculum (Repeat) LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

In this introductory session, Janelle will present an overview of the UbD framework and address the following questions:

What are the drivers and goals of a future ready curriculum?
How should we design curriculum ‘backwards’?
What is understanding and how does it differ from ‘knowing’?
How should we design curriculum connecting students to ways of thinking, working and living in the world?

Speakers

Janelle McGann

Janelle is a global educator with over 25 years’ experience in public and private schools in Australia, Ireland and the US. As a teacher, leader, consultant and lecturer, Janelle understands the demands of a changing educational landscape for teachers and leaders. She has a passionate... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
Legacy Commons

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

Understanding Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS): Part 2: From Theory to Practice LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

Upper School Library

Building on the foundational principles explored in Part 1, this session takes a deeper dive into the practical application of MTSS within school communities. Participants will move beyond the "what" and "why" of MTSS to explore the "how"—how to implement, refine, and sustain a tiered support system that effectively meets the diverse needs of all learners.

Speakers

Kristel Solomon

Kristel Solomon is an accomplished International Educational Consultant with over 20 years of experience dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to high-quality education and the opportunity to achieve their individual pathways to excellence. She has served as Director... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
Upper School Library

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session

1:30pm CST

Using Student Voice & Storytelling to Navigate Digital Belonging & Online Challenges LIMITED

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST

2nd Floor Tech Cube

Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to engage students, whether we’re addressing digital dilemmas, social struggles, or moments of feeling left out. Students don’t just hear stories—they connect with them, remember them, and take the lessons with them long after the conversation ends. This session explores how educators can use storytelling—both their own and their students—to spark meaningful discussions, tackle complex online issues, and create a stronger sense of belonging in the classroom.

Why this matters:

Students face digital challenges that adults do not always see.
Storytelling builds belonging—when students share their experiences, they realize they are not alone.

Practical strategies:

Student-led storytelling techniques to discuss digital dilemmas like exclusion, social media pressure, and online identity.
Facilitating digital storytelling projects that allow students to express themselves safely.
Teaching digital empathy through real student experiences.
Creating safe spaces where students can talk about digital pressures openly.

Key Takeaway: Educators will leave with practical tools to bring student voice into advisory, social-emotional learning, and classroom discussions, strengthening belonging through shared experience.

Speakers

Allison Ochs

Founder and Owner, Edit change management -Digital Wellbeing and Citizenship

Allison Ochs is an American-Swiss social pedagogue, author, lecturer, and consultant specializing in digital literacy and citizenship in schools and beyond. With a background in social work and education, Allison has worked with families, children, and schools in diverse capacities... Read More →

Saturday May 10, 2025 1:30pm - 2:45pm CST
2nd Floor Tech Cube

Teachers/Staff/Administrators Session