Upcoming Events

Save Time with AI - Virtual

August 4, 2025 – 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Reclaim valuable time by leveraging AI to handle routine tasks, freeing you to focus on more meaningful interactions and deeper instruction. Learn time-saving strategies for grading, lesson planning, and data analysis—gaining new insights into how AI can reduce busywork without undermining the essential human element. Walk away with easy-to-implement tools and a clearer vision of how wise AI adoption elevates both teaching and learning. 

Friendship Forward Classroom - Virtual

August 5, 2025 – 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 

Classrooms run smoother and are happier places when students respect and care for one another. Being intentional about helping them become friends means your students can work together, solve problems, and have fun at school. Join us to learn the developmental characteristics for young children aged 4-8 and focus on best practices to emphasize friendship skills. When we understand how students are developing, we can appropriately model and support students to maintain healthy friendships. This session will cover:

• Puzzles + Classroom Inventory

• “Better Together” Unit

• Daily Reinforcements

• Calm Down Resources

• Warm Welcome

*Time may vary slightly and will be confirmed soon!

Activating Learners with Quality Classroom Assessments - In Person

August 5, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

In this interactive, full-day session, educators will deepen their understanding of high-quality classroom assessment design and implementation. Participants will explore how to adopt, adapt, or create assessments that align with clearly defined learning goals and serve appropriate purposes - formative, interim, or summative. The session will also focus on refining assessment tools and processes to ensure they are inclusive and accessible to all learners. Using a range of up-to-date, evidence-based tools and strategies, educators will learn to promote student learning through intentional assessment practices.

Location: Michigan Catholic Conference, 510 S. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933

Cost: $30.00

Practical Tools for Early Education Classroom - Virtual

August 5, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 

This session will provide teachers with tools they can use in their classroom on day one of school, including a Friendzy unit specifically written for the Early Ed Classroom! By modeling lessons, activities, and the roll out of these tools, this virtual session will equip teachers to support their students' needs in effective and developmentally appropriate ways. This session will cover:

• Cultivating Resilience

  • 4 Rs of Resilience

• Bounce Back Unit

  • Bounce Back Buckets

  • Breathing Shapes

• Tool Up Kit

  • Daily Check-In Tool

Eliciting Evidence of Student's Math Understanding - Virtual

August 6 & 7, 2025 – 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Strengthening teachers’ math identities and cultivating questioning skills can help uncover student understanding and make instructional decisions that lead all learners to success. This webinar will help participants discover and practice strategies to increase the value of classroom discussions and enable making timely instructional adjustments based on student responses.

Part One: August 6, 2025

In this session, participants will learn:

• How awareness of math identities can support equitable instructional practices. We will analyze students’ and teachers’ experiences learning math.

• How students can develop a meaningful understanding of big math ideas. Participants will investigate math concepts and solve problems with peers while connecting to best practices.

• How purposeful questioning can reveal students’ ways of thinking. We will identify math themes, patterns, and ideas in students’ responses to questions.

• How to successfully implement Formative Conversation Starters. Learn ways to plan how to use questioning strategies in your own classroom.

Part Two: August 7, 2025

• Why conceptual understanding is an essential aspect of equitable instruction. Participants will reflect on how a teacher’s math experiences impact student learning.

• How to use Formative Conversation Starters to inform instruction. Together, participants will identify themes in student thinking to plan for future instruction.

• How to engage students in a lesson that leverages Formative Conversation Starters data. We will examine ways of thinking to solve problems and use research-based practices to promote classroom dialogue.

• How the five practices help conduct a math conversation and build awareness on how they are used to promote effective discourse.

*Registration requires participation in both the August 6th and 7th sessions.

Elevating Teacher Voice to Lead Change That Sticks  - Virtual

August 6, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Too often, implementation fails because it skips the human element—teacher insight. In this session, school leaders will use the Change Leadership Formula and Organizational Change Window to understand how teacher voice influences momentum and resistance. You’ll leave with practical tools to diagnose where your staff is in the change process, co-create first steps, and foster shared ownership—so change doesn’t just happen, it lasts. This session is great for school leaders navigating change and wanting to strengthen buy-in. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Apply a simple formula to guide your next change initiative 

• Recognize resistance as feedback and opportunity 

• Design change with your teachers through practical co-creation tools 

Make It Real: Implementing Project-based Learning - In Person

August 7, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Lansing, Michigan

Teachers want to create memorable, meaningful learning experiences where students apply critical and creative thinking to real-world problems, but who has the time?! Our approach to project-based learning involves engaging students in projects that matter through cross-curricular content, real-world connections, and collaboration opportunities. In this workshop, teachers will explore several project-based learning units, discover practical strategies for integrating their content, and gain insights into creating a classroom culture that supports curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Teachers will receive personalized instruction in project-based learning and leave with customized project plans that will wow their students.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn the Blue Apple framework to transform any lesson into an authentic learning experience.

• Select and personalize projects to engage students actively, cognitively, and emotionally.

• Infuse projects with cross-curricular content, collaboration opportunities, and real-world connections.

• Discover strategies to promote a classroom culture that supports creative and critical thinking.

Location: Michigan Catholic Conference, 510 S. Capitol Ave. Lansing, MI 48933

Cost: $30.00

AI and Authentic Learning - Virtual

August 8, 2025 – 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Discover how Artificial Intelligence can amplify the real-world impact of student learning, sparking deeper engagement and stronger connections between classroom lessons and everyday life. Learn practical ways to integrate AI tools into authentic, hands-on learning experiences. Discover how wisely chosen AI resources free up precious time, allowing you to guide students in tackling meaningful, real-world challenges. Walk away with practical strategies to use right away!