Registration Open for Annual Facilitator Retreat
The facilitator retreat will be held April 8 & 9 in Houston, TX. The retreat is designed for facilitators who support transformation within schools and districts; across and among cities, states and regions; as well as internationally. This is not a seminar on how to be a facilitator, but instead an opportunity for people who are facilitating to come together, get feedback on their work, and continue to grow in their own practice.
Click here to learn more about the agenda and intended purpose, learn about logistics and costs, and register to attend. Have questions? Email Kari Thierer (kari@schoolreforminitiative.org).
Save the Date – Pre-Service Education and SRI Practices Retreat
For several years, a core group of SRI affiliates have connected at Winter Meeting to talk about how to utilize the tools and practices of SRI critical friendship as part of pre-service teacher preparation programs as well as in supporting new teachers entering the profession.
To keep this conversation moving, we are holding a retreat at Eagle Rock School in Estes Park, CO – June 27 & 28. More information will be coming about the agenda and logistics as the planning team meets to design the retreat. In the meantime, if this is a topic you are interested in, please hold the date and be on the lookout for more information!
Coalition of Essential Schools – Call for Progressive Voices from Schools
As part of the CES Year of Demonstration, they have put out a call for progressive voices from schools. Throughout the year, they will publish the voices of educators exploring the power for the Common Principles and aligned approaches to animate teaching and learning. You need not be a CES member to participate, voices from K-12 educators in any setting are welcome.
Teachers, current and former students, administrators and other individuals involved in schools are invited to share their voices about the work of progressive education. These pieces will be shared in a variety of ways – on the CES website, through social media and potentially in a culminating book. The stories we gather from practitioners will stand alongside the voices of national thought leaders. We hope to share every voice. The deadline for submissions is rolling, with the first deadline for review on March 31, 2016.
Click here for guidelines, more information, and a form to nominate your students and colleagues.
Nominate Someone for the Deeper Learning Equity Fellowship
The Deeper Learning Equity Fellowship is a partnership between Big Picture Learning, and the Internationals Network for Public Schools. Equity Fellows are leaders who can amplify voices and perspectives underrepresented in the Deeper Learning education movement. The program provides these leaders with high-level leadership development and networking opportunities, and the chance to step back from their daily work to reflect with their peers so they can strengthen and shape the future of the educational excellence and equity movement.
Deadline to nominate is May 1, 2016. You can learn more by visiting the Deeper Learning Equity Fellows website.
Looking for Some Virtual Connections
A few weeks ago, we did an initial call for some specific requests from the SRI community for the development of virtual learning communities related to specific interests and topics. We had a few additional requests come in. If you are interested in being a part of the following conversations, please email Kari Thierer (kari@schoolreforminitiative.org), and we will get you connected with others who share this topic of interest.
Intersection of Intentional Learning Communities and Mindfulness – For people who want to explore mindfulness and how it works in partnership with SRI tools and practices.
Supporting District-Level SRI Implementation/Change Efforts – For people who are doing work at the district level, trying to implement SRI tools and practices across schools, as a stand-alone change effort or as part of a district-wide improvement effort.
Supporting Students Involved in the Juvenile Justice System –This is a group for people who want to spend time thinking about how best to serve this traditionally forgotten population, and how to support teachers who are supporting students moving in and out of the juvenile justice system.
Do you have a topic that would benefit from some national virtual connections? Please email Kari (kari@schoolreforminitiative.org) and we can share with the SRI community and help you find the learning community you need to dive deep into the topics that interest/inspire/challenge you!
Are you a School Counselor or Psychologist?
An SRI affiliate is looking for other school counselors and/or psychologists who are in learning communities made up of other school counselors/psychologists. If you are interested in connecting and sharing ideas about how to build a learning community with these specific staff, please email Kari (kari@schoolreforminitiative.org).
Do you have news to share? Interesting things happening in your area? Please let us know so we can share with our community! Email Chris, chris@schoolreforminitiative.org.
Thank you,
Kari Thierer, Heidi Vosekas, and Chris Jones
on behalf of School Reform Initiative
