It hardly seems possible, but on July 9-10, Partnerships will be hosting the fourth annual Summer Institute for Authentic Learning and Leadership. When we convened the first event in 2022, schools were just coming out of the pandemic, and there were countless challenging questions and concerns. We certainly didn’t know what the future would hold—for education in general, or for the Institute in particular. But in that moment, we knew it was time for an intentional, supportive gathering of caring professionals who could shape the future together.
As participants left the first Institute, we heard shouts like, “This was amazing!” and “What are the dates for next year?” Other comments described the event as “career saving”… “just what I needed”… “a place where I found my people.” We knew then that the Institute would need to happen again, possibly every year.
So here we are, three years and 1,300 people later, excited about providing another great lineup of keynote and featured speakers, as well as a rich variety of breakout sessions—all devoted to “Creating Schools That Are Out of This World.” Together, we’ll continue to reimagine education, reconnect with the joy of teaching, and empower students to change the world.
These three themes have guided our efforts each year, providing us with a collective sense of purpose, direction, and hope. And indeed, the ideas and energy shared at the Institute have resulted in exciting innovations at the local level
Past participants overwhelmingly agree that the Institute is an investment that pays off in many ways. So, while we certainly know your time is precious, we hope you’ll decide to invest two days with us in July.
We know you won’t be sorry, and here is the countdown of the Top 10 Reasons Why:
10. Erin Gruwell is coming! Through her work with the Freedom Writers Foundation, Erin has changed the lives of students and educators throughout the world. Now, she’ll be in Columbus, Ohio to share her story and inspire our efforts as changemakers.
9. Daneé Pinckney, Ohio’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, will be “in the house” to share her professional journey. She’s awesome!
8. You’ll meet George Philhower — a dynamic, innovative superintendent from Indiana. George is a great friend and colleague of Buddy Berry—and yes, Buddy will be back!
7. Peter Kahn will provide a unique closing session for our two days as a “community of innovators.” Get ready for a creative and uplifting “wrap”— or will it be a rap?!
6. In addition to reinforcing the main themes, our ten featured presenters will provide special experiences and expertise related to the power of space and the power of story in our lives. Details can be found here.
5. A rich variety of 50+ breakout sessions will further enhance the Summer Institute program with lively discussions, valuable resources, and engaging experiences in authentic learning.
4. Along with authentic learning, we’ll provide a strong focus on authentic leadership, with many sessions especially geared for administrators, instructional coaches, and other school leaders. These sessions will explore the leadership strategies of innovation and transformation.
3. We’ll provide sessions that help teachers fulfill requirements for Master Teacher Certification, gifted PD hours, and career awareness/workforce development expertise.
2. We’ll address how authentic learning can be integrated with Science of Reading, Career Readiness, and other state requirements.
1. Last, but not least, the Summer Institute will be a place of joy. You’ll feel renewed and recharged – ready to launch your next school year, so join us in “Creating Schools That Are Out of This World!”
