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Hey Montana educators, we`ll see you at the Montana Federation of Public Employees Conference Educator Conference! Megan Parry, Missoula resident and Director of Strategic Partnerships at LCC, is leading two innovative and transformational sessions that you don`t want to miss. See you next week!
Register for the conference at the link in our bio.
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Session Descriptions
1. Bridging Pedagogy and Graduate Portraits: How to Bring a Portrait to Life with your Students
Is your district implementing a portrait of a graduate, or are you curious about how this framework can transform your classroom? In this session, we’ll collaborate to explore how to align teaching and learning with the key elements of a Graduate Profile—skills like critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. You’ll leave with practical strategies to apply in your classroom tomorrow that are tailored to your context and the needs of your students. Together, we’ll uncover powerful connections that support both your students` growth and your professional development.
2. Why Now is the Time to Evolve Your Mindsets and Practices. And How.
Session Description
The pace of change in the world our students are living in and will inherit is accelerating. How can we ensure they are prepared to thrive now and in that future? In this session we’ll explore why it’s important that we evolve our practices and mindsets now. We’ll cast our own vision for what learners need now to be successful. We’ll seek inspiration from others who have started to do things differently and identify ways we can start our own shifts now.
📝 Surveys... in education?
Yep, you heard that right.
Education transformation can only take place when we take stock of what`s already working, and we find specific areas for growth. Our surveys are search-backed tools designed to elevate the voices of learners, educators, families, and communities.
They measure both the quality of learner-centered experiences and the enabling conditions that support them, providing districts with actionable data through clear dashboards and analysis. More than a way to gather feedback, these surveys make the invisible visible, sparking meaningful conversations, highlighting bright spots, identifying opportunities for growth, and guiding next steps toward sustainable learner-centered transformation.
Our most recent blog delves into the nitty gritty of it. Explore how cssd11, National School District, and other districts are listening and learning.
➡️ See link in bio.
“Our core business isn’t improving on the old things—it’s always pushing forward on what kids need now and for their future.”
— Dr. Babak Mostaghimi of LearnerStudio on this week`s episode of the Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast
Watch or listen to the full episode for more at the link in our bio.
We are excited to announce Kim Smith as our Catalyzer of the Month for October!
Kim brings both vision and grit to her role as founder and CEO of @thelearnerstudio—an organization that acts as a catalytic force in re‐imagining education for this moment.
She has a long track record in educational entrepreneurship, having led or co-founded organizations such as the @PaharaInstitute, Bellwether Education Partners, and @newschoolsvf, and serving as founding team member @teachforamerica.
Under her leadership, LearnerStudio is shaping new infrastructure and learning models that push toward a more flexible learner-centered system.
Their Signposts page (http://learnerstudio.org) is a tremendous resource—offering fresh research, provocative essays, and bold thinking on emerging signals in education that can help guide how we reimagine schooling for a rapidly changing world.
What makes Kim especially catalytic is her anchor in both systems thinking and relational practice. She doesn’t just seed new ideas—she convenes, bridges, and builds coherence across fields, connecting educators, innovators, funders, and policy actors to wrestle collectively with what’s next. Kim Smith is a driving force in this pivotal moment for education, helping turn bold ideas into real, lasting impact.
Lots of learner-centered changes are underway in California.
⭐️ The Templeton Guiding Coalition gathered for Session 2 to continue shaping their Framework for the Future. Together, we developed the Portrait of a Learner competencies, drafted version 1 of the Learning Model, and planned next steps to gather feedback from across the community.
⭐️ Students, parents, teachers, and staff from Keith McCarthy Academy`s design team gathered to refine their mission and vision, identify top ideas for redesign, and engage in a "stretching" protocol that encouraged bold, audacious thinking about what`s possible at their site.
⭐️ Del Mar Union School District continued on it’s journey to hone their assessment and reporting practices. A team of educators and leaders representing various grade-levels from each school and districts leaders was full of energy and commitment! Throughout the day conversations were lively, and while the work is complex, the team’s engagement and curiosity are fueling important progress toward more meaningful ways of showing student growth.
Big things are happening in @alamogordopublicschools in New Mexico with the help of Brittany Griffin and Catina Hancock from the LCC team.
1️⃣ A group of the district`s educators came together to launch an Innovation Cohort: a year-long collaborative professional learning experience to support them in bringing their Framework for the Future to life in their classrooms. We started the day with a student panel of 4th and 5th graders who pushed us to explore learner-centered strategies to make learning more engaging and meaningful.
2️⃣ Meanwhile, Alamogordo`s admin team spent a full day to Analyze Impact Survey data to help inform their 25-26 scorecard. Of course, we started by celebrating the bright spots.
3️⃣ Even more, Alamagordo’s leadership Academy, which was comprised of every site principal plus teacher leaders worked for a full day. They communicated the elements of their Framework for the Future with clarity and purpose and designed and prepared site-based strategies that bring the profile to life.
Hats off to you for your hard work and dedication, Alamogordo, and we can`t wait to see your strategies play out in real-time for your learners!
Shannon Roos of Hampton Township School District at our webinar on AI in Learner-Centered Classrooms on 9/23. Watch the full recoding at the link in bio.
💓 Here`s the work and inspiration the LCC team tackled this past week:
The Lamont Elementary School District framework council met and created 5 cross functional, work groups in support of their Pillars of Success.
The North County Superintendent Network explored the microschool journey and reflected on how leadership shapes and supports school redesign. It was inspiring to see the power of collaboration and how learning from one another can spark new possibilities!
Muhlenberg County School District leadership, educators, board members, and students came together to launch their Blueprint for success working groups to support the 25-26 priorities aligned to the success metrics.
The Salinas Union High School District Guiding Coalition convened to kick off the second year of our partnership, with a focus on bringing the Framework for the Future to Life! We opened the day with a powerful student panel and created site action plans to move the work forward.
We`re celebrarting YEAR TWO of our partnership with @adelantoesd! 🎉
⬅️ Last year, we worked with the district and community on their Framework for the Future, Blueprint for Success, facilitated school visits, and executive leadership capacity building
📍This year, we will be supporting year two of their Guiding Coalition which is focused on bringing their Portrait of a Learner to life, supporting School Redesign at Mesa Linda, and facilitating Project-Based Learning workshops that connect to the AESD Learning Model.
🪅 Let`s get to work!
“If we say we want them to be culturally competent global citizens, what does that look like in the classroom?” -Superintendent @zangalvan
Through their partnership with LCC, @suhsdofficial is bringing their Portrait of a Graduate to life. Students even created this video to capture just a glimpse of the work behind it.
Salinas is building thoughtful graduates ready to impact their community and the world—and while there’s plenty more work to do, they’re more than ready for what’s ahead.
🎓 How do you take a portrait of a graduate from vision to reality?
With the help of LCC, @hamptontownshipschooldistrict built a Framework for the Future—a strategic plan that empowered each individual school to take action aligned to their Portrait of a Talbot. From curiosity quests at Poff Elementary to portfolios at Wyland, from student-led conferences at Central to service days at the Middle School, each school made the Portrait come alive in ways unique to their learners and community.
By trusting design teams and amplifying educator and student voices, Hampton has created a model for other districts to follow: distributed leadership, school-level innovation, and a shared vision that prepares every learner to thrive.
Read the full blog by Dr. John Thornton, Director of Student Services at Hampton, and our own Brittany Griffin at the link in our bio.
This past week has been filled with our partners across the country tackling challenges to help all learners thrive!
💡 @Mamaroneck_Public_Schools leaders convened for their Leadership Series by digging into the district’s Strategic Framework and Scorecard as tools to guide implementation and measure progress. School and district leaders reflected on current strengths, identified priorities, and prototyped strategies. The day built shared clarity, energized collaboration across schools, and set the foundation for meaningful work to continue this fall.
💡 120+ Students, Leaders, Teachers, Parents, Classified Staff and other @AdelantoESD community members convened to start year 2 of their Guiding Coalition. This group devised plans to begin bringing the AESD Framework for the Future to life across their systems and community.
💡 @HamptonTownshipSchoolDistrict hosted a 2-day in person kickoff of FutureShift, a PA and NY community of practice for instructional coaches ready to support the evolution to learner-centered models. Coaches from seven districts came together to create alignment and build coaching processes, structures, and resources in service of helping teachers create learning experiences that bring the Learner Portrait to life.
💡 Day 2 of HTSD’s FutureShift coaching institute brought instructional coaches from seven districts together for a day of learning walks, prototype building (everything from coaching menus to learning walk structures to learner-centered resource banks), and multiple iterative feedback loops. Teams left ready to implement what they’d built!
Did you know we have a podcast!?
In episode of The Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast (just released yesterday!) Katie Martin interviews Devin Vodicka about all things co-leadership.
Key topics they explore:
👥 The benefits and research behind co-leadership and distributed leadership models
📉 Declining public trust in education and opportunities to rebuild it through relationships and redesign
🏫 Micro schools, flexible campuses, and innovative redesign models across the country
🤖 How AI can support personalized skill-building while creating more space for human-centered learning
👩🏫 Reimagining the role of educators as professionals working in collaborative, team-based structures
💪 How can schools that serve young people navigating immense hardships create authentic, meaningful learning experiences that prepare learners for thriving futures in life, work, and community?
We partnered with @4powerfuledorg to learn how Dewey Academy, Bunche Academy, Tierra Del Sol, and Rudsdale Continuation do just that.
This publication compiles our findings explores how expanding access to career and technical education (CTE) can unlock opportunities, affirm learner agency, and build pathways to postgraduate success.
Read the full report at the link in our bio.
“Our leaders walked in saying ‘here we go again,’ but 48 hours later, my team was saying, ‘this is something we MUST DO!’”
- 24-25 Cohort Member
Join us next month for a transformative experience! Apply at the link in our bio.
