K–12 Learning Leaders 2026: Full Schedule

Welcome to K-12 Learning Leaders, where passionate educators, administrators, and thought leaders come together to explore innovative strategies, share best practices, and reimagine the future of K–12 education.

Join us as we build a collaborative community committed to equity, excellence, and lifelong learning—equipping today’s educators to prepare tomorrow’s leaders.

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1:30am CDT

Roundtable: Real Talk About Leading PD

Monday July 21, 2025 1:30am - 2:30am CDT

Room 103 - Leadership Lounge

An open conversation for school-based leaders organizing PD—what’s working, what’s frustrating, and how we can improve the experience for everyone.

Speakers

Derrick Thompson

Director of Professional Development, Midwest Center for Educational Leadership

Derrick is an instructional coach in St. Louis who spends most of his time visiting classrooms, supporting teachers, and trying to keep up with all the sticky notes on his desk. He didn’t plan on helping with event planning this year, but when his principal asked, he said yes—like... Read More →

Sponsors

BrightBoard

Pathway Learning Group

Monday July 21, 2025 1:30am - 2:30am CDT
Room 103 - Leadership Lounge 2421 Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Roundtable, Professional Development

Host Organization K–12 Learning Leaders

3:00am CDT

Closing Keynote: Staying Grounded in the Work

Monday July 21, 2025 3:00am - 3:45am CDT

Auditorium – Riverbend Main Stage

Amina Patel returns to close the event with reflections on purpose, practice, and staying grounded through the ups and downs of school life.

Speakers

Dr. Amina Patel

Chief Learning Officer, Thrive Education Network

Amina works to support educators and school systems in making equity actionable. She’s passionate about helping teachers lead change from within.

Sponsors

EduSpark

Monday July 21, 2025 3:00am - 3:45am CDT
Auditorium – Riverbend Main Stage 2420 Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Keynote, Inspiration & Leadership

Host Organization K–12 Learning Leaders

9:00am CDT

Keynote: Schools That Center Student Wellness

Monday July 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Room 102 - Equity Hall

Franklin Moore discusses how schools can intentionally build environments that prioritize both learning and wellbeing—for students and staff.

Speakers

Franklin Moore

Mentor Coach, Wake County Public Schools

Franklin spent over 30 years in public education and now supports new school leaders through mentoring. He’s known for his dry humor, steady presence, and always having peppermints in his pocket.

Sponsors

Class Forward

Monday July 21, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Room 102 - Equity Hall 2423 Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Keynote, Wellness & Culture

Host Organization K–12 Learning Leaders

10:15am CDT

Workshop: Assessments that Build Confidence

Monday July 21, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Room 101 - Innovation Lab

Christine Nakamura shows how to design assessments that reduce anxiety and support real learning for diverse learners.

Speakers

Christine Nakamura

Director of STEM Equity & Learning Design, Pacific Grove Unified School District

Christine Nakamura is a STEM education advocate and curriculum designer committed to making science and math more inclusive, equitable, and empowering for every student. With over a decade of experience in K–12 classrooms and district-level leadership, she specializes in designing... Read More →

Sponsors

Class Forward

Monday July 21, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Room 101 - Innovation Lab 2422 Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Workshop E4E4E4, Instructional Practice

Host Organization K–12 Learning Leaders

11:30am CDT

Breakout: Coaching Across Grade Levels

Monday July 21, 2025 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT

Room 102 - Equity Hall

Heather Williams and Devon Brooks explore strategies for building trust and communication across grade levels in coaching relationships.

Speakers

Devon Brooks

Dean of Students, Baltimore City Schools

Bio – Dean of StudentsAs the Dean of Students, Devon serves as a passionate advocate for student success, wellbeing, and engagement. With over 20 years of experience in student affairs and higher education leadership, Devon brings a student-centered approach to every aspect of their... Read More →

Heather Williams

Lead Instructional Coach, Maplewood School District

Heather Williams is an experienced instructional coach who works across K–12 grade levels to support teacher growth, collaboration, and student-centered practice. She specializes in adapting coaching strategies to meet the developmental needs of diverse learners and teaching teams... Read More →

Exhibitors

Christine Nakamura

Director of STEM Equity & Learning Design, Pacific Grove Unified School District

Sponsors

BrightBoard

Monday July 21, 2025 11:30am - 12:15pm CDT
Room 102 - Equity Hall 2423 Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Breakout, Leadership & Coaching

Host Organization K–12 Learning Leaders

12:30pm CDT

Lunch Break + Energizer

Monday July 21, 2025 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT

Auditorium – Riverbend Main Stage

Unwind during lunch with a light movement activity led by Marcus Bell to refresh your body and mind.

Artists

Marcus Bell

Youth Engagement Specialist, VibeED

Marcus works with schools to create more engaging environments for students and staff. At events, he runs energizers and interactive transitions that bring the crowd together without making anyone cringe.Role as artist: Facilitates energizers & fun transitions between sessions

Sponsors

EduSpark

Monday July 21, 2025 12:30pm - 1:00pm CDT
Auditorium – Riverbend Main Stage 2420 Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Energizer, Movement

Host Organization K–12 Learning Leaders

1:30pm CDT

Panel: Cultivating Student Leadership at Any Age

Monday July 21, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT

Room 102 - Equity Hall

A panel discussion on how student leadership can be nurtured from elementary through high school.

Speakers

Elijah Carter

Assistant Principal, Atlanta Public Schools

Elijah is focused on making sure teachers feel supported and seen. He’s all about teacher wellness and making school a place people want to be.

Rachel Cohen

Elementary Teacher, Chicago Public Schools

Rachel teaches first grade and is always looking for new ways to bring SEL into everyday routines. Her classroom runs on kindness and sticky notes.

Sponsors

TogetherEd

Platinum Sponsor, TogetherEd LLC

TogetherEd partners with schools and communities to build inclusive, relationship-centered learning environments. Their programs focus on culturally responsive practices, restorative approaches, and elevating student voice across all grade levels.SPECIAL OFFERLearn about the special... Read More →

Monday July 21, 2025 1:30pm - 2:30pm CDT
Room 102 - Equity Hall 2423 Riverside Drive, Austin, TX 78741

Panel, Student Voice

Host Organization K–12 Learning Leaders