2026 MSCI

This session is based on the book Lead Like a PIRATE: Make School Amazing for Your Students and Staff by Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess. This leadership guide applies the "PIRATE" philosophy to school administration, emphasizing passion, connection, and intentional leadership. Participants will explore practical, actionable strategies - referred to as "moves" - designed to shift leadership from a managerial mindset to that of a "Captain." This approach focuses on fostering a high-engagement culture where both students and staff feel valued, inspired, and empowered to thrive.

Using the topic of slavery in Virginia Social Studies standards and Ghanaian Social Studies and History standards as a case study, this breakout session invites educators to examine standards to identify what they explicitly state, implicitly suggest, and omit. Participants then examine opportunities to teach the unwritten narratives, concepts, identities, and contextual understanding necessary for meaningful learning and inclusive instruction. Finally, educators will be given the opportunity to apply this practice to standards across grade levels and subject areas they teach.

I used to believe a period schedule did not support a daily free reading and writing routine in English. After being introduced to Jared Amato's Just Read It, however, I proposed a fourth quarter experiment implementing daily Read and WRAP within the sixty minute period. I will share my results in this session.

You can't teach who you do not know! When educators move beyond labels to develop deeper understanding of students, instruction becomes more responsive and effective. Culture influences what students experience in learning environments (Knight, 2015). This session examines how relationships, language, and intentional conversation support engagement and deeper learning.