2026 VBCPS Summer Leadership Conference: Full Schedule

10:45am EDT

Leadership Learning: High Impact, Low Friction: Navigating Change with the Wallace Foundation and School Culture in Mind (90 Minute Session)

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

Grounded in the Wallace Foundation’s research, this session transforms change management from a source of friction into a catalyst for growth by scaffolding the structural, procedural, and cultural pillars of effective leadership. Leaders will move beyond "firefighting" to adopting a mindset of intentional stewardship, learning to protect teacher well-being while driving high-impact school improvements. Participants will leave with the foundation for developing the clarity and capacity to navigate complex transitions without the typical leadership burnout.

Speakers

Troy Walton

Principal HS, Bayside High

Joel Guldenschuh

Principal ES, Old Donation School

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

All School Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff, Goal 5-Advance Organizational Excellence
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

Leadership Learning: Leading with Clarity: Making Strategic Planning a Reality (90 minute session)

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

A school plan shouldn't feel like a compliance exercise. It should be the roadmap for success. This interactive session will bridge the gap between district goals and daily school building realities. School leaders will consider their school’s data trends and collaborate to translate these priorities into actionable and definable steps that can support growth.

Speakers

Maureen Fanelli

Principal ES, Salem ES

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

All School Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

Leadership Learning: Teaching Forward: Feedback for Strategic Impact (90 Minute Session)

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

This professional learning session focuses on strengthening instructional practices through meaningful feedback, reflection, and collaborative growth. Grounded in the division’s Compass to 2030 Strategic Action Agenda, participants will explore how consistent, actionable feedback can build teacher capacity, elevate student learning experiences, and support the development of strong academic foundations for every student. Through interactive discussions and practical strategies, school leaders will examine how feedback aligns daily instructional practices with division goals.

Speakers

Melanie Hamblin

Senior Executive Director of Elementary Schools, Department of School Leadership

Nicole Keros

Principal ES, Thalia ES

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

All School Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

Leadership Learning: The Inspiring Impact of Candid Conversations: Anchoring Feedback in Data to Empower Teacher Growth (90 Minute Session)

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

In this interactive session, participants will explore structures for monitoring student achievement and engaging teachers in ongoing, differentiated feedback conversations. Leaders will examine their current structures and consider how to anchor discussions in evidence and tailor support based on teacher readiness. Participants will also learn about one-on-one administrator, teacher, and coach collaboration structures designed to promote continuous growth and improved outcomes for both students and staff.

Speakers

Micah DeLoatch

Principal ES, Thoroughgood ES

Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:45am - 12:15pm EDT

All School Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff
Strand Rise Up

2:30pm EDT

Leader Workshops: AI: Applied Intelligence — Harnessing AI as a Thought Partner for Clarity, Purpose, and Impact

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

AI is more than a search engine or shortcut. It is your most available thought partner. In this hands-on session, watch AI tackle real administrative challenges live, explore an ethical framework built for school leaders, and leave with practical prompts you can use tomorrow. Compress time on cognitive tasks. Lead with greater clarity. Reserve your energy for the irreplaceable human work only you can do.

Speakers

Ryan Schubart

Principal HS, Princess Anne High

Wednesday July 22, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

All School Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff
Strand Rise Up

9:30am EDT

Just Enough Systems Thinking to Be Dangerous

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

When I heard the quote on the Strategic Action Agenda — “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems” — my first thought was “that would make a great tattoo.” My second was that it would be a great session. My goal is to give you just enough systems thinking to be dangerous. We'll explore feedback loops, leverage points, and the structures quietly running our schools — without disappearing into the theoretical weeds. We'll also dig into practical tools. Because understanding your system is only half the battle. The other half is knowing where to push.

Speakers

Lisa Banicky

Executive Director, Department of Planning, Innovation and Accountability

Thursday July 23, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

All Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff, Goal 5-Advance Organizational Excellence
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

You Can’t Control the Chaos, But You Can Lead Through It: Navigating Complex Situations with Professionalism, Grace, and Accountability

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

School leaders are increasingly navigating emotionally charged, high-stakes situations where there is no perfect script, no clean answer, and no easy resolution. This session explores how leaders can remain grounded, responsive, and accountable while navigating conflict, pressure, competing perspectives, and complex human behavior.

Speakers

Robert Jamison

Executive Director of Student Support Services, Department of Teaching and Learning

Kimani Vaughan

Director of Elementary Schools, Department of School Leadership

Teri Breaux

Director of Elementary Schools, Department of School Leadership

Walter Brower

Senior Executive Director of High Schools, Department of School Leadership

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

All Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff, Goal 5-Advance Organizational Excellence, Goal 4-Partner with Families and the Community to Support Students
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

Different by Design: Understanding the Power of Your Productivity Style

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Why do some team dynamics flow effortlessly while others experience constant friction? Often, the answer isn't commitment or competence - it's cognitive style. In this interactive session, you'll identify your productivity style, examine how it shapes the way you lead and collaborate, and explore what happens when different styles collide on a team. Through structured reflection and small-group discussion, you'll leave with one concrete, personalized change you can implement immediately. Whether you're a prioritizer, a planner, an arranger, or a visualizer, this session will change how you see yourself and your colleagues, and strengthen the collaborative culture we're building together.

Speakers

Angela Parsons

Professional Learning Specialist, Professional Growth and Innovation (PGI)

Shelley Erbland

Professional Learning Specialist, Professional Growth and Innovation (PGI)

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

All Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

Foundations of Visible Learning: Success Criteria

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

This session makes the case that success criteria are more than a tool for teachers; they are a tool that puts learning in the hands of students. It establishes the distinction between learning intentions and success criteria and names the most common misalignments. Leaders will carry out the idea that when students have a specific and honest picture of what success looks like, they can begin to recognize their own gaps and take ownership of their learning.

Speakers

Mary Clifford

Instructional Specialist, Department of Teaching and Learning

Meghan Mosher

Instructional Specialist, Department of Teaching and Learning

Lorena Kelly

Executive Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Teaching and Learning

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Elementary School Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 1-Challenge and Support Each Student to Excel and Be Future Ready.
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

Shifting from Compliance to Ownership: Leading Inquiry-Based Science PLCs Through Clarity

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Discover how one school is using inquiry-based PLC cycles to shift science instruction from teacher compliance to authentic ownership. Through the lens of clarity and Visible Learning, this interactive session will explore how leaders supported teachers in implementing inquiry-based science and visible writing strategies that deepened student thinking and engagement. Participants will experience elements of the inquiry cycle, reflect on real challenges and successes, and leave with practical tools to launch or strengthen inquiry-focused PLCs in their own schools. Attendees will engage in collaborative processing activities, examine leadership moves that built teacher capacity, and walk away with actionable next steps for implementation.

Speakers

Alexandra Shea

Instructional Technology Specialist, Landstown ES

Allison Jordan

Principal ES, Landstown ES

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Elementary School Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 1-Challenge and Support Each Student to Excel and Be Future Ready, Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

Leading AVID with Purpose: Navigating Your Leadership

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

This professional learning session is intentionally designed for deep thinking, reflection, and leadership dialogue grounded directly in What Great AVID Principals Do Differently by Brett Bowers. This session is suitable for principals, assistant principals and leadership teams and is built to move beyond compliance into ownership-oriented leadership practice. Participants will engage in structured reflection and peer-to-peer collaborative dialogue around key leadership practices from the text, examine how those practices connect to school culture and student success, and leave with actionable next steps for strengthening AVID implementation within their own school.

Speakers

Laura Wiley

AVID Coach, Department of School Leadership

Dr. James Smith

Senior Executive Director of Middle Schools, Department of School Leadership

Natalie Meiggs

Coordinator of Military Connection and Academic Support Programs, Office of Student Support Services

Thursday July 23, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am EDT

Secondary Administrators (MS and HS)

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 1-Challenge and Support Each Student to Excel and Be Future Ready., Goal 2-Enhance Student Well-Being Resilience and Responsibility
Strand Rise Up

1:00pm EDT

Just Enough Systems Thinking to Be Dangerous

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Speakers

Lisa Banicky

Executive Director, Department of Planning, Innovation and Accountability

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

All Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff, Goal 5-Advance Organizational Excellence
Strand Rise Up

1:00pm EDT

Navigating Employee Issues with Confidence, Clarity, and Compliance

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Navigating employee issues requires both compliance knowledge and strong leadership practices. Led by HR Employee Relations and School Division Attorneys, this interactive session will help administrators build confidence in addressing employee concerns with clarity, consistency, and professionalism. Through real-world scenarios, guided policy walkthroughs, and documentation exercises, participants will strengthen their ability to navigate complex situations while fostering a professional culture where staff feel supported, respected, and connected to the division’s mission. Attendees will leave with practical tools to lead timely conversations, locate and apply policies effectively, and support positive working relationships within their schools and departments.

Speakers

Stephanie Enzmann

Director of Employee Relations, Department of Human Resources

Kamala Lannetti

School Board Attorney, Department of Legal Services

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

All Administrators

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 3-Value and Invest in Staff, Goal 5-Advance Organizational Excellence
Strand Rise Up

1:00pm EDT

Beyond Prompts: Expanding Your Toolbox with Behaviors

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

When supporting students with intense social/emotional and behavioral needs, school administrators are often the "final responders" when student behaviors escalate beyond what staff can manage effectively. This session provides high-level, strategic practices designed specifically for principals and division leaders to support the management of crises with composure, empathy, and clarity.

Speakers

Alyson Szykuc

Special Education Coordinator, Office of Programs for Exceptional Children

Marissa Robinson

Special Education Coordinator, Office of Programs for Exceptional Children

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

Elementary School Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 1-Challenge and Support Each Student to Excel and Be Future Ready
Strand Rise Up

1:00pm EDT

The Foundations of Visible Learning: Learning Intentions

Thursday July 23, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm EDT

This session takes on one of the most common misconceptions: that posting a learning target is the same as establishing a learning intention. It builds the case that a learning intention is not the setup for a task but a lens students carry through the entire learning experience and that when teachers genuinely work from one it changes how they plan, how they respond to students mid-lesson, and how they close a lesson. Leaders will leave with a clear framework for distinguishing strong learning intentions from task descriptions and tools that they can use immediately.

Speakers

Elementary School Attendees

Compass to 2030 Goal Goal 1-Challenge and Support Each Student to Excel and Be Future Ready
Strand Rise Up

10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

2:30pm EDT

9:30am EDT

10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

10:45am EDT

1:00pm EDT

1:00pm EDT

1:00pm EDT

1:00pm EDT

Get help with the event