First-Time Educational Summit Brings 23 Districts Together

STAPLES, Minn. (19 August 2016) – The Minnesota Summit for Greater Learning and Leading Summit brought 23 school districts and over 250 educators from across Minnesota for this first time, two-day educational conference.

The event featured nine national speakers who painted a picture of a compelling vision for the future of our schools. The theme of the Summit focused on standards-based instruction and grading. According to one educator, the Summit included, “A lot of great ideas presented in ways that made sense. Realistic, bite-sized steps were presented so it didn't seem as overwhelming as it could have been.”

National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA) Education Solutions Manager Kassidy Rice says, “Participants engaged in sessions that provoked conversations around change to meet the 21st century demands on our students. These changes include looking at education as competency-based rather than content-based.”

One participant noted, “It brought thoughtfulness to our staff about their practices in the classroom." Another stated, ”The content was affirming and challenging. It encourages us to make intentional steps to further our work in these areas."

This was a collaborative event between FIRST Educational Resources and National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA) and featured a team of experts helping schools move forward in ensuring high levels of learning for all students in all schools.