Sessions

Anchoring Science Leadership in Equity Principles

Lead Presenter: Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning)

Equity is often stated as a key value in education, but how can we anchor equity in science leadership work? Reflect on your own ideas, beliefs, and approaches to equity and learn how one science leadership development program embeds equity as part of learning to lead curriculum implementation.

Call to Action: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion-Centered Implementation of Science for All

Lead Presenter: Leena Bakshi McLean (STEM4Real)

Leaders will reflect on stereotypes and implicit biases that affect systemic science implementation. We will discuss equitable leadership implications and reflect on your own context and next steps using the "DEI in Science" Action Plan that maps out student groups and measures impact data.

Characteristics of Successful Leadership Teams

Lead Presenter: Brooke Gorman (WestEd)

In this interactive session, learn about the importance of leadership teams to support equitable science learning opportunities for all students. Explore the characteristics of effective leadership teams and considerations for developing a team.

A Toolbox for Designing a Local, Equitable NGSS Assessment System

Lead Presenter: Sara Cooper, Sam Agoos and Angela Landrum (University of Colorado, Boulder)

Designing common assessments with equity at the center that are accessible and aligned to student opportunities to learn and that connect to students’ interests and identities is a tremendous challenge. The NGSS District Assessment Toolkit is specifically designed as a solution to this problem.

Using Issues in Sustainability to Promote Equitable Science Learning

Lead Presenters: Wendy Jackson & Maia Binding (University of California, Berkeley)

Teacher leaders will learn how to reframe science learning around sustainability issues based on the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals. They will explore how these goals provide learning contexts to address the needs and interests of their students while also meeting the demands of the NGSS.

Advocating for High-Quality Instructional Materials: An Opportunity for Collaboration

Lead Presenter: Shannon Wachowski & John-Carlos Mariño (EdReports)

District leaders play an important role in the adoption of HQIM and can serve as catalysts for smart adoption processes. EdReports will share case studies of district partnerships and discuss how to use local priorities to drive the instructional materials adoption process.

Centering Equity and Inclusion in a District's Science Curriculum Work

Lead Presenters: Karen Lionberger & Nico Janek (WestEd)

Ensuring that the science curriculum supports more inclusive classroom practices — those that catalyze a sense of STEM identity and belonging for all learners — can result in positive achievement and growth, especially for marginalized learners. This session will engage leaders in learning key principles of Universal Design for Learning and what type of instructional strategies lead to authentic equity and inclusion in science classrooms.

Leading Equity-Driven Professional Learning: Empowering Diverse Sensemaking in the Classroom & Beyond

Lead Presenters: Lizette Navarrete-Burks, Tonya Jeffery, & Sarah Albrecht (University of Houston-Downtown)

This session aims to enhance knowledge and skills for equity-centered science instructional leaders. Explore leadership strategies and resourcees developed from an outdoor adventure collaboration. Leveraging equity-focused teacher professional learning can help you create more just student learning.

Leading the Charge for Science: Empowering Leaders Towards Equity-driven Systems Change

Lead Presenters: Vanessa Lujan (Lawrence Hall of Science)

Join us to uncover the transformative potential of systems thinking for improving K-12 science! Engage in practical exercises and gain insights into tested approaches for fostering equitable change. Don't miss this valuable opportunity to enhance your leadership and drive meaningful transformation.

Shared Leadership in Curriculum Development and Implementation for ALL Learners

Lead Presenters: Lindsey Roy & Rachel Fyfe (Lincoln Public Schools)

We will share the iterative unit development process that Lincoln Public Schools used to create storylined elementary units for implementation district-wide. We will focus on the process of unit development and implementation through the lenses of teacher, building, and district leadership.

BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning Instructional Model: Supporting Equitable Teaching and Learning

Lead Presenter: Cindy Gay (BSCS Science Learning)

Explore how leaders can use the new BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model to support teachers in creating learning experiences that motivate students with significant, real world phenomena and problems! Learn how AIL cycles of inquiry and sensemaking culminate in student agency!

Leadership Matters: Why We Need You

Lead Presenters: Kathy Renfrew & Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn

This informative session will provide the reasoning for becoming an author for the Leadership Matters column. Join us for an interactive session where you will have the opportunity to learn, talk, brainstorm, and maybe even get started on an article. Prior authors will be available to share their experiences having gone through the process and having their work published.