Keynote Speaker:
Monday, March 10 at 6:15PM – 8:00PM
Building the Future of Innovation on Millions of Years of Natural Intelligence
Presenter: Leen Gorissen, PhD in Biology, Founder of the Centre for Natural Intelligence in Europe
Leen Gorissen, PhD in Biology, is the founder of the Centre for Natural Intelligence in Europe, the worlds first organisation to promote natural intelligence (NI). NI is the art & science of how we can leave the planet better than we found her. It entails the intelligence that is deeply embedded in living systems and how they allow life on Earth to become more and be able to do more over time. Whales cool the climate, mushrooms make rain, termites green the desert, and plankton create clouds. The lifeforms that prevail over millions of years of change, disruption, and major upheaval are those that create conditions conducive to future life. Leaving the planet better off than before is not optional. It is a rite of passage for any organism that manages to survive and thrive over the long term. Imagine what we can achieve if we learn to develop ourselves and our world in Nature’s image. If we humans, just like the whales, wolves, fungi, and all other survival heroes, can contribute to the continuation and regeneration of life. In this presentation, Leen Gorissen shares the latest breakthrough insights from biology and makes a solid case for why NI should be at the forefront of education. With 3.8 billion years of life experience, there is no better mentor than mother nature. In short, real change will only begin when we realize that we are the Earth regenerating herself.
Gorissen is the author of Building the Future of Innovation on Millions of Years of Natural Intelligence, a book that gained appraisal from Hollywood film director Louie Schwartzberg and which inspired the 2024 theme book of Tomorrowland, one of the best known music festivals of the world. She is a sought after inspirator, teacher, and advisor, from the European Commission to businesses the world over, and she was the lead scientist of the study about ‘Regenerative Development and Design to elevate Governance, Innovation and Planetary Health’ commissioned by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2024.
Agency-In-Action School Visits:
Monday at 9 a.m., 10:45 a.m. & 1:45 p.m.
School visits are designed to help attendees observe student agency practice in action at various grade-levels. There are three school visit times: Monday at 9 a.m. 10:45 a.m., and 1:45 p.m. during which access to an elementary, middle, and high school is available. Attendees can do a school visit all three times or none of the times. School visits are an option to consider when designing your conference experience.
Grandview Elementary School (K–3)
GES is the foundation for students to learn about Granville’s Portrait of a Graduate competencies and becoming Blue Ace Leaders. Students experience a variety of opportunities to explore their passions and interests - Nature Club, Kiwanis K-Kids, the Ace Space Podcast, coding and robotics, community support drives, Project-Based Learning, math challenges, Literacy Spirit Weeks, and much more. All of this while they are building the skills to become lifelong readers, mathematicians, and scientists.
Granville Intermediate School (4-6)
With the Portrait of a Graduate as our foundation, our GIS family intentionally focuses on a collective vision that articulates our community’s aspirations for all of our students. Through meaningful experiences and opportunities including Makers Mondays, Blue Ace Media, Archery, Student Council, experiential learning, community service, exploration of the Land Lab, and engaging classroom lessons and projects, our mission is to continuously inspire our students to develop, build, and foster their curiosity, creativity, and interests both in and out of the classroom.
Granville Middle School (7-8)
Our GMS family provides numerous opportunities to ensure our students continue evolving into well-rounded, productive humans. Classes integrate experiential and self-determined learning, while maintaining a high level of rigor. Through student and staff initiatives and feedback, we’ve implemented a media class, where students create daily announcements and bi-weekly videos; numerous clubs and sports–from archery to a writers/artists collaboration club; community service opportunities; an experiential learning mastermind class; daily Ace periods for interventions, clubs, or other learning activities; and weekly library challenges.
Granville High School (9-12)
GHS has been recognized at both state and national levels for its excellence, including being named by The Ohio Department of Education as a School of Distinction, and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2021. In addition to our focus on the traits defined in our Portrait of a Graduate, a challenging and diverse curriculum highlighted by a robust Advanced Placement (AP) course menu, cross-disciplinary and self-directed learning opportunities, a newly developed College Credit Plus (CCP) courses, coupled with a wide range of extracurricular activities from athletics to more than 60 clubs and organizations, has earned GHS an outstanding reputation.
Workshop Blocks:
Sunday, March 9, 2025
12:30 PM — 1:45 PM
Developing & Implementing Personalized Competency-Based Education
Michael Nagler, Superintendent of Mineola School District, Mineola, NY
Over the last six years Mineola has reimagined report cards, assessments, and time in the school day. This session will focus on implementing a badging system pre-k -2 that eliminated report cards and focused on learners understanding how and why they learn. Badges evolved into proficiency scales grade 3-6 and students maintain an ‘evidence folder’ to ‘defend’ their grade. Lastly, we are launching a new high school concept entitled “build your grade” that allows student complete voice and choice over work, time and grades. We have developed our own LMS to accomplish this initiative.
Doing School Better
Doris Korda, CEO of Korda Institute for Teaching, Cleveland, OH
Learn about a new model for school that results in deep learning, skill development, and agency for students and teachers. Hear about the movement to redesign schools to be learner-driven, with a new method for academics where students master knowledge and skills while solving real problems for organizations in their community. Learn about how schools are implementing a new gradeless transcript that shows the strengths and skills of every student and is now accepted by hundreds of universities.
How AI Can Democratize Standards-Aligned Curriculum
Ian Zhu, Founder at SchoolJoy, San Francisco, CA
To empower learners with agency in their educational journey, we must address the challenge of providing access to high-quality instructional materials that align with both individual learners and learning standards. This session will explore practical examples of AI applications in curriculum design, personalized enrichment strategies, and targeted intervention approaches for individual students or groups. Attendees will gain insights into how these technologies can potentially increase access to high-quality, standards-compliant educational content across diverse school districts and learning environments, ultimately supporting more personalized and effective learning experiences.
Student Agency in Elementary Schools
Katie Jenkins & Rachel Chiesa, 2nd grade teachers, District 103, Lincolnshire, IL
Elementary students are born with the desire to learn and ask questions. This somehow gets lost along the way in the school system. Katie and Rachel are 2nd grade teachers and will share some ways they have implemented student agency in the classroom to get their students fired up about learning.
The Deeper Learning Journey for Granville Schools & Our Theory of Action to Empower Students
Jeff Brown (Superintendent), Ryan Bernath (Assistant Superintendent), Jim Reding (HS Science Teacher), Andrea Imhoff (Intermediate SPED Teacher), Anne Stewart (Kindergarten Teacher), James Browder (MS ELA Teacher), Scott Hinton (HS Principal), Lisa Ormond (MS Principal), Tracie Lees (Intermediate Principal), Travis Morris (Elementary Principal), Granville Exempted Village Schools, Granville, OH.
Granville Schools started their journey towards deeper agentic learning for their students 11 years ago. Hear how their Theory of Action evolved through the years and what is guiding their progress and future focus as they continue this work in a traditional public school system. Administrators, teachers, and students will share their viewpoints on this critical work in Granville Schools.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
2:00 PM – 3:15 PM
The Future Needs You: Partnering to Change Schools for a Thriving World
Chris McNutt & Nick Covington, Executive Directors of the Human Restoration Project, Ames, IA
Join Human Restoration Project (HRP) as they introduce their approach to transforming education through listening, collaboration, and learning. HRP engages directly with young people and community members, amplifying their voices to drive positive change. Discover engaging stories and case studies that highlight the journeys of those most impacted by the education system. HRP will share key themes from their grassroots collaborations, revealing powerful insights gained from working with public schools. Together, we’ll explore systemic changes designed to redefine educational practices.
In Pursuit of Self-Empowering Classrooms: How SDL Can Change Students’ Perception of Education, From Students Who Lived It
E.B. Smith (HS ELA Teacher), Lani Casto (Student Leader), & GHS SDL English Class Members, Granville Exempted Village Schools, Granville, Ohio
Almost a year ago, 20 juniors and seniors walked into Granville High School’s first Student Directed Learning English class, and were given a new opportunity: to shape their own education. The seniors graduated with a new idea of what education could mean, more prepared for their next steps. The juniors were able to be even louder about how they felt about the class; they took it again. The bottom line was simple: the class was a hit. Hear from second-year students and the teacher who brought them together about what makes this class work and how to implement a program of your own.
The Playbook: Self-Directed Learning
Caleb Collier, Co-Founder of The Forest School and The Institute for Self-Directed Learning, Atlanta area, GA
This session will be an overview of our new book, The Playbook of Self-Directed Learning. The Playbook offers school leaders a student-centered, relationship-driven approach to fostering learner-led success and autonomy at school. In self-directed learning, learners set their own goals, manage their own progress, and assess their own outcomes, all under the guidance of teachers and administrators. This accessible book offers evidence-based insights, real-world examples, and practical techniques for leaders seeking to transform their schools and empower students to become responsible for their own learning within an interdependent network of relationships with educators, peers, and involved adults. Each chapter includes a variety of strategies for supporting the conditions in which students can enthusiastically develop self-regulation, time management, adaptability, problem-solving, and other important skills. Principals, superintendents, teacher-leaders, and curriculum/assessment designers will come away with bold yet intuitive methods for transforming schools into self-directed learning environments.
Testing the Waters: Experimenting Our Way Through Senior Year
Andrea Vescelius, HS ELA Teacher, and Mrs. V’s Students, Olentangy Local Schools, Lewis Center, OH
With high school competitiveness running at an all-time high and feeling the performative nature of school, twenty-five seniors came together, curious if they could discover a better way than what they had experienced in their past. They wondered, “What happens when we no longer focus on grades and focus on learning instead? Is there a better way to represent learning than a grade? Is a ‘gradeless’ classroom better?” And, if so, what goes into creating this type of classroom? Stay tuned, and we’ll find out what they think in March.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
3:30 PM – 4:45 PM
The Power of Being Known: Cultivating Agency for Lasting Learning
Jason Blair, Elementary Art Teacher, Dublin City Schools, Dublin, OH
In an era dominated by automation and data, how do we keep humanity—connection, creativity, and empathy—at the heart of education? This session invites you to reimagine agency, not as simply being seen or heard, but as being truly known. It’s about creating learning environments where deeper connections and diverse perspectives lead to more engaged, meaningful learning.
We’ll explore practical strategies to shift focus from test scores and content to cultivating traits that inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and authentic student engagement. Learn how fostering connection and agency in the classroom empowers both students and teachers, creating deeper, lasting learning experiences.
Join us to discover how prioritizing humanity and connection transforms education, building learning environments where everyone is truly known and fully engaged.
Ungrading: Finding Agency in a Traditional School System
Christopher Sarkonak, High School Physics Teacher, Manitoba, Canada
For nearly 70 years, the approach to education has been stagnant while the world around us is barely recognizable to previous generations. It’s time for change that empowers students and gives them agency. Christopher Sarkonak has been working to bring change to education within the confines of the restrictions that a rural Manitoba public school encounters. Working together with students to develop a new model of education that meets their needs has been at the forefront of his work. He has implemented a gradeless model using portfolios that shelters students from the negative impact of graded assessments; using self-assessment, constant reflection, and encouraging students to chart their own paths through learning. This session will offer a look at how education can start to change and offer hope for greater change in the future.
Establishing & Sustaining a Culture of Belonging, Belief, & Agency
Amber Humm Patnode, Acting Director, Proving Ground, Harvard University
James Angelo, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction (Retired), Frederick County, VA
Imagine a school, district, or classroom in the most challenging community in your state, a community plagued by truancy, drugs, and significant behavior issues. Yet, the students attend not only willingly, but with excitement and a sense of hope and belonging. In this session, we will examine research behind transformative culture, show concrete examples of such a culture in action, and provide time for participants to work collaboratively with colleagues, counterparts, and critical partners to identify actionable steps toward culture change. You will leave this session knowing your role in bringing about an organizational culture of belonging, belief in self, and agency.
A Student-Led Future: Giving Students the Ability to Take Action
John Whiting, Miho Gillespie, & Liam Householder, High School Students, Jim Reding’s Science Classes, Granville High School, Granville, OH
Join us to explore an innovative hybrid class that promotes self-directed learning and community engagement. This initiative seeks to enhance student autonomy while tackling real-world challenges, empowering high schoolers to collaborate with teachers and create meaningful change. By integrating diverse perspectives and skills, the program enriches the learning experience for all participants. In an era where creativity often diminishes as students get older, this class can provide them with the opportunity to express their interests and make a tangible impact in their communities. Ultimately, we aim to cultivate a generation of problem solvers equipped to address pressing global issues.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
5:00 PM – 6:15 PM
Increase Agency Through User-Centered Design: An Interactive Example
David Hersh, Chief Executive Officer, in Tandem & Shereen El Mallah, Professor, UVA
This session will highlight how design principles can amplify your efforts to center youth agency. Through an interactive exercise in which participants will practice engaging in a design session, participants will get a preview of what it looks like to engage students differently. Hopefully, they’ll come away with a sense of how transformational tweaks to how we engage students can be.
Autonomy, Agency, & Authenticity Are the Answer
James Browder, Middle School ELA Teacher, Granville Exempted Village Schools, Granville, OH
This session will talk about the why, the how, and the what happened when a classroom teacher, preferably referred to as a developer of human potential, took what was working in an ELA classroom and advocated for it to happen on a larger scale. Prioritizing autonomy, agency, and authenticity, this developer of human potential created two different elective course offerings, Experiential Learner Mastermind and Media From The Middle. Both classes put students at the wheel and encouraged them to have a real impact on the world that surrounded them. The results, powerful.
Yes, You Can: National Landscape of Policy Flexibilities that Enable Learner Agency
Sarah Bishop-Root, Partner of Policy Leadership, Education Reimagined, Flagstaff, AZ
This session will highlight findings from Education Reimagined’s national policy landscape analysis focused on exploring the flexibility that can be leveraged for learner-centered design and to directly empower learners. We will explore several exemplary states, policies, and implementation examples. In addition, several 2025 legislative updates will be shared to stay current on steps states are taking to move the needle.
We’re Living Transformed Lives...Our Development & Growth Have Everything To Do With Culture
Jose Arellano, Vice President & Dre Comers, Director of Strategic Projects, Homeboy Industries, Los Angeles, CA
Culture—we all want to be in places where we WANT to be, not HAVE to be, or are forced to be (i.e., students in schools?) —where we feel like we belong, where we substantively and unconditionally matter, where we feel wanted by others for the good we see in ourselves. Places where we avoid feeling rejection, insignificance, and disconnectedness. Schools don’t always fit this description and might look to another place of human development (which is what schools are) for powerful inspiration of a belonging culture. A surprising place does fit this description. Homeboy Industries is the largest gang rehabilitation organization in the world and won the Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 2020 (the largest global award given to a non-profit). What can schools learn from the belonging and purposeful culture that has been developed there...A LOT! Be prepared for an emotional, hopeful, and uplifting session!
Monday, March 10, 2025
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM
During this time you may also consider visiting Granville Elementary, Granville Intermediate, Granville Middle, or Granville High School to observe and discuss practice in action.
The Saint Louis University Med School Experience: A Roadmap to Promote Autonomy, Competence, Connections, & Meaning in High School Students
Stuart Slavin, MD, M. Ed., Vice President for Well-being at Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, St. Louis, MO
In this workshop, Dr. Slavin will first describe the changes that he led at Saint Louis University that produced 80% decreases in rates of medical student depression and anxiety. He will then describe how the positive impact can be explained through the lens of Self-Determination Theory that posits that promotion of autonomy, competence, and connectedness will contribute to human flourishing and motivation. Finally, participants will have the opportunity to discuss what changes could be made at their own schools as well as identify barriers to change and how to overcome them.
Swimming Upstream: Communicating & Developing Belief in Student Agency
Johanna Brown, NBCT, Associate Director of Secondary Science at Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Pullman, WA
Our educational systems have been built on a model of adults holding power and knowledge over students. When creating classrooms and schools that enable students to be knowers and doers we must attend to unlearning previous systems, aka swim upstream. Join Johanna to process how to communicate with students, families, and educators to not only develop student agency, but to support a communal belief student’s ability to and the need for student’s to hold the power of their learning! Come away with templates, ideas, and a plan for communicating the incredible changes you are making for students.
Building Student Agency Through CliftonStrength
Jim Mahoney, Executive in Residence and Assistant Professor, George Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service & Tony Bagshaw, Ohio Strengths Collaborative Director, ESC of East Central Ohio
In this session, we will explore the power of Gallup’s CliftonStrengths Assessment and how it builds student agency and how the information can become a powerful and positive language in our schools. The CliftonStrengths Assessment helps adults and students alike answer critical questions like: Who am I? How am I unique? What are my superpowers? How will my strengths show up in my employment arc?
Monday, March 10, 2025
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
During this time you may also consider visiting Granville Elementary, Granville Intermediate, Granville Middle, or Granville High School to observe and discuss practice in action.
Student-Led Restorative Practices: Giving Students the Tools & Space for Agency
AJ Crabill, Student Outcomes Evangelist, Houston, TX
Instead of being focused on maximizing the potential of our students, schools have increasingly chosen compliance over belonging as the context for community, authority over connection as the response to conflict, and retribution over restoration as the consequence when harm is created. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Let’s talk about another path.
Leading with Student-Directed Learning
Dr. Jeff Dillon, Superintendent, Wilder School District, Wilder, ID
Transform your educational system by empowering students to become learners who take ownership of their learning pathways. Attendees will be exposed to a district-wide system that has empowered K-12 learners with executive function skills for the past eight years to own, drive, and co-author their learning. In addition, you will take away learned practices/policies/procedures that will support the onboarding and longevity of the transformation.
Why Grow Beyond Grades
Arthur Chiaravalli, House Director, Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg, VT
In a world driven by grades and tests, students often end up chasing numbers and letters rather than their true interests and passions. Grow Beyond Grades founder, Arthur Chiaravalli, explores how educators can shift the focus away from grades while empowering students to discover, document, and tell their own story. We’ll dive into strategies that prioritize student agency, self-assessment, and reflective practices—enabling students to take ownership of their education. By creating environments that value curiosity, creativity, and collaboration over compliance, students develop confidence in their own emerging abilities and identities. Attendees will leave with actionable steps to cultivate agency in their own classrooms by fostering growth beyond grades.
Bend But Don’t Break: Creating a Student-Centered, Flexible Model in a Rigid System
Lindsay Keller, Principal, The Village High School & Jenny Breeding, Parent (& Educator), Colorado Springs, CO
So many systems in education feel rigid and unaccommodating to change. Within these rigid systems can often be found opportunities and windows to change, we just need to see them from a different viewpoint. Village High School, a unique hybrid program in Colorado Springs, is the result of a school that has leveraged some of these opportunities. Hear about their school model and ways they have bent traditional systems to put students in the driver’s seat of their own learning. VHS is a public school in a public district, but with a student-centered model that is good for student achievement, mental health, student autonomy and post-secondary readiness.
Monday, March 10, 2025
1:30 PM – 2:45 PM
During this time you may also consider visiting Granville Elementary, Granville Intermediate, Granville Middle, or Granville High School to observe and discuss practice in action.
Student-Directed Learning in a STEM Integrated Classroom
Dianne McDonald, HS Science Teacher & Zack Patterson, HS Math Teacher, Granville Exempted Village Schools, Granville, OH
Mandated standards and high-stakes testing should not discourage student-directed learning (SDL) opportunities. Integrated courses provide the flexibility of time and a broader range of content that can give students more SDL opportunities in traditionally standards-driven courses. This session will explore how combining math and science courses has provided students with opportunities for deeper content understanding, meaningful practice, and improved dispositions to the content areas.
Advising with Purpose – Fostering Student Agency
Annalies Corbin, President; Brianna Agomessou, Portable Innovation Labs Coordinator; Alyssa Reder, Director of Project Management; Nikki Stancampiano, Workforce Development Coordinator, PAST Foundation, Columbus, OH
This interactive workshop equips participants with strategies to boost student agency in classrooms and advisories. Attendees will explore advisory foundations, clarify the advisor’s role, and learn to build impactful relationships with students. Key topics include personalized learning plans, leave-to-learn experiences, and community partnerships that support real-world learning. Participants will also learn about the PAST Foundation’s Portable Innovation Labs, a free resource for student-driven projects. Through case studies, discussions, and reflections, educators will leave with actionable tools to foster student ownership, elevate advisory experiences, and inspire authentic student growth across educational settings.
Transformation Learning Through Student Agency and Kinship
Brittany Morton, Director of Educational Services, Homeboy Industries, Los Angeles, CA
This session explores Homeboy Industries’ revolutionary education model where healing and learning intertwine. By honoring each person’s lived experience and wisdom, our non-hierarchical approach empowers students to chart their own educational journeys—from Hope U life skills courses to college pathways. Learn how intentional education plans, created collaboratively with case managers, allow students to pursue growth on their own terms. Through sacred classroom spaces and therapeutic community building, students transition from survival to thriving.
Why the Brain Craves Autonomy
William Stixrud, Ph.D., Clinical Neuropsychologist; Founder, The Stixrud Group; Faculty Member, Children’s National Medical Center & Ned Johnson, President & Founder, PrepMatters, Washington, DC
Self-Determination Theory holds that autonomy is a fundamental psychological need for all humans, including children. Scientists have even concluded that a sense of control or agency is a biological necessity for the healthy development of many species. In this talk, Dr. Stixrud and Mr. Johnson will present neuroscientific evidence that promoting student agency may be the most important thing educators can do. They will discuss the neurobiology of control and the crucial role that a sense of agency plays in mental health, motivational development, learning, and memory. They then will suggest ways in which educators can nurture a strong sense of autonomy in their students.
Monday, March 10, 2025
3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Empowering Student Agency with SOLE (Self-Organized Learning Environments)
Jeff McClellan, Founding Director of Startsole; Founding Head of School MC2 STEM High School, Cleveland, OH
In this session, discover how implementing Self-Organized Learning Environments (SOLE) in classrooms can foster student agency by encouraging independent inquiry, critical thinking, and collaboration. Participants will explore how students can take ownership of their learning process, develop essential problem-solving skills, and engage deeply with content through open-ended questions. This approach supports educators in creating a student-centered environment that empowers learners to drive their own educational journey, preparing them for success in both school and life.
Empowering Students to Know Their Growth
Hannah Rust, HS ELA Teacher, Olentangy Local Schools, Lewis Center, OH
Come engage in discussions about grading and assessment practices that empower students to always know where they stand in the course. We will talk about ways to create a culture of revision that centers process and not product, and also discuss the ways that traditional grading fails our students (and us) and every turn of making learning authentic. This session will showcase some of the successes, highlight the hurdles, and glaze over the flubs of making the change from traditional grading to something more appropriate, effective, and productive for everyone.
Using Your Schedule to Enhance Agency – The Friday Option
Tyler Schaad, HS Principal & Haley Bonar, HS Assistant Principal, Belpre City High School, Belpre, OH
This session highlights an Appalachian school’s journey to provide students significant control over their schedules. The Friday option allows juniors and seniors to use Fridays to explore higher education and/or workforce goals. Their feedback about this innovation has been significant. The presentation will also highlight other small but significant changes Belpre High School has made to help with student agency.
How to Unleash the Creative Genius Within All Of Us
Kavita Tanna, Co-Founder, Catalyst Learning Labs; UK Linda Amici, Middle School Instructional Coach; Thompson Morrison, WA
Join curious educators to experience Agile practices of fast, iterative learning cycles; practices that when implemented in classrooms lead to dramatic shifts toward student-directed learning. In this hands-on session, participants will explore the Designed inGenuity framework, which empowers learners to own their learning journey. Through guided experiences, attendees will engage in peer-to-peer learning and self-reflection, mirroring the student experience. Discover how this approach sparks curiosity and inspires engagement, cultivating the conditions for adaptive, creative thinking while aligning with curriculum standards. Leave with practical strategies to implement self-directed learning in your classroom, promoting student agency; preparing learners for an ever-changing world.
Questions?
Contact Mike Nicholson at mnicholson@learninspired.org.