September 25, 2025

Dear Educator,

This week, I had the chance to spend time with Muhlenberg County Public Schools as they kicked off working groups for their new Blueprint for Success. One of the key outcomes of this plan is advancing college and career readiness across the K–12 spectrum.

Among the top priorities identified: Launching Exploration Labs in elementary and middle schools to give students early, hands-on exposure to possible career pathways. This week's Bright Spots showcases what these labs look like and the impact they are having.

With Gratitude,

Making Big Moves in Muhlenberg County

Muhlenberg County has launched two new classes to explore careers with Paxton-Patterson Labs' career-aligned modules. The modules are designed to give students in grades 4–8 authentic opportunities to explore a wide range of fields. Each module takes 7–10 days to complete and is built to spark curiosity, reveal strengths and interests, and even help them discover what they don’t enjoy.

When I visited the new labs at the middle schools, I saw the excitement firsthand. Teachers and students were buzzing with energy, diving into new learning experiences with enthusiasm. What’s especially impressive is how quickly the impact is being felt. After months of thoughtful planning over the summer, the labs have been up and running for just five weeks and they are already making a difference in how students see themselves and their futures.

Muhlenberg County’s commitment to preparing students for success is a reminder of what’s possible when districts create a coherent plan and invest in early exploration, hands-on learning, and purposeful alignment to students’ strengths, interests, and goals.

Ready to make meaningful Big Moves in your district? At Learner-Centered Collaborative, our Blueprint for Success framework enables districts to take meaningful action on their learner-centered visions by creating aligned and focused milestones. Explore some of the Big Moves we've helped districts make here. This isn't about doing 1,000 things at once, it's choosing three to five things that will make a meaningful impact today and for years to come! Connect with us here to learn how you can create a Blueprint for Success in your district.

The Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast is back! Kicking off our seventh season, I sit down with my Co-CEO at Learner-Centered Collaborative, Dr. Devin Vodicka, for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of education, leadership, and the future of schools. Together, we reflect on signals of change—from eroding public trust to the rise of AI—and share optimism about opportunities to redesign systems in more learner-centered, human-focused ways. Tune-in here!

Resources to advance your learner-centered practice

📖 From Vision to Action: How Hampton Township’s School Design Teams Brought the Portrait of a Talbot to Life. "What began as enabling conditions has become active ownership, and that shift has made all the difference." Learn how you can make your Portrait of a Learner come alive.

🎥 How to Leverage AI in Your Learner-Centered Classroom. "In this webinar, two all-star educators share how they are leveraging AI to supercharge learner-centered classrooms. With perspectives as both a principal and district leader and a teacher/coach, they illustrate how AI can serve as a thought partner for educators and students while staying grounded in whole-learner outcomes." Watch here.

🗳️ Shape the Future of AI in Education. "As part of a national study led by Ed3 DAO exploring how the role of teachers is changing with the rise of artificial intelligence, I have a 7-minute survey for you to share your experience and opinion. Thank you so much for sharing your insights!"