April 10, 2025

Dear Educator,

Reflecting on this week's ASU+GSV Summit, one word keeps rising to the surface: connection. Whether it was the spark of a hallway conversation, the resonance of a shared story, or the energy in a room full of educators and innovators imagining what’s possible, this year’s conference was a powerful reminder that transformation doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through people—through shared purpose, bold ideas, and the willingness to learn together.

That spirit of connection, creativity, and possibility was alive and well at our Encinitas Union School District Farm Lab site visit—one of four site visits our LCC team facilitated to kick off the conference on Monday. The Farm Lab has been close to my heart for years and is this week's Bright Spot.

With Gratitude,

Salad Wars at the Encinitas Farm Lab

I had the privilege of being a guest judge for one of the most joyful and impressive student showcases I’ve ever seen: Salad Wars (learn more here by clicking on the Grade 6 tab).

Held at the DREAMS Farm Lab (Design, Research, Engineering, Art, Math & Science), this culminating event brought together sixth graders from across the district to present, pitch, and taste-test their homemade salad dressings. It wasn’t just about flavor. It was about the skills they showcased around design thinking, entrepreneurship, collaboration, and creativity.

Each student team developed a brand, created marketing materials, and bottled their products for judging. I still smile thinking about two of the creations in particular:

• “Dressing Impossible” — a team fully committed to their Mission Impossible theme, complete with matching outfits and a spy-inspired pitch.
• “Kaleifornia” — a team that created a "California-cool" branding strategy and sustainability message that was as fresh as their ingredients.

What stood out most wasn’t just the quality of their dressings—it was the confidence, collaboration, and real-world skills these students demonstrated. They weren’t just doing a project. They were living the kind of interdisciplinary, purpose-driven learning we talk about when we imagine the future of education.

This is what happens when learners are given the space to dream, design, and do—supported by educators who believe in their potential and environments that bring learning to life.

In what ways are learners given the space to dream in your learning community. What has been created from those dreams? I’d love to hear your stories. Send a note my way by replying directly to this email!

We just added a new Profile to our Competency-Based Reporting Playbook—Spring Lake Park Schools. Through competency-based learning, learner profiles, learner maps, and flexible learning environments, the district is working to ensure all learners feel valued, inspired, and have a sense of belonging. Discover how they bring competency-based learning to life with real examples of their grade band competencies, reimagined report cards, and more! Dive in here.

Resources to advance your learner-centered practice

📖 NEW BLOG: This is What Happens When Every Learner Can Confidently Talk About Their Learning. "We need more school ecosystems like the ones in Mineola, where there are real-world, collaborative learning experiences based on core knowledge and skills as well as structures for learners to know where they are and what they need to do next." Read more.

👩‍💻 Plan with a Competency-Based Approach. "This course supports educators in designing meaningful and aligned assessments that measure the desired learning outcomes, co-define success criteria with learners through various styles of rubrics, and build in cycles of iteration." Start learning here.

🎥 Learner-Centered Bright Spots: Making Learning Public and Closing the Year Strong. "This session will guide you through reflective practices and strategies to wrap up the year in a way that celebrates the learning across your school community." Register for this April webinar.