Esteemed Colleague,

In our pursuit of transforming education and centering learners by design, we must get the culture right. But, where do we begin? In our work with learning communities across the nation, the Learner-Centered Collaborative team has found three key elements that must be addressed, no matter the context, for a learner-centered culture to thrive.

Let's explore each of these three key elements.

With anticipation for our shared journey,

Events & Webinars

League of Innovative Schools Fall 2024 Convening (register here)

September 30 - October 2, 2024 | Lindsay, CA

RECORDING: How to Personalize Professional Development (with Lamont Elementary School District) (watch the recording)

"If you're not involved in the learning, then you can't speak to it." ~Dr. Lori Gonzalez

JOIN US AT OUR NEXT EVENT

Connections

Fall Gathering: District and Industry Visits

October 1 - 3, 2024 | Encinitas, CA

District leaders from across the country will come together this October for the first in-person convening of our 2024/25 Connections Cohort. Together, we will explore the learner-centered work happening throughout Encinitas USD, including their innovative Farm Lab, and connect these lessons with local industry by visiting STEM Aviation Academy.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CONNECTIONS

"Hampton Township School District design teams hit the ground running in July by making meaning of district goals, aligning them to their initial thinking about school-level goals, and ideating how design teams could work to bring it all to life." ~Brittany Griffin

"Northern Cass School District 97 came together for a focused and deliberate two days to create their 2024/2025 scorecard. They have a clear set of outcomes and success metrics to guide the year ahead." ~Katie Martin

"South San Francisco Unified School District held a 3-day admin retreat. With various district leaders, site administrators made meaning together around the SSFUSD Strategic Plan, Portrait of a Graduate, and the emerging "South City Way"!" ~Liz Perry

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIPS

A Year in Review: LCC + UCSD

Last year, Learner-Centered Collaborative and UC-San Diego began an exciting research partnership. Discover the questions we explored and the insights we collected with regional researchers and practitioners.

1. The Kickoff (4-min read)

"When we rely on one another’s strengths, we can achieve something greater than the sum of its parts." ~Liz Perry

2. Relational Trust, Belonging, and Flourishing (4-min read)

"Flourishing extends the concept of personal wellness to incorporate the health of the contexts in which somebody or something lives." ~Liz Perry

3. Revising Our Big Questions (3-min read)

"These questions are not just queries; they are beacons that guide us in exploring new terrains in educational research and practice." ~Devin Vodicka

4. New Measures of Success (4-min read)

"Success (in education) is often measured by narrow metrics like test scores and GPA despite a widespread understanding that success extends far beyond these measures." ~Joanna Libby

5. Bright Spots and Networks (4-min read)

"You can always achieve good things when everybody is thinking about the kids." ~Eric Ortega

We are proud to recognize Dr. Michael Loughead, Superintendent of Hampton Township School District, as our Catalyzer of the Month! Dr. Loughead’s exemplary leadership in implementing the “Portrait of a Talbot” initiative has significantly expanded the district’s definition of success. Learn more about his visionary approach.