DCSD Summer Summit 2026

Are your PLC meetings missing the "why" behind the data? When student support staff are excluded from collaborative teams, we only see half the picture. Join us for a hands-on session designed to help leaders break down silos. We will dive deep into the 4 PLC questions through the lens of support staff, outlining exactly what data they should bring to the table and how their interventions drive Tier 1 and Tier 2 academic outcomes. You’ll leave with a clear implementation plan to ensure every voice at the table is focused on the whole student.

This session focuses on building self-awareness and a strong leadership mindset to support adaptive, relational coaching in today’s evolving school environments. Participants reflect on their coaching identity, explore key dispositions, and learn how to create trust, safety, and meaningful relationships that drive impact. The session also introduces a generational lens, helping leaders understand how different perspectives influence communication, motivation, and collaboration, and equips them with strategies to mentor and coach across diverse teams effectively.

This session will support leaders with unifying District, department and school goals and action plans focused on positive student outcomes.

Learn how to equip teacher leaders with the tools they need to facilitate high-impact PLCs and drive school-wide success. If you are a teacher leader, come and discovery strategies for building your leadershp toolbox.

Building Culture with Difficult Teams

In this session, school leaders will use a tree analogy to explore the six essential elements of an effective mathematics program and how they work together as a cohesive system. Participants will assess the current state of math instruction at their school, identify strengths and gaps, and determine priority areas for growth. Leaders will leave with clear, actionable next steps to align their practices and professional learning with a long-term vision for high-quality math instruction.

Maximize the impact of Professional Learning Communities by addressing the unique challenges of singletons—those educators who navigate their content or grade-level silos alone. This session shifts the focus from traditional, content-dependent PLCs to innovative configurations that foster collective teacher efficacy. We will explore practical structures for constructing meaningful collaboratives, featuring a deep dive into the Critical Friend Protocol—a structured approach that transforms peer feedback into a high-leverage catalyst for instructional growth. Participants will analyze diverse PLC configurations, engage in protocol simulations, and develop a strategic support plan to ensure every teacher, regardless of their role, belongs to a high-functioning team. By mastering these solutions, school leaders will ensure the PLC process is inclusive, rigorous, and results-oriented for every member of their staff.

Creating a safe, supportive, and professional school environment starts with clear expectations. In this session, building leaders will explore how to move beyond simply knowing professional boundaries policies to actually bringing them to life in meaningful and practical ways. We will focus on how you, as a leader, can set the tone, model expectations, and proactively support your staff in understanding and maintaining appropriate boundaries with students and colleagues. Participants can expect real-world scenarios, guided discussion, and practical strategies that can be used right away in their buildings. We will walk through common gray areas that school staff often face and talk through how to respond with clarity and confidence. You will also gain tools for coaching staff, addressing concerns early, and protecting both employees and students through consistent practices.

How do we ensure every student is thinking and engaging in rigorous learning rather than just a few volunteers? In this session, participants will explore research-based strategies inspired by Anita Archer to increase active participation across classrooms. Leaders will learn how to recognize and support structured response techniques (verbal, written, and action) that strengthen thinking and raise rigor, and will leave equipped to support consistent, schoolwide implementation.