DCSD Summer Summit 2026

This session is an entry level look at rigorous instructional practices from the lens of surface, deep and transfer learning. You will gain an understanding of each level of learning as well as instructional moves that support any learner.

This session is designed for leaders and coaches guiding Proficiency Scale work within their schools. Participants will strengthen their ability to lead calibration conversations, ensure consistent use of proficiency scales in writing, and support teams in using data to inform instruction. Through collaborative analysis of student writing, leaders will build shared expectations, improve scoring reliability, and identify high-leverage next steps for instruction aligned to writing.

Empower teachers to reshape the instructional landscape by shifting from traditional information delivery to a discovery-first model that prioritizes student sense-making. This session explores the Explore before Explain pedagogy—a transformative framework that positions student inquiry as the primary catalyst for deep comprehension. Grounded in the 5E Instructional Model, we will examine how intentionally delaying formal explanation in Science and Social Studies fosters the curiosity and cognitive endurance necessary for academic mastery across all grade levels. Participants will learn to identify the markers of high-impact inquiry, moving beyond "activity-based" learning toward a rigorous culture of investigation. By mastering this shift, school leaders will gain the strategic foresight to move their teams from mere coverage of content to a focus on the engine of achievement: student-led discovery.

Integrating Gemini and NotebookLM in Secondary Instruction

This training is designed to move beyond "checking a box" for Social-Emotional Wellness (SEW). We focus on transforming school administrators into visionaries who can weave Wayfinder’s purpose-driven framework into the very fabric of their school’s identity. Leaders will learn how to cultivate belonging, build capacity for social, emotional wellness, align to mindsets and behaviors and create sustained engagement within their schools. They will also be offered a tour of Waypoints, the assessment suite, to glean strategies for data collection and analysis in future ready skills. By the end of this training, administrators will have new insights to foster an environment where every student feels seen, known, and purposeful.