The 2018 DLSI will take place August 6-8, 2018 at Middletown High School in Middletown, CT. It will be co-hosted by Middletown (CT) Public Schools, Norwalk (CT) Public Schools, and Wyndham (CT) Public Schools. Upon registering, participants  will be required to select a thematic  content seminar to follow for the duration of the Institute. This format will allow participants to dive deeply into their selected thematic area, and more fully engage with other educators who are exploring similar work. Please check out our event webpage to review detailed descriptions of each of the content seminars prior to registering. For reference, the seminar topics are listed below:

• Performance Assessment
• High Functioning Teams: Collaborative Skills and Practices
• Leadership for Equity
• Creating and Supporting a Purposeful Advisory Program
• Restorative Justice
• Differentiation for Inquiry Based Teaching and Learning
• Inquiry and Assessment Strategies for English Language Learners
• Inquiry and Assessment Strategies in Math
• Inquiry and Assessment Strategies in ELA
• Inquiry and Assessment Strategies in Social Studies
• Inquiry and Assessment Strategies in Science
• Inquiry and Assessment Strategies for Interdisciplinary Learning
• World Languages and Performance Based Assessments
• Unified Arts and Performance Based Assessments
• Believe in You! (Student Strand)

Register now to reserve your spot at the 2018 Deeper Learning Summer Institute!*

*Registrants from Middletown, Norwalk and Wyndham should first reach out to their CSSR coach for a unique host code prior to registering.

The entire CSSR team was blown away by the caliber of presentations and the level of participant engagement at the recently-held Spotlight on Innovative Student Centered Schools! Presenters led sixteen in-depth sessions on topics ranging from multi-age learning in the elementary school setting, to engaging English Language Learners, to what happens when you let students run the school! 

Participants praised the quality and accessibility of materials shared by presenting schools, the practitioner-led sessions, and the solid demonstrations of what student centered learning CAN be! As we expected, the student presenters were a highlight of the event. Participants loved hearing their unique perspectives and were impressed by their ability to publicly share their experiences. 

It was an honor to see educators who have worked closely with CSSR coaches stand up and lead sessions on topics like project-based learning, personalizing school culture, and exhibitions of learning. And, it was so energizing to learn from other practitioners who are leading this critical work in schools throughout New England!

We are grateful to Deb Delisle and ASCD for inviting us to lead this Showcase event, and look forward to future opportunities to amplify the work of student centered learning through other professional learning offerings. 

We are excited to announce the comprehensive school redesign work currently underway at Middletown (CT) High School.  CSSR is providing technical assistance and professional development to  implement secondary school redesign designed both   by  and  for  Middletown High School (MHS). 

Beginning with  a design team that includes key stakeholders from MHS, CSSR coaches are leading work to analyze where the school is currently in regard to culture and student achievement, and create a vision of where the school would like to be in five years. This work includes an intensive three-day readiness assessment that involves: mapping initiatives that are already in place as well as those that are anticipated by MHS; a full-day of student shadowing; in-depth focus groups with key stakeholders; and creating a plan of action for the work going forward. 

The initial emphasis of the work at MHS will be the creation of a Freshman  Academy. This will include the development of a robust student Advisory program that serves, in part, to prepare students for participation in Personal Plans for Progress and Student Led Conferencing. 

CSSR coaches will continue working with MHS through intensive professional development over the summer and ongoing coaching throughout the upcoming 2018 -2019 school year. We look forward to providing updates on this work in future mailings! 

Learn more about Middletown High School here. 

CSSR, in partnership with the Sizer Teachers Center, has begun an 18-month project with the Windham (CT) Public Schools to expand learning opportunities for all students through a focus on t eacher leadership for student centered learning. Funded by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation (NMEF), this work will provide teachers with training in student-centered instructional strategies and collaborative practices. Major components of the project include: skill-building for teachers in the use of protocols (i.e. for optimized collaboration and looking at student work) as routine tools to improve practice; reframing units to be more student-centered, and developing facilitative leadership skills to sustain continued development of student-centered practices. 

CSSR will work closely with Windham teachers over the course of this work to provide on-site coaching, facilitate on-site and off-site training, and facilitate site visits to nationally-recognized role-model schools. Educators from the Sizer Teacher Center will provide monthly practitioner-led professional development on-site in Windham during the 2018 - 2019 school year. 

We will provide regular updates on this project in the coming school year. We look forward to working together with school and district leaders to creatively engage all students and ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn at a high level. 

Learn more about Windham Public Schools here. 

Learn more about the Sizer Teachers Center here. 

Read more about NMEF's Investments in Education here.