Explore Day 1 of the 2025 Summer Professional Learning Retreat
The 2025 Summer Retreat is a three-day virtual professional learning experience, taking place on June 17th, 18th, and 19th! It’s designed to allow you to choose the sessions that best meet your needs and the needs of your students. Whether you’re looking to build on existing skills or explore new strategies, this year’s lineup offers meaningful learning opportunities for every educator. Each session qualifies for PD hours.
Registration is now open. Read on to learn more about the sessions offered on Day 1 – Tuesday, June 17, under the theme: Empower, Align, Achieve.
8:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
Arkansas Accountability
Presenter: Hope Worsham, DESE
Session description coming soon
10:15 A.M. - 11:15 A.M.
Collective Strategic Planning
Presenter: Dr.George Galindo, Great Minds
In this session, Dr. George Galindo from Great Minds will lead us to recognize the importance of collective strategic planning when implementing high-quality instructional Materials. Through a case study, group discussion, and a panel discussion, Dr. Galindo will demonstrate how collective strategic planning can increase the collective efficacy of a team and increase student achievement.
11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.
Data Optimization Tools
Presenter: Ben Janelle, APSRC Director of Technology
Session description coming soon
1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.
ALA Reach
Presenter: Jenni Donohoo, Author of Collective Efficacy
Strengthening Collective Teacher Efficacy
Entrenched beliefs are often a barrier to improvement efforts in schools. One misguided belief, commonly held among educators, is that they lack the collective capability to impact the lives of their students over and above the influence of students’ homes and communities. This 1.5-hour interactive REACH session is designed to dispel this myth by helping educators think differently about the impact they can have on student outcomes. Participants will develop a shared understanding of collective teacher efficacy, and learn about the sources that influence efficacy beliefs, and the impact of the Pygmalion Effect. Most importantly, they will experience protocols and learn practical strategies that can be used to strengthen collective efficacy in their schools.
Ready to Register?
Day 1 offers a strong foundation for the retreat, with sessions focused on alignment, team collaboration, and actionable strategies to support student growth. We encourage you to register now for the sessions you’re interested in so you can stay up to date with the latest information about the Summer Retreat and the sessions you plan to attend.
While we hope you'll join us live, we understand summer schedules can be busy. We’re planning to provide all registered participants with access to session recordings and materials following the event—but you must register in advance to receive them.
Looking ahead? View the full retreat schedule—including session topics for Days 2 and 3—by visiting the Summer Retreat webpage. There, you can explore daily themes and register for sessions directly through Discere.
