Whether you’re a leader in the classroom or outside of it, the state of your nervous system is shaping the experience of those around you more than you realize. In this session, we’ll explore how state awareness and self-regulation form the foundation of grounded leadership, and why tending to ourselves first isn’t a luxury, but a prerequisite for supporting others. Leave with a deeper understanding of your own nervous system, and practical tools for building the inner capacity to lead from a grounded state.

This reflective, interactive workshop invites educators into a shared exploration of moral injury—the ethical tension that arises when we know what students need but face systemic barriers to meeting those needs. Through a guided activity and collective reflection, participants will connect with one another while cultivating greater agency and a renewed sense of purpose in their work. Grounded in the belief that naming our experiences matters, this session creates space for reflection, affirmation, and re-centering the meaning and possibility in our work.

The rapidly changing digital world is reshaping our relationships and educational systems, making critical thinking essential for learning, deep reflection, and challenging the status quo. This session introduces MESD’s ‘Thinking Critically: Media Literacy and YOU’ toolkit, designed to strengthen media literacy and critical thinking skills for individuals and educators. This session will include a brief overview of the toolkit, highlighting the Transformative SEL (TSEL) content, followed by time for self-guided exploration of vetted, ready-to-use classroom resources.

This session covers the core phases of SEL development across the lifetime. You will explore the personal considerations of enacting transformative SEL in the classroom while while bearing in mind your students’ development. Core topics such as identity development, self awareness, self regulation, and emotions regulation will be highlighted.

SEL’s impact on student outcomes is only as effective as the program’s implementation. Yet, until recently there has been little research on what constitutes effective SEL implementation. Based on in-depth studies of systemic implementation of SEL in rural, suburban, and urban districts, this session will offer insights into the variety of strategies and infrastructure supports that led to greater depth in systemic SEL implementation, better integration with academic content, more significant investment among faculty, and more successful outcomes for students. It will also identify the potholes and roadblocks that plague implementation and how to avoid them.

Secondary students may scoff at SEL lessons and research indicates that all students can continue developing skills that are core for college and career readiness. Look at building lessons for any content area with a lens that emphasizes transformational social and emotional learning to prepare for a successful transition out of K-12 education and into life. Use strategies teachers already know but with evidence-based intention to heighten engagement and increase learning.

Join us for an engaging student panel where students share their perspectives on belonging, relationships, and how these experiences shape their academic journey. Hear directly from students about what helps them feel connected, supported, and successful in school. This session will provide dedicated time to listen to student voices, gain valuable insights, and ask questions as students reflect on the impact of school culture, relationships, and community on their learning experiences.