Welcome Dinner - Idle Hands 
Relax, meet new friends, and reconnect with colleagues at the opening Summit dinner. 

Registration & Breakfast
Attendees arrive to register, network, and enjoy breakfast, as well as get their “Passport to Prizes” pass. Throughout the day, attendees will complete their Passport by visiting with our partners either in scheduled meetings or during lunch if they do not have scheduled meetings. 

Welcome and Introductions
Edtech luminary and international keynote speaker Carl Hooker brings his enthusiasm and passion for education to the Austin Summit as our host and MC for the day. Carl has been a part of a strong educational shift with technology integration and innovation during his 24 years in education, and he will facilitate fun and interactive conversations throughout the day to ensure attendees walk away with innovative ideas they can put into action. 

Keynote: Ready, Ready, Set, FAIL! Using Failure and Risk-taking to Unlock Creativity and Innovation
Our schools have traditionally existed to teach students conformity and compliance. Carl Hooker’s keynote explores how we can create a space where students create innovative ideas to solve the problems of tomorrow? Risk-taking and embracing failure can be great ways to stimulate creativity in the classroom. During this very interactive session based on the best selling book Ready, Set, FAIL!, we’ll discuss the science behind failure and the roadblocks to creativity. After all, It’s not how you fall down, it’s how you get back up!

Working Groups and Partner Meetings
Attendees either participate in facilitated small group discussions focused on important topics related to strategic planning or meet with industry partners. Topics include: 

• Professional Development: The best PD provides consistent, relevant, and actionable assistance to educators. In this session, attendees will share strategies to provide PD that is current and impactful to staff and leaders. 
  • Presenters: Melissa Adams & Jennifer Crook
     
• Scaling & Sustaining Effective Blended Learning Programs: How do you launch, scale, and sustain an effective blended learning program? In this session, attendees will learn how the Texas Blended Learning Consortium brought in divergent thinkers and problem solvers from across the state to make the program a success - and discuss ways they can replicate similar programs in their districts.
  • Presenter: Jessica Mays
     
• Data Privacy/Cybersecurity: This session will cover how districts keep data private and secure. What do districts have in place to support these efforts? What resources are available to Texas schools? 
  • Presenter: Karen Fuller
     
• Supporting Student & Teacher Wellbeing:  How do you create a safe haven and supportive environment for both students and faculty in your district? Attendees discuss ways they create a culture that supports overall wellbeing.
  • Presenter: Amy Grosso

Networking Lunch

Unlocking Failure: Using Risk-taking to Open Up Creativity 

Risk-taking and celebrating failure can be great ways to stimulate creativity in the classroom. During this very interactive session, Carl Hooker leads attendees through a series of improv activities designed to help activate the creative side of their brains. Come prepared to move, think, and leave your inhibitions at the door. It’s not how you fall down, it’s how you get back up!

Working Groups and Partner Meetings
Attendees either participate in a facilitated small group discussions focused on important topics related to strategic planning or meet with industry partners. Topics include:

• How to Survive a Ransomware Attack and Live to Tell About It: Ransomware attacks can hit even the most prepared districts. In this session, attendees will learn how to prepare for and respond to ransomware attacks.
  • Presenter: Brad Stewart
     
• Stewart Effectively Communicate as a School Leader: Join us in this session as we have a discussion about this statement: How effectively you lead is directly tied to how skillfully you communicate with the people you lead.
  • Presenters: Jeni Long & Sallee Clark
     
• Creating a Culture to Support Student Voice & Choice: In this session, participants will learn and share ways to lead a shift in culture that celebrates and welcomes student voice in learning.
  • Presenter: Matt Joseph
     
• Building an Equitable Computer Science/STEM Program: How can districts ensure all students have access to robust and equitable computer science and STEM programming? How do you build a sustainable and equitable computer science program? In this session, attendees will share their experiences.
  • Presenters: Kristin Thompson, Holly Landez & Nicolette Carpenter

APPMazing Race Activity
Attendees participate in a festive round of Carl Hooker’s “APPMazing Race.” Teams will be assigned a set of activities that get everyone up and moving as they collaborate to solve a series of challenges that teach team building, creativity, and problem solving. All winning team members receive an Amazon gift card!

Awards Ceremony 
The winners of the Tech & Learning Innovative Leader awards will be announced.