Making a shift in their practice, teachers and administrators will think through their barriers to support theme-based education in an authentic innovative landscape. Participants will explore and form commitments to excellent and adequate support models for their magnet school and/or program.

“Great facilitation! I appreciate the time given to work focusing on what’s in front of us NOW. Excellent day of PD.”
– Richland School District Two Participant

“Thank you for this presentation. It definitely gave us a lot to think about and use for the new school year!”
– East Baton Rouge Schools Participant

Community-based and authentic learning experiences through Project Based Learning are known to be supportive for student achievement and engagement. In these two-day sessions, schools will create a framework for creating learning projects that are rooted in age and grade level standards, utilize the natural surroundings of the school and engage community partners.

“I love your passion for not only your students’ success, but also teachers and humans! Thank you for such an informative and helpful/useful PD – you rock!”
– East Baton Rouge Schools Participant

“I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop! I think through PBL students’ eyes and minds will be opened and motivated to investigate the infinite possibilities for fun and success in their future!”
– East Baton Rouge Schools Villa del Rey ES Participant

What if we approached magnet school leadership like designers? Designers work in teams and are often not afraid to experiment with new solutions. In this workshop, you will begin to apply the methods and mindsets of design thinking to your work through hands-on activities and rich collaboration with magnet peers. You will leave this workshop with strategies and tools that can be used in your magnet schools to inspire your team to create innovative, human-centered solutions.

“Loved it! The tools and graphic organizers were wonderful and loved the references to how innovative companies (Amazon, Pixar, etc.) use these design thinking strategies.”
–  MSA Dallas Annual Conference Pre-conference Participant

“High energy. Great Spirit. I loved that she showed us how to learn new methods and form relationships. Challenging in the best way. Also loved the table leaders. These veterans offered insight and encouragement. A great way to spend the afternoon.”
–  MSA Dallas Annual Conference Pre-conference Participant

This workshop is designed to explore evidence-based approaches that foster strong teams among colleagues as well as authentic partnerships with families. It provides strategies to enhance the capacity of adults to support high academic success for all students within diverse and inclusive learning environments. The work of sustaining diverse and dynamic learning environments in a high-performing magnet school involves staff, students, families, and the larger school community. This workshop is designed to explore how equity serves as fertile soil for diversity to grow and flourish. It provides approaches that support a schoolwide commitment to equitable policies, programs, and practices.

“Great facilitation! I appreciate the time given to work focusing on what’s in front of us NOW. Excellent day of PD.”
– Richland School District Two Participant

“Thank you for this presentation. It definitely gave us a lot to think about and use for the new school year!”
– East Baton Rouge Schools Participant

This professional learning experience provides a student recruitment / retention framework based on a whole system approach of support for students and families.  The session will focus on practical strategies and best practices that work at the school level to ensure magnet students are successfully retained through high school.

“Hearing about other schools’ recruitment strategies was very helpful. Got some good ideas!”
– JCPS Participant

“Today was great! The facilitator was an excellent presenter who provided information in a manner that allowed me to see, hear, and apply the concepts. This was my preferred type of professional development!”
– Richland Two Participant

Participants will engage with MSA’s Magnet Experts and check their own magnet mindset against others who lead exemplary schools and programs. By reflecting on best practices for strategically implementing successful research based tools and practices into their own schools’ operations, leaders will improve their ability to sustain their magnet school and programs for years to come by building the capacity of all staff to have a strong magnet mindset. Acknowledging and understanding practices within the broader context of a truly diverse instructional environment, this magnet mindset will strengthen student and community buy-in, produce commitments from irreplaceable teachers and leaders, and set their school up for successful recruiting and retention efforts and magnet school attendance.

“What a great facilitator! He let the team navigate their learning for deep meaning and understanding. His background and experiences lent to a positive experience – a lot was accomplished!”
– Albuquerque Public Schools Participant

“Thank you so much for making the learning engaging and worthwhile. It was very helpful to choose how we wanted to receive the information. It was also helpful being given time to reflect on our learning.”
– East Baton Rouge Schools Participant

“Insightful articles to promote thinking, ideas for moving forward or at least getting started, and a great opportunity to connect with other leads/directors.”
– Richland School District Two Participant

Click here for the Flyer created

A trifecta that will excite your teachers and admin giving them an extra boost that is long overdue: Joyful Learning – Curiosity by Design – use a Design Thinking approach to apply research about curiosity to deepen engagement in our students’ experiences. Joyful Teaching – Supporting Diverse and Dynamic Learners – explore and affirm evidence-based practices that make teaching and learning “attractive,” especially within the unique environment of magnet schools. Joyful Community – Healing and Belonging Centered Classrooms– review the principles and processes that emphasize the importance of community, fairness and the building and restoration of positive relationships within systems through self- awareness, pedagogies and mindfulness.

“Best professional learning! This was easy to follow, very informative, and something I have wanted to do for a long time. I love all of their classes!”
–  Clark County School District Participant

“This was the best PD I have ever attended. I never thought I could sit through a whole PD and not become bored or anxious to leave. I honestly enjoyed and learned so much! I wish every PD could be like this!”
– East Baton Rouge Parish School Systems Participant

“Great day! Very relatable and I learned a ton today! So excited for our magnet journey at JCPS!”
– Jefferson County Public Schools Participant

“Awesome day of training! I learned so many interesting ideas from the MSA Pillars that I hope to implement!”
– Broward County Public Schools Participant

Implementing the best practices of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics is vital to creating a high functioning magnet pathway K-12. Working with school teams and community partners, these workshop sessions will focus on matching current practices to the Next Generation Science Standards and Engineering Practices.

“This specific professional development opportunity was worth attending; it was very engaging!”
– East Baton Rouge Schools Participant

“Thanks for everything! This was really eye-opening and further fuels my passion for working at a STEM magnet school.”
– Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools Participant

With each school, develop a strategic design implementation plan based on the successful elements of implementation science. Each school will develop a guiding document that incorporates their professional learning, parent engagement, partnership engagement, curriculum work, and sustainability planning.

“Great training. I value and appreciate the honesty and understanding of time around our learning and goals.”
– Wake County Public Schools Millbrook ES

“This was a great session! I think this session really revealed some of the silos we have that we need to actively work to break down in order to move the work forward.”
– Jefferson County Public Schools Participant Participant