2024 Bridge Conference

In the workshop 'Holistic Support: Durable Skills in Expanded Learning for the Age of AI,' discover why durable skills—essential traits, qualities, mindsets, and attitudes—are crucial for success in today's innovation-driven economy. Learn practical strategies and the overlooked key to helping our young people develop resilience, adaptability, effective communication, collaboration, and critical thinking for holistic education that goes beyond academics. Understand how integrating these skills into expanded learning opportunities not only prepares students for the challenges posed by AI but also empowers them to succeed with confidence in any future endeavor. Whether you're a student, teacher, parent, or community leader, join us to help equip our youth with the tools to thrive in an ever-changing world where skills-based hiring is the norm.

The election is coming to a close, and now it is time to start GOVERNING! How much do your students know about how state government works? Do you find yourself having circular discussions about what the federal government is doing? Do you students know about their state representatives? This session introduces TVW and its free resources, which foster student engagement and empowers students to participate in nuanced discussions. In this presentation, participants will learn how to get students actively participating in state government. Through Teach with TVW, classrooms collaborate with volunteer lobbyists, tracking and advocating for/against legislation. Participants will grasp how to implement this program, unlocking its benefits for students. By addressing topics that matter to students, these programs show our young people how government works for them while simultaneously empowering individuals to address systemic issues and promote positive change in the future.

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) launched a new version of Summer School in 2023 with a vision to create summer learning that wasn't focused solely on remediation, but could be an extension of the school year that provided academic supports with fun enrichment opportunities making a place kids would want to go to. The 'Yes! to Expanded Learning Planning Team", made up of cross-departmental district office staff, supported the development and implementation of six elementary school sites, which served as regional hubs for SPS students for a four-week session. The school day was similar in schedule to that during the school year, but was unique in that it included SPS led literacy and math instruction in the mornings and Community Based Organization (CBO) led STEAM based enrichment in the afternoons. SPS Instructional Assistants staffed the entire day providing some content connection and classroom management support throughout the day. The program expanded in 2024 to ten sites and included further integration between SPS and CBO programming. Prior to sessions starting, SPS and CBO staff participated in joint professional development and met at their school sites to prepare their classrooms. They also worked at creating a weekly family engagement communication and a culminating event where families were invited in to see various projects or performances that their children shared. Evaluation of the program was gathered through surveys and focus groups of students, families and staff; the vision is to continue to refine and expand programming in the summer while also providing a model to advocate for central office sponsored expanded learning partnership and offerings throughout the entire school year.