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Starting a Movement: Building Culture From the Inside Out in Your PLC Workshop
New Orleans, Louisiana | September 29–30, 2025
The most common challenge for schools is how to transition from a culture of compliance to a culture of commitment. How to move from “doing” to “becoming” or from “my kids” to “our kids.” The gap between these two junctures is a critical and often overlooked aspect of a school’s journey, creating a culture of collective responsibility. If educators are prepared to commit to every child, every day, two questions must be addressed:
1. Do we believe all students can learn at high levels?
2. Will we take collective responsibility to make this a reality?
If we truly aim to have a culture that embraces “learning for ALL,” we must begin with building effective relationships with all constituents of a school community as we carefully craft our collective commitment and purpose. As Viviane Robinson (2011) states, “Effective educational leadership is not about getting the relationships right and then tackling the difficult work challenges. It is about doing both simultaneously so that relationships are strengthened through doing the hard, collective work of improving teaching and learning” (page 16).
Building our collective commitment starts with the “why,” and underpinning this critical step is the reason educators entered the profession—to make a difference and improve the life chances of every student. Connecting the overarching mission with the behaviors, decisions, feedback, and actions of all staff members requires meaningful, collaborative conversations. To this end, participants will acquire powerful tools, processes, and questions that lead to a deeper understanding of the moral imperative for the work.
Learning Outcomes:
- Acquire the authentic alignment model and its four stages.
- Gain strategies to create maximum buy-in among members of your school community.
- Embrace the idea of defining your WHY.
- Establish what is needed for a collective commitment.
- Align policy, procedure, and practice with purpose.
- Discuss the notion of “easy” versus “hard” work and the impact of those decisions.
- Identify tools, resources, and structures to make achievement for all a reality.
- Plan next steps in your school’s journey.
VenueCaesars New Orleans (Harrah's Tower) 228 Poydras Street New Orleans, Louisiana |
Learn from leading experts
Schedule
Agenda and speakers are subject to change.
Monday, September 29th
| 7:00–8:00 a.m. |
Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00–11:30 a.m. |
Presentation |
| 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Lunch (on your own) |
| 1:00–4:00 p.m. | Presentation |
Tuesday, September 30th
| 7:00–8:00 a.m. |
Registration and Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00–11:30 a.m. |
Presentation |
| 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. |
Lunch (on your own) |
| 1:00–4:00 p.m. | Presentation |
Accommodations
Events reach capacity quickly. Please confirm your registration before making travel plans.
While discounted rooms in our hotel room block may be sold out, the primary hotel may still have rooms available at their standard rates. Please inquire directly with the hotel.
Hotels
Primary Hotel
Caesars New Orleans (Harrah's Tower)
228 Poydras Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
800.427.7247
Discounted Rate: (single or double) $211 plus taxes + $19.99 daily resort fee (this rate includes the $2 per night occupancy fee)
Deadline: August 29, 2025, or until group rate is sold out
Events reach capacity quickly. Please confirm your registration before making travel plans.
Parking information: $30 self-parking for all conference attendees and $10 day parking
In order to receive the discounted hotel room rate, please mention Solution Tree. After the deadline listed below, rates will be determined by the hotel.
VenueCaesars New Orleans (Harrah's Tower) 228 Poydras Street New Orleans, Louisiana |
Event Reviews
“One of the most valuable aspects for me was the structured plan on how to identify, plan and address the complexity of a PLC. Being given a greater prospective on how this fits into the entire school culture.”
“Understanding that when implementing the authentic alignments of why, eye, how, and now before getting to the success, you will have to go through and experience the resistance, anxiety (of trying something new), confusion, and frustration. At the school in which I work, we are trying Team Teaching, and I have seen each one of the elements. As like most, I was ready to give up because no one appears to be excited or cooperative. We as a district will be trying it next year, but after today's session, I realize that it takes consistency and at least three to five years before we see the SUCCESS results.”
“I learned the elements I will need to focus on in order to better construct and formulate a plan when sharing the purpose and goal of having a professional learning community.”
“I will definitely be sharing this information with my Team of Teachers and continuing to encourage them. I will also be sharing that we all must stop saying that students with certain exceptionalities are not able to do certain activities/assignments and know that ALL students can learn at HIGH LEVELS.”
More details
Additional Information
Product code: WSG321
Five Reasons to Attend a Solution Tree Event (PDF)
A Letter to Your Boss (DOC)
You will receive a certificate of participation 6 weeks after the event concludes. Please check with your state department of education for CEU availability.
Included with your registration
Starting a Movement
Explore a four-stage authentic alignment model, which will take you through the Why, Eye, How, and Now of transforming your school's culture.
Event Journal
We’re enhancing your event experience. In addition to providing presentations in digital format, Solution Tree is publishing retail-quality, perfect-bound notebooks expertly designed to support your learning. Any printed handouts or worksheets integrated into your sessions will continue to be provided.
