Deeper Learning 2026: Full Schedule

Welcome Deeper Learners!

This digital program is for all things DL2026! Session selection is LIVE. Only registered attendees will be able to select sessions starting March 3rd. Click this link to REGISTER.

You will need to select one Workshop Round 1 or Den Talk [for Day 1], one Deep Dive session [for Day 2], and one Workshop Round 2 or Den Talk [for Day 3]. These sessions have capacity limits and will fill up.

For an overview of the event and session types, campus map and frequently asked questions, check out the event info page here.

We can’t wait to see you!

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9:30am PDT

A Box Sent Back from the Future

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 101

Step into the year 2051. In this immersive Deep Dive, you’ll open a “Box from the Future” filled with strange ephemera—protest flyers, redacted curricula, AI classroom reviews—and work with peers to collaboratively imagine the story of how education might evolve over time. Drawing from the discipline of experience design, you will experience this participatory world- building process, but also design your own speculative artifacts and learning experiences. You’ll practice using world-building as a tool for deeper learning across disciplines, helping students critically analyze systems, see agency in the present, and connect learning to real-world issues. You’ll leave with adaptable strategies, artifact templates, and a prototype of your own, all ready to use with students in any subject.

This session is for teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders who want a highly engaging, equity-focused practice rooted in the principles of experience design.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Marc Chun

Designer, Independent

Marc Chun, PhD, brings to his design work past experiences as an educator, researcher, facilitator, and playwright. He founded the Positive Deviance Project at the Stanford University d.school. Based on his academic training in the sociology of knowledge, he explores how our understandings... Read More →

Tara Odorizzi

Independent Designer, Mixpanel

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 101

Deep Dive, Abundant Imagination

AUDIENCE K-12 Students, All Teachers K-12
TOPIC Civic Engagement, Diversity Equity and Sense of Belonging, School Transformation/Systems Change

9:30am PDT

Are Your Structures Sabotaging Your Mission?

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 102

What inherited structures does your school have in place? Are they serving the vision of your school or district? Are your various structures competing with one another? “Form should follow function” is a valuable adage that can be taken one step further so that your forms are transformed to shape their functions in effective and positive ways. In this Deep Dive, you’ll assess your current structures to determine the ones that are serving you and the ones that you are serving. You’ll learn from examples of how schools and districts all over the world changed structures including master schedules, assessments, grading, lesson planning templates, staff meetings, and more, to transform their schools. You will leave with a plan for a structural change that you can implement at your own site.

Lunch is included in the deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Aziza Purser

student, Asia Pacific International School

Laura Flaxman

Author, Educator, Consultant, Asia Pacific International School

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 102

Deep Dive

9:30am PDT

Collective Design: Designing WITH the Local Genius of Our Communities

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 116

Solutions to complex systemic challenges already exist within the “local genius” of our communities. This interactive deep dive explores how to shift from designing for communities to designing with them.

As we will build a community in real time, we'll explore the attributes of thriving communities and the conditions necessary for true co-creation. You will identify a specific challenge from your own context and work collaboratively to discover the missing voices and perspectives traditional data often misses. We will then explore ways to authentically build the trust required for meaningful partnership and practice the listening skills required for true collaboration. Participants will leave with concrete tools and a clear plan to integrate community voices into your design process—not just as a strategy, but as a restorative act of shifting power to those most impacted by decisions.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

José E Garcia

School Improvement Coach, New Tech Network

Kim Frankel Marsh

District Community and Network Design Specialist, New Tech Network

Kim Frankel Marsh serves as a District Community and Network Design Specialist for the New Tech Network where she uses tools and habits from improvement science to support district-level leadership development and systems change . Prior to joining NTN, she spent 20 years on school... Read More →

Nick Kappelhof

Director, District and School Development, New Tech Network

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 116

Deep Dive, Ancestral Intelligence

AUDIENCE All Teachers K-12, Teacher Leaders (Coordinators - Counselors - Coaches), School Leaders, District/Network Leaders
TOPIC Diversity Equity and Sense of Belonging, School/Classroom Culture, Social Emotional Learning

9:30am PDT

Crafting Hope in Challenging Times

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 146

In Crafting Hope in Challenging Times, diverse participants from across the educational ecosystem are invited to engage in a shared, reflective experience focused on how today’s social and political dynamics are felt and lived in schools. Blending design thinking, narrative inquiry, and accessible hands-on making (no artistic background required), participants will translate lived experiences into small quilt-square artifacts using mixed media as metaphor, assembled into a collaborative installation representing collective experience, hope, and imagined change. In a moment of heightened polarization, the session treats craft as a tool for connection, sense-making, and pedagogical imagination.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Cassiopeia Guthrie

Distinguished Teacher in Residence, California State University San Marcos

Cassiopeia Guthrie is committed to inspiring the imperative: courageous, creative, equity-minded, and empowered communities ready to change the world. A credentialed educator, university faculty member and researcher, professional journalist, and award-winning theatre critic, her... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 146

Deep Dive, Arts Integration

9:30am PDT

Design for Belonging Within & Beyond Classroom Walls

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 148

As educators, we design our learning environments with great care - spaces we feel comfortable in and feel will be engaging for our students, leaning on research, wisdom of practice, and intuition. What if we could find ways to improve even the best laid plans? What hidden or untapped resources might be in and around your classroom to help increase belonging, engagement, self-awareness, and appreciation for culture and place?

Come join us in our collaborative lab space to explore Stanford’s Dimensions of Belonging as a framework for considering the roles we allow people and place to play in our learning environments; in our Belonging Lab, we’ll prototype changes to our school or classroom spaces that goes beyond just welcoming environment to activating our spaces and students as shapers of belonging.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Cereescia Sandoval

Cultivator of Community and Liberatory Design, High Tech High Graduate School of Education - Center for Love & Justice

Cereescia Sandoval has been an educator for nearly two decades, with more than ten years at High Tech High. Over the course of her career, she has served as a classroom teacher, graduate school faculty, and now as the Cultivator of Community and Liberatory Design with the Center for... Read More →

Miki Tomita Okamoto

CEO and Founder, Education Incubator

Born and raised on Maui, Miki graduated from H.P. Baldwin High School, earned a B.S.E. in Biosystems Engineering at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and a Ph.D. in education at Stanford University. She has worked in education for 25 years as a teacher, administrator, curriculum... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 148

Deep Dive, Ancestral Intelligence

AUDIENCE K-12 Students, Parents, All Teachers K-12, Teacher Leaders (Coordinators - Counselors - Coaches), School Leaders
TOPIC Continuous Improvement, Diversity Equity and Sense of Belonging, School/Classroom Culture

9:30am PDT

Empowering Educators to Lead Fieldwork: Doing More with Less

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 105

Place-based experiential learning or “fieldwork” sounds good on paper, but how do you implement a robust, meaningful fieldwork program without ample money, time, and people? In this session, we will venture off-campus to demonstrate how even a simple experience can spark learning, ground existing lessons, and support cross-disciplinary connections. Participants will be challenged to connect the experience to their own disciplines and communities, and to consider how low lift experiences can be just as impactful to students as elaborate ones. Hear directly from students about why fieldwork is worth it, and brainstorm with fellow school leaders and educators how to surmount real barriers. Teachers will leave the session with a draft of a fieldwork experience for their context. School/district leaders will leave with a plan on how to empower teachers to embed fieldwork in their courses.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Bobor Jones

Internship and Fieldwork Coordinator, Templeton Academy DC

I love finding ways to bring all of the learning resources available to students in Washington, DC into the classroom and bringing students outside of the classroom to learn in the city. While I love a good classroom, there are experts who know far more than I do who are excited to... Read More →

Dr. Laura DeLima

VP of Learning & Measurement (former)/Board Member (current), Templeton Academy

Dr. Laura DeLima has spent the last 15 years moving innovative secondary schools from ideation to implementation. She's kept busy (re)creating mission statements and developing theories of action that meld idealism and pragmatism and then developing all the types of student and staff... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 105

Deep Dive, Abundant Imagination

9:30am PDT

ENGAGE! Designing Innovative Project-Based Experiences

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 113

We often hear about hands-on teaching, but how do we actually put student-centered learning into practice? The session will focus on how you can design integrated, multi-disciplinary learning experiences in any classroom and any subject. This deep dive will strike a balance between being actively engaged as learners and pulling the curtain back to explain the ideas and research behind the learning. By the end of this session you will have concrete teaching strategies as well as an overall framework for lesson, project, or unit planning. Come be part of the Habla magic!

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Kurt Wootton

Director, Habla

Kurt Wootton is a co-founder and director of Habla: the Center for Language and Culture and is one of the founding directors of the ArtsLiteracy Project in the Education Department at Brown University. He is the coauthor of A Reason to Read: Linking Literacy and the Arts published... Read More →

Marimar Patrón Vázquez

Co-founder, Habla

Marimar Patrón Vázquez, is a cultural innovator and educator who co-founded Habla: The Center for Language and Culture in Yucatán, México, where she was born and her family lived for generations. Trained in literature at Universidad de las Américas and Brown University, she has... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 113

Deep Dive, Arts Integration

AUDIENCE All Teachers K-12, Teacher Leaders (Coordinators - Counselors - Coaches), School Leaders, District/Network Leaders, College/University Faculty
TOPIC Instructional Design & Practices, Intro to Deeper Learning, Student Agency

9:30am PDT

Experience as Text

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 141

Come learn about standards aligned, data driven teaching and learning through the experience of making chocolate. In this Deep Dive, participants will have the chance to make chocolate in a couple of different ways while learning about the history of this extraordinary food. Throughout the experience, participants will have time to understand the importance of real experience toward Deeper Learning in the classroom. We will unpack the experience for connections to all of the traditional content buckets, and use that understanding to inform the work we will do back home after the conference.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Brian Delgado

Community Based Learning Coach, Blue Dot Education; Center for Love & Justice

Social & Environmental Justice
Equity in Education
PBL
Learn by doing

Andrew Lerario

Co-Founder + Designer, Blue Dot Education

How many ways do you know how to cook a hot dog? I bet you could think of a bunch. A room full of people could probably think of over a hundred ways to cook a hot dog, and it would be an exciting conversation.

But, what if I told you there was only 1 way to properly cook a hot dog... Read More →

Mike Strong

Executive Leadership Team/HTHGSE Faculty, Blue Dot Education; High Tech High Graduate School of Education

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 141

Deep Dive, Abundant Imagination

AUDIENCE All Teachers K-12, School Leaders, District/Network Leaders
TOPIC Facilitating Adult Learning, Instructional Design & Practices, Intro to Deeper Learning

9:30am PDT

Gamified Project-Based Learning to Engage your Classroom

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 107

This session is for innovative educators looking to enhance engagement and develop students’ problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills. We will experience a gamified project addressing real-world issues such as eliminating poverty, combating climate change, and peacekeeping. In small groups representing different countries, you will create solutions, trade, form alliances, impose sanctions, and possibly engage in conflict to acquire resources. Join us for this collaborative experience and take home this synergetic, gamified project that encourages students to learn and take action to improve themselves and the world. Throughout the session, you will hear from students who have completed the project, learning about their experiences and strategies. We will pause to reflect, brainstorm, and discuss how these instructional strategies can engage students in your schools.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Adam Ko

7th grade math/science teacher, Model United Nations Trade War

Adam is the creator of Model United Nations Trade War, a collaborative math-based game that empowers students to learn and take action to improve themselves and the world. Adam is also a teacher at High Tech High, specifically 7th grade math and computer science at High Tech Middle Chula Vista... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 107

Deep Dive, Abundant Imagination

AUDIENCE K-12 Students, Middle Grade Teachers (6-8), High School Teachers (9-12), School Leaders
TOPIC Civic Engagement, Instructional Design & Practices, Intro to Deeper Learning

9:30am PDT

How to Deeper Learn-ify Your Adopted Curriculum

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 107

Are you committed to Deeper Learning—projects, authentic assessments!—and grade-level curricula (like Springboard or Illustrative Math)? Good for you. You are committed to educational justice. But you may also be feeling the squeeze: there’s only so much time.

It doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. The trick is to put Deeper Learning and solid curriculum in service of each other. In this Deep Dive, you’ll bring a unit or assignment from your published curriculum (or work with examples we provide) and learn how to deepen its power by applying principles of High-Quality Performance Assessment (HQPA) and practices of public exhibition.

After a day in this creative design laboratory—open to teachers and school or district leaders—you’ll show off your new skills with a piece of curriculum that’s been “Deeper Learn-ified.”

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Josette Neal-De-Stanton

Assessment Design Partner, Envision Learning Partners

Justin Wells

Chief Program Officer, Envision Education

I’m the Chief Program Officer of Envision Education, a Bay Area network of public charter schools with a national footprint through our consulting arm, Envision Learning Partners (ELP). In my role, I support both our schools and our partners across the country to design and implement... Read More →

Soraya Ramos

Nonprofit Organization, Envision Learning Partners

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 107

Deep Dive, Abundant Imagination

AUDIENCE All Teachers K-12, Teacher Leaders (Coordinators - Counselors - Coaches), School Leaders, District/Network Leaders
TOPIC Assessment, Instructional Design & Practices, Intro to Deeper Learning

9:30am PDT

Leading PBL Through Workforce Transformation

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 117

School and district leaders today are navigating constant change—staff turnover, shifting roles, and a multigenerational workforce. Sustaining high-quality Project Based Learning requires systems that support the work regardless of who comes and goes. This session is for leaders who want to build durable PBL systems that create stability in changing environments. Participants will explore strategies for building shared vision, designing effective onboarding and just-in-time supports, and leveraging the strengths of the adults in their system. Participants will leave with concrete action steps and greater confidence to lead PBL through change.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

James Campbell

Director of District & School Leadership, PBLWorks

Taya Tselolikhina

Sr. Director of District Sales & Partnerships, PBLWorks

Taya Tselolikhina

Director of District & School Leadership, PBLWorks

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 117

Deep Dive

AUDIENCE School Leaders, District/Network Leaders
TOPIC Facilitating Adult Learning, Instructional Design & Practices, School Transformation/Systems Change

9:30am PDT

Lessons that Inspire: Deeper Instruction Strategies

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 144

When we think about Deeper Learning, we usually picture Project-Based Learning. Projects are one of the best ways to immerse students in Deeper Learning, but in most schools, projects are not happening all the time. Often, even in PBL schools, they comprise only a small part of the schedule. Students deserve Deeper Learning all day long.

In this workshop, we will dive into Deeper Instruction strategies—analyzing frameworks, models, and videos—to help us move toward schools where every lesson is a Deeper Learning lesson. We will consider together strategies for PreK-12 classrooms where students are active, independent, and collaborative thinkers throughout lessons, whether the lessons are a part of projects or not connected to projects.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Ron Berger

Nonprofit Organization, EL Education

Ron Berger, Senior Advisor at EL Education, is a well-known author and international keynote speaker focused on inspiring a commitment to quality, character, and citizenship in students.

Ron is the author of best-selling education books, including: An Ethic of Excellence, A Culture of Quality, Leaders of Their Own Learning, Transformational Literacy, Management in the Active Classroom, Learning that Lasts, and We Are Crew: A Teamwork Approach to School Culture. He... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 144

Deep Dive

AUDIENCE K-12 Students, All Teachers K-12, Teacher Leaders (Coordinators - Counselors - Coaches), School Leaders, District/Network Leaders
TOPIC Instructional Design & Practices, Intro to Deeper Learning, Student Agency

9:30am PDT

Let's Build a Space Habitat! A PBL & Design Thinking Slice

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 150

Experience Deeper Learning through the power of Project Based Learning & Design Thinking as we collaborate in groups to design & build models of sustainable habitats for living on another planet. This will be a fun and creative session aimed at teachers & administrators interested in experiencing best practices for designing & managing projects in the classroom and understanding how PBL and Design Thinking can create awesome, meaningful learning experiences in any context! This session has appeared at Deeper Learning before and is based on a project run by the facilitator multiple times at High Tech High with 11th graders. Our agenda includes a condensed version of the project (a "slice") as well as opportunities to take intentional pauses in order to step back and use our lens as educators to note and discuss the pedagogical practices undergirding the project while experiencing them in action.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Russell Walker

Teacher, San Diego Unified School District

I am a PBL teacher, trainer, and overall enthusiast. I’ve co-designed projects with students centered on photography, engineering, poetry, AI, designing habitats for other planets, publishing our own comic books, “50 Shades of Decay”, and so much more! I also provide PD for... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 150

Deep Dive, Abundant Imagination

9:30am PDT

Let's Design Tomorrow’s Schools: AI, Equity, and Collaboration

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 106

This full-day session invites educators and school leaders to collaboratively reimagine what equitable and future-ready schools can be in an age shaped by AI. Through dialogue and collaboration, we will disuss the possibilities and tensions of AI in education. We will also design individual action plans to bring back to your schools to make equitable use of AI in your schools. This session is ideal for teacher leaders, instructional coaches, and school or district leaders who are thinking strategically about how to engage teams and communities in shaping responsible and human-centered uses of AI.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Alejandro Contreras

Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Colegio Los Nogales

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 106

Deep Dive, Artificial Intelligence

9:30am PDT

Multilingual Ecosystems: The Head, Hands, and Heart

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 108

This Deep Dive will explore students' dynamic translanguaging pedagogies to foster multilingual ecosystems in our classrooms and schools. Participants will seek to understand their own linguistic histories and disrupt biases that impact instructional design. Participants will delve into translanguaging practices that can foster a more multilingual and inclusive classroom environment. We will discuss strategies for integrating translanguaging into pedagogy and curriculum design. Educators will be able to apply new strategies to their classrooms and schools in order to disrupt harmful language practices. They will build nurturing spaces to honor and leverage the linguistic diversity of their students. Come and create classrooms where multilingualism is celebrated, and all students feel valued and engaged in their learning journey. All experience levels are welcome.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Beth Puma

Consultant. Coach. Radical Dreamer, Beth Puma Consulting

I’m passionate about designing equitable systems where multilingual learners thrive.

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 108

Deep Dive, Ancestral Intelligence

AUDIENCE All Teachers K-12, Teacher Leaders (Coordinators - Counselors - Coaches), School Leaders
TOPIC Diversity Equity and Sense of Belonging, Instructional Design & Practices, School/Classroom Culture

9:30am PDT

Negotiation for Education Leaders

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 158

Negotiation is the process through which people come together to make sense of problems and build sustainable solutions. In that sense, we as educators are negotiating all day, every day. We are negotiating with students, colleagues, caregivers, community members, and political leaders. Some of our negotiations are formal - such as a contract negotiation. But most of our negotiations are informal, such as when we deliberate on how to address a pressing challenge or resolve a conflict within our school or community. In this session, we will explore foundational negotiation principles and strategies through experiential learning, giving us the opportunity to experience the Deeper Learning competencies firsthand. In doing so, we’ll pursue two main goals: 1) learn more about the theory and practice of negotiation, and 2) explore how to design and facilitate high-impact experiential learning experiences that are rich in the Deeper Learning competencies.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Zachary Herrmann

Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

Dr. Zachary Herrmann designs, leads, and researches interdisciplinary teams committed to tackling some of the world’s toughest challenges, including climate change, complex negotiations, and collaborative problem-solving across disciplinary, political, and geographical boundaries... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 158

Deep Dive

9:30am PDT

Numbers are People 2 (Too)

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 109

In a world obsessed with numbers, we ask you to join us in the fight to excavate and unearth the stories that hide behind the data. This interdisciplinary, hands-on exploration includes math, visual arts, literature, and social sciences. We will collect real stories, extract data, and transform our findings into meaningful visuals. Experience the Design for Deeper Learning Kaleidoscope PBL Essentials in action as you collaborate, create, and make learning visible. You’ll leave with adaptable PBL design strategies, and tools for designing data experiences that center empathy.

Speakers

Sarah Strong

High Tech High Graduate School of Education

Sarah Strong loves creating spaces for her children and adult students to share their math stories, and collectively rewrite stories where everyone in the community can flourish. She also finds joy in supporting new teachers in falling in love with teaching. She taught math to students... Read More →

Kali Frederick

Professional Learning Designer, High Tech High GSE

Creatively non-compliant and embracer of wild ideas, I am a Professional Learning Designer with the High Tech High Graduate School of Education with 15 years of teaching experience in both a comprehensive NYC public school and PBL classrooms at High Tech High. Inspired by bell hooks... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 109

Deep Dive

9:30am PDT

Play More Attention: The Magic of Crafting Engaging Experiences

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 117

When given the gift of someone's attention, what do you choose to do with it? Join Magician Sky King (www.SkyKingMagic.com) and educator Carolene King for a deep dive on attention where you will craft the scripting for and confidently perform a magic illusion for an audience by the end of your experience. Learn about a framework on crafting engaging experiences and put it into practice through this magic show experience. Reflect on how you will apply this framework in your work, whether you are teaching leadership skills to your staff, or science principles to middle schoolers, or creative writing to high schoolers. Use the magic of crafting engaging experiences to playfully engage your participants' attention to effectively deliver your content.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Carolene King

Group Learning Lead & CORE Coach, Los Angeles Education Partnership

Skyler King

Close Up Magician, Sky King Magic

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 117

Deep Dive, Abundant Imagination

9:30am PDT

Rewrite the Script: Redefining School Through Storytelling and Pathways

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 119

In this interactive deep dive led by Creating Creators, Santa Ana Unified School District’s Saintly Films, & What School Could Be facilitators, participants will reimagine a favorite lesson by embedding narrative filmmaking strategies aligned with academic standards. Using a PBL framework & AI tools, they will explore the creative process from brainstorming driving questions, scriptwriting, storyboarding, filming, & editing to produce a one-minute video artifact & lesson outline. The session offers firsthand experience with creative media to elevate learning, foster belonging, & engage diverse learners.

Participants will leave with tools, templates, & a replicable framework to integrate filmmaking into classrooms across grade levels & subject areas. This session is designed for teachers, instructional coaches, & school leaders seeking equitable, student-centered practices that make learning more meaningful & engaging.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Eric Timmons

Arts Funding Coordinator, Dept. Chair and Teacher, Santa Ana Unified School District

Jessica Just

CEO, Creating Creators

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 119

Deep Dive, Artificial Intelligence

AUDIENCE All Teachers K-12, Teacher Leaders (Coordinators - Counselors - Coaches), District/Network Leaders, Policy Makers, Consultants
TOPIC College & Career Pathways, Social Emotional Learning, Student Agency

9:30am PDT

Rhythm Rooms: Body Percussion Tools for Engagement, Belonging, and Classroom Culture

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 106

More than ever, schools need cooperative learning environments where students feel a sense of belonging and know their voice matters. This workshop is a hands-on professional learning experience that equips educators with practical, rhythm-based strategies to strengthen engagement, focus, and classroom community across all grade levels and subject areas. We will explore how these approaches help students build focus, self-regulation, nonverbal communication, collaboration, and confidence. These strategies channel energy in positive, focused ways, align with SEL goals, and can be used immediately—no music or dance background required.

Participants will experience stepping and body percussion activities and learn how to adapt them for classroom use as warm-ups, mindset training, focus resets, and collaborative learning tools. Each strategy is clearly connected to classroom application, with guidance on facilitation, differentiation, and classroom management—making the session valuable for general classroom teachers, arts specialists, and administrators alike.

Participants will also take part in a short step performance inspired by collegiate step traditions and examine how its structure can be scaled for different ages, spaces, and instructional goals. Come ready to clap, stomp, and laugh your way into tools for creating a classroom where every student feels seen, valued, and part of the rhythm.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Jason Nious

Molodi Creative Works, Molodi Creative Works

Jason Nious is an accomplished performing artist, director, and arts integration specialist. Jason is the founder and director of Molodi, an award-winning Las Vegas-based body percussion ensemble that engages and inspires over 20,000 students annually. Through his work, he brings... Read More →

Sanseria Murray

Director, SonStar Productions

Sanseria Murray (Son-see-ah-Ray), lives to awaken, ignite, heal, and encourage everyone she encounters through her words, her workshops, and her embraces. Sanseria (they/she) is a word nerd, and lover of dark chocolate, who considers themself a storyteller with deep conviction that... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 106

Deep Dive, Arts Integration

9:30am PDT

Rooted in Vision: Leading to Accelerate Emergence and Coherence

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech Middle 114

How can we build momentum for change in a way that enables shared direction but doesn’t impose standardization? How can we get the boats rowing in the same direction but still foster innovation? In this session we will explore the complimentary ideas of coherence and emergence and how together they can accelerate transformation. Building coherence requires relentless focus and constant vigilance. Participants will first examine their vision, ensuring it is specific, clear and identify where elements of your vision already exist within your system. Then leaders will play The Coherence Game; an activity we have created to help system leaders see where in their own system they have strong coherence and where coherence needs to be built. Lastly, participants will connect their coherence work with the critical strategies that enable emergence to happen in their organization.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Alisa Berger

ED, Deeper Learning Institute - Harvard Graduate School of Education

Alisa has over 25 years of experience as an educator, principal, and school leadership coach. She works with schools, districts and networks to support deeper and more engaging instruction for all students.Alisa is Executive Director of the Deeper Learning Dozen, a project out of... Read More →

Jal Mehta

Professor of Education, Faculty Co-Chair, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Jal Mehta is a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research explores the role of different forms of knowledge in tackling major social and political problems, particularly problems of human improvement. He has also written extensively on what it would take... Read More →

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech Middle 114

Deep Dive

AUDIENCE School Leaders, District/Network Leaders, Policy Makers, Consultants
TOPIC School Transformation/Systems Change

9:30am PDT

Students Are the Curriculum and the Community Is the School

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT

High Tech High 164

This Deep Dives experience includes visiting a local student at their internship to witness learning in action, while mentors reflect on the power of guidance and community experts share how they strengthen neighborhoods. Learners will engage directly with young people as they pursue passions, build mentor relationships, and take on impactful work. Participants will also explore a local organization doing meaningful community work. These authentic encounters highlight what’s possible when education extends beyond classroom walls. Afterward, participants engage in hands-on workshops to explore tools and strategies for building thriving real-world learning programs. They will leave not only inspired but also equipped with a practical plan to design infrastructure, systems, and supports that bring this vision to life in their own contexts.

Lunch is included in each deep dive.
LUNCH MENU
Greek Salad (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Cannelini Bean & Pasta Salad (Vegan)
Lemon Basmati Rice (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Mediterranean Spiced Chicken (Gluten-Free)
Tahini Dressing
Falafel (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Roasted Vegetables Lemon Bars & Baklava

Speakers

Anthonette Peña

Director, B-Unbound, Big Picture Learning

Anthonette is currently the Director of B-Unbound, Big Picture Learning’s initiative to establish real world learning programs in communities. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescence Science and an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow. Her experiences... Read More →

Dr. Sonn Sam

National Director of Partnerships, Big Picture Learning

Tuesday March 31, 2026 9:30am - 2:45pm PDT
High Tech High 164

Deep Dive, Ancestral Intelligence

AUDIENCE All Teachers K-12, School Leaders, District/Network Leaders
TOPIC College & Career Pathways, School Transformation/Systems Change, Student Agency

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