NEASC Showcase 2025

Does your school have an advisory curriculum that aligns with its mission? In this interactive session, teachers, advisors, and school administrators will learn tools, tips, and tricks to immediately deploy to improve their advisory program. Attendees will leave with a step-by-step process for strategically aligning the advising system with the school's mission. This is a collaborative session! Come to this collaborative session and be prepared to share what is working at your school and learn from others!

This interactive presentation is designed for curriculum developers, administrators and teachers interested in integrating virtual reality (VR) technology into the curricula. Participants will be introduced to the methodology to integrate VR into general education classrooms. Common issues and considerations will be discussed and student feedback will be shared. Attendees will be invited to participate in several VR experiences currently being used in the presenters' classrooms. These experiences will include a virtual field trip, Kayaking through the Mangroves, a virtual anatomy dissection and meditation experience.

What happens when students co-design an immersive learning experience? Hear from two student leaders about their journey in designing and leading a week-long experience for their peers focused on understanding the challenges and needs of the unhoused in Boston. Through field trips and hands-on volunteering experiences, students built empathy and understanding of the complexity of this issue and connected with existing nonprofits and advocacy groups. Students identified ways to become more involved in improving the quality of life for unhoused community members by the end of the week. Hear advice on how to incorporate these leadership opportunities in your community.

In many schools, teachers navigate a variety of learners and learning styles each day. By using diverse engagement strategies, educators can enhance learning for all students. Drawing on the work of Jay McTighe, Grant Wiggins, and Harvey Silver in Understanding by Design and Teaching for Deeper Learning, explore how different facets of understanding, such as explaining, interpreting, applying, gaining perspective, empathizing, and self-assessing, can help teachers support student growth. Examine engagement tools that empower educators to guide students toward greater success. Participants are encouraged to bring an existing unit plan, engage in discussions with peers, and consider how to apply these strategies in their classrooms. Leave with a concrete plan for an upcoming lesson that incorporates the session's ideas, helping all students achieve greater understanding and success.

Since 2020, many students and teachers have been inundated with technology tools and virtual learning training in the growing demands of education in our electronically connected world. The ability to be successful in the digital space has received much attention. In this new pedagogical framework, public speaking, presentations, and direct verbal communication have taken a backseat. Coupled with growing diagnoses in anxiety and erosion of some social skills due to technology, teachers are less inclined to create assessments that call out fears in public speaking. This session will provide data, strategies, and encouragement encouragement for teachers to bravely engage in assessments that involve public speaking and provide administrators and school counselors with ways to provide space and practice for adults in the school setting to role model the skills. Come spend some time practicing public speaking with your peers!

Join this immersive workshop that highlights how one high school tackled challenges in school culture and climate through innovative collaborations between students and faculty. Using Housatonic High School as a case study, participants will be guided through a three-part journey: (1) uncovering root issues through Community Mapping research, (2) empowering voices with bias response programs (BIRS/BERT), and (3) sustaining change with equity-focused professional learning for staff. Experience the approach to uncovering “the whispers that don’t get recorded” in traditional survey data and understanding the often-hidden social dynamics that shape your school’s environment. Through engaging discussions, reflective activities, and actionable insights, participants will be empowered to envision and implement positive change in their schools. This session is ideal for middle and high school students, educators, and anyone passionate about advancing educational equity and growth, and fostering a positive school culture.

This hands-on workshop explores how to design and implement capstone programs that equip students with the skills, mindset, and experiences to thrive in an ever-changing world. With the goal of aligning capstone projects with the vision of a graduate, actionable strategies for creating pathways that encourage learner agency, intellectual curiosity, and self-directed learning will be shared. Participants will learn how to design real-world learning experiences that connect to the competencies and attributes of the school's vision, foster global citizenship, and develop student's unique interests. Concrete examples from Simsbury High School's Capstone program, which empowers students to pursue their passions, demonstrate mastery, and engage with their communities meaningfully will be provided.