What if the next breakthrough in your school is already sitting in your building … just waiting for the right space, the right support, and the right conversation?
Across Michigan, middle schools are navigating a familiar set of challenges: student engagement that ebbs and flows, staff who are stretched thin, schedules that never seem to allow enough time for meaningful collaboration, and a constant push to meet the evolving needs of young adolescents.
And yet, in buildings just like yours, educators are quietly (and sometimes boldly) trying something different.
They’re rethinking structures.
They’re elevating student voice.
They’re experimenting with new approaches to teaching and learning.
They’re asking, “What if we did this differently?”
The Middle Level Innovation Summit is designed to bring those educators together.
Who Should Be in the Room?
Yes, you as the principal, but not just you.
As you think about your team, consider:
- The teacher who is always trying something new, even when it’s not perfect yet
- The teacher who has been wanting to try something different but just needs a spark or a thought partner
- The teacher who asks great questions about student engagement or instructional practices
- The teacher who others naturally turn to for ideas and energy
These are your innovators, or your emerging innovators.
This Summit gives them something powerful: a chance to connect with other educators who are thinking the same way.
Or Maybe … It’s You
This experience is just as valuable for principals who are:
- Looking for new ways to address staff burnout
- Searching for strategies to increase student engagement
- Wondering how to build in more meaningful collaboration time
- Curious about rethinking schedules, structures or teaming models
This isn’t about theory. It’s about seeing what’s already happening in schools and asking, what could this look like at our building?
Come Alone … or Bring a Team
You can absolutely come on your own.
But if you really want to maximize the impact, consider bringing a small team:
- A teacher leader
- A colleague who is ready to try something new
- Someone who can help carry the work forward when you return
When you attend together, the conversation doesn’t end at the Summit, it continues in your building.
Learn From Schools Doing the Work
This isn’t a sit-and-get day.
You’ll hear directly from schools that are:
- Challenging traditional middle school structures
- Partnering in innovative ways
- Creating learning environments that better meet student needs
Real examples. Real people. Real strategies you can take back and adapt.
Are You Already Doing This Work? Share It.
If your school is exploring innovative approaches to teaching and learning, we want to hear from you.
Consider submitting a proposal to present and share your work with colleagues across the state:
Middle Level Innovation Summit Call for Presentations
Your story could be the spark another school needs!
Make the Ask
This week, consider reaching out to one teacher and saying:
“I’ve been thinking about the work you’re doing and I’d love for you to attend this with me.”
That simple invitation can open the door to something bigger.
Event Details & Registration
Join us for a full day of learning, connection, and inspiration at the Middle Level Innovation Summit.
- Cost: $50 per person
- Includes: Full day of professional learning + SCECHs
- Bring: Yourself, or a team ready to think differently
Register here: Middle Level Innovation Summit Registration
Download and share the flyer with your staff: Middle Level Innovation Summit Flyer
Final Thought
Innovation doesn’t always start with a big, sweeping change.
Sometimes it starts with:
- One conversation
- One new idea
- One person willing to try
This Summit is a space for all three.
We hope to see you, and someone from your team, in the room where it happens!