Recharge and connect at our Educator Appreciation Social on August 6th, 4:30-7:30 PM. We recognize and appreciate the vital role you play in shaping the future. You're serving up success every day! Enjoy free pickleball, hassle-free paddle and ball rentals. All educators are welcome, regardless of pickleball experience – come rally with us!

 📆 August 6 | 4:30-7:30 PM
🏸  Free Pickleball Play
🏓  Free Paddle & Ball Rental

• Can I bring my family? Yes!

• How will I be appreciated? Connect with friend, enjoy appetizers, and of course, play some pickleball!

• Can I come late or leave early? Yes, of course! Feel free to join us whenever you can.

• Will there be a program? Yes, there will be a short program you won't want to miss!

• What if I don't like pickleball? No problem at all! There will be tons of other activities to enjoy, and you don't have to play a full game. We'll even have some fun skills challenges!

This summer, your favorite St. Louis area professional learning organizations are joining forces to host Love & Literacy: a conference for educators in grades K-16 on July 22nd & 23rd, 2025.  

ConnectED Learning, Gateway Writing Project, the Language Arts Regional Consortium, and the Missouri Literacy Association invite you to join us in celebrating our local love and expertise of literacy!

Check out our featured speakers!

Join us for the inaugural Statewide PowerSchool User Group Conference on November 3, 2025, at the beautiful Stoney Creek Hotel in Columbia, MO! Connect with fellow PowerSchool users from across the state, share best practices, and gain invaluable insights to maximize your PowerSchool experience.

This is your chance to:

• Network: Build lasting connections with other PowerSchool professionals.

• Stay Compliant: Get up-to-date on the latest compliance updates.

• Dive Deep: Participate in engaging networking breakout sessions.

• Enjoy: A fantastic venue with a special room rate of just $115! (Stoney Creek Hotel, 2601 S Providence Rd, Columbia, MO 65203, 573-442-6400)

We are excited to invite you to participate in the upcoming Educator AI Summer Institute, scheduled for July 22-23 in St. Louis, MO.

This event offers a unique opportunity to explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence in education. Throughout the institute, you will engage with innovative ideas, learn from expert keynote speakers, and discover practical applications of AI in the classroom.

On Wednesday, July 30, the Maryville University Center for Access and Achievement is hosting the STEM Playful Learning Workshop, a hands-on, full-day professional development event for K–12 educators passionate about making STEM education more engaging, innovative, and practical.

This workshop is designed to give teachers the tools they need to bring science, technology, engineering, and math to life in their classrooms using strategies grounded in the science of learning and infused with the joy of play.

Key Workshop Highlights Include:

• 3D Printing Across Grade Levels – Creative applications for hands-on design

• AI, Coding & Smart Motors – Real-world data in action, no experience needed

• Play Meets Research – Practical strategies backed by evidence-based learning principles

Details:

• Date: July 30, 2025 | Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

• Location: Maryville University Campus, St. Louis, MO

• Cost: $25 — includes breakfast, lunch, and attendance prizes for all attendees!

National Keynote Speaker
Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek is a renowned developmental psychologist, bestselling author, and play advocate. As a professor at Temple University and Senior Fellow at Brookings, she’s spent her career studying how young children learn best — especially through play. She’s advised groups like PBS and Disney Junior and helped shape playful learning spaces around the world. We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek as she shares her groundbreaking research on the power of play in learning!

Cool Stuff We Found On The Web!

• Historical Tech Tree - very cool interactive timeline of technology

• GREAT magazine on AI and it’s role in the workplace: https://www.flipsnack.com/5FC9E86D75E/ama-quarterly-spring-2025/full-view.html?pcode=RNN&utm_source=aem&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NL2506-129831A-RNN-AMA-Quarterly-06-23-25

• My 70s TV

• Students' favored study method isn't the most effective, research shows

• Gaming Cancer: How Citizen Science Games Could Help Cure Disease | The MIT Press Reader

• All-Or-Nothing Thinking: Examples And How To Overcome

• You Are Not Behind: 10 Lies That Make You Feel That Way

• Songscription

• modern day social etiquette you should live & die by

• The Hidden Toll of Meeting Hangovers