4th Annual Competency-Based Education Summit is complete! Amazing keynotes from Dr. Patrick Hardy! Thank you to our sponsors (imagine learning, Center for Competency-Based Education by Empower, Marzano Academies)!

Thank you for all who helped organize this amazing event and thank you Ritenour School District for hosting the CBE Summit!

Did you attend the CBE Summit this year? Spread the word to others on why they should attend next year!

Join us for year 7 of the annual Add+It+Up Conference!

Welcome to "Add+It+Up", a regional math conference for educators and curriculum coordinators! We are excited to bring you an event that will provide you with the latest strategies and curriculum to enhance your teaching skills.

REGISTRATION ENDS THIS THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025

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)

Webster University’s School of Education has launched a new certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI) program for teachers. The program “AI-Assisted Learning and Instruction” is designed to help educators better understand AI and how it can enhance students' classroom experiences.

“As educators, we’ve always adapted the tools of our time to help students learn—chalkboards, overheads, laptops. Artificial Intelligence is simply the next chalkboard,” said Education Professor Basiyr Rodney. “What makes this moment different is the speed of change and the scale of possibility. Our certificate empowers teachers not just to catch up, but to lead—thoughtfully, ethically, and creatively—in this new era of learning.”

He added that several local school districts are already experimenting with AI tools, so the regional demand for these skills is expected to rise in the near future.

The certificate program is designed to equip educators, trainers, and instructional designers with foundational knowledge and practical tools to lead in using AI in lesson plans and not just react to it. No prior technical expertise is needed to take the courses as it is aimed at non-technical professionals who wish to hone their technology skills and leverage AI to enhance productivity and decision-making.

The program will be offered online this fall and can be completed in less than one year. For those who wish to learn more before committing to the program, the School of Education will offer a  free virtual info session in June and will share some sample modules to give an idea of what the curriculum will look like.

To learn more about the program, participate in the free virtual session or apply for the program, visit Webster University’s School of Education page.

• Pedagogy and choice-based teaching

• Gain practical tools

• Connect with resources

• Engage with a supportive community

Art Teachers are loving the creative power that TAB/Choice has brought to their classrooms! This student-centered approach to teaching visual arts changes the way administrators, teachers, and students approach the art studio.

• 2 Day workshop, $275 registration fee

• Graduate credit is available

• Discounts for groups and return attendees
  
  Tip:  Ask if your district/building level has any remaining PD funds in the FY25 budget which can be accessed to support this professional learning.

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!

• Best Coloring Pages - AI Created coloring pages

• AI prompts for logo creation

• 20+ best free AI tools | Zapier

• PDF of a beautifully designed magazine on innovation

• Yuka - The Mobile App That Scans Your Products - make the right choices for your health

• Heavyweight - All of the gravitas, none of the fees

• Unpacking The Yes-Damn Effect: How Our Brain Tricks Us into Regretting Choices - Positivity Guides

• vol.45: 30 pieces of unsolicited advice - by Patricia Mou

• Google Quick, Draw! - A game where you draw something, and a neural network tries to guess what it is. 

• The World's Largest Pac-Man - Play a huge, multi-screen version of Pac-Man with other people online