This summer, Houston A+ Challenge celebrates 10 years of supporting public school improvement in the Houston area.

The annual Houston A+ Reforming Schools Summer Institute brings together teachers, administrators, university faculty, parents, students, business and community members to share their successful strategies for making sustainable change in Houston's schools and learning communities. 

Why should we participate in this institute?

This year's Reforming Schools Summer Institute will give participants an in-depth look at a variety of strategies for improving the quality of teaching and learning in our schools, prompted by recommendations from our keynote speaker, Michael Fullan.  In his recent book, "Turnaround Leadership," Dr. Fullan describes what we must do in order to move our schools from adequate to excellent and to sustain that change over time. 

Michael Fullan is professor of policy studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.  Recognized as an international authority on educational reform, he is engaged in training, consulting, and evaluating change projects around the world.  His ideas for managing change are used in many counties, and his books have been published in many languages, including "Leading in a Culture of Change," the "What’s Worth Fighting For" trilogy (with Andy Hargreaves), the "Change Forces" trilogy, "The New Meaning of Educational Change" (Third Edition), "The Moral Imperative of School Leadership," "Leadership and Sustainability: Systems Thinkers in Action," "Breakthrough" (with Peter Hill and Carmel Crévola), and "Learning Places" with Cliff St. Germaine).

How will we learn?

This institute is designed to model what we know about learning and professional development in the following ways:

• School teams
  You are invited to attend as part of a team from your school in order to deepen your shared learning and provide mutual support for using what you learn throughout the coming year.  If you do not belong to a school team, we will connect you to an existing team.
  
  
• Keynote address
  There will be a presentation at the beginning of the Institute by Michael Fullan to present his recommendations for turning schools around and sustaining change.
  
  
• Interactive sessions                                                                                                                         
  There will be three rounds of breakout sessions presented by local area practitioners that will provide you with strategies and ideas for improving your practice.  All sessions will be interactive—to support active, not passive learning
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• Guided practice                                                                                                                         
  Your team will be placed in an institute learning community with one or two other school teams guided by a skilled facilitator to practice and experience the skills you are learning in the institute.  You will also have time to plan together—as a team—how you will use what you have learned to impact your work during the coming year.

Institute Schedule

• The institute will meet for two full days,: from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 24 and July 25, 2007
• Continental breakfast will be available each morning and lunch will be provided both days.

Continuing Education/Professional Development

Each participant will receive documentation at the end of the conference indicating sessions attended and hours of professional development received.