Support PLCs by asking the right questions at the right time. Whether teams are analyzing data or reflecting on instruction, we’ll explore the four support functions of leadership, with a focus on coaching. Help teachers unlock deeper conversations that drive impact, without taking over the process.
Teacher Trainer, Office of Professional Learning, WCPSS
Renee joined the Office of Professional Learning and the PLC Team in August of 2023. The WCPSS PLC Team is dedicated to supporting classroom teachers, grade chair facilitators, and school leadership with practical resources that will move learning and instruction forward. Prior to... Read More →
Wednesday July 22, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am EDT Room 14
This session highlights the collaborative work of ALC Teacher Jesse DiMartino and Principal Anne Marie Adkins in restructuring a middle school Alternative Learning Center to better align with the Wake County Public School System Strategic Plan. The presentation focuses on designing a responsive support model that prioritizes student engagement, increased attendance, and the development of CASEL social-emotional competencies. Central to this approach is the belief that the Alternative Learning Center is a support structure for all students, not solely a space for those receiving disciplinary consequences. Instead, it serves as a proactive environment where students can access targeted interventions, build self-regulation skills, and strengthen their connection to the school community.Participants will learn how restorative practices, structured reflection, and individualized supports were implemented for students. The goal is to decrease student recidivism who repeatedly demonstrate Level I and Level II behaviors as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. The restructuring emphasizes skill-building, accountability, and instructional continuity with the goals of increasing students’ instructional seat time in core classrooms and decreasing suspension rates for minor offenses. Attendees will gain practical strategies for creating structured, supportive environments that help students develop the behavioral and social-emotional skills necessary to successfully re-engage in the general education setting.
Want to be more sustainable? Our WCPSS sustainability coordinator will share ideas and strategies that are currently being implemented in various schools across our district. There will be time to collaborate with other building leaders around these ideas and strategies. In addition, there will be time for questions on best practices and next steps. Looking forward to making positive environmental changes, one school at a time!
Environmental Connections Integration Specialist, Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary
My name is Laura Wood and I am the Environmental Connections Integration Specialist at Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary school. My school is in Fuquay-Varina in southern Wake County and it is a public magnet school in the Wake County Public School System... Read More →
Wednesday July 22, 2026 12:25pm - 12:25pm EDT Room 14
In an era of rapid social and technological change, the traditional blueprints for school leadership are being rewritten. This session is designed for principals who recognize that navigating today’s "dynamic environments" requires more than just steady management—it demands a fundamental shift in approach. We will explore the leadership moves necessary to move beyond the status quo, grounded in the reality that to get different results, we must do school differently. Stability is not the absence of change, but the ability to maintain direction while in motion. This session explores the technical tools and leadership mindset to ensure your school doesn't just react to the environment but shapes it.
Kimberly Hall Burton, a veteran educator with 30 years of experience in public education, is currently employed by the Wake County Public School System in Cary, North Carolina. Kimberly joined the Wake County Public School System in 2000. She began her career, in 1994, in the state... Read More →
Wednesday July 22, 2026 1:35pm - 3:45pm EDT Room 14
