I'm excited to post conversation #19 with Michael Nagler from the AASA, The School Superintendents Association conference in New Orleans this morning. Superintendent Nagler has an incredible vision for relevant, competency based learning and the professional learning structures and routines to support his educators, students, and families.

"We've embraced a philosophy we call 'The Mineola Way,' which is rooted in continuous improvement and tailored professional development. One of our core beliefs is that teachers should have diverse avenues to access relevant learning. We've moved away from the traditional, one-size-fits-all model and instead offer "Pajama PD" – resources accessible at teachers' own pace and time. We respect their busy lives and understand that learning shouldn't be confined to rigid schedules. And we recognize that professional learning must be differentiated to diverse roles, from guidance counselors to shop teachers to school nurses.

We have implemented 'stackables,' credit-bearing microcredentials that allow teachers to build expertise in areas they find valuable. For example, instead of a lengthy tech PD session, we offer shorter modules that can be combined for a salary bump. Similarly, our SNAX – short experiences of your expertise – empower teachers to learn through asynchronous online articles, videos, blogs, webinars, podcasts, video tutorials, and more, and then, to come together to share their learning with colleagues. We've even extended this concept to students, enabling them to teach their peers and earn their own SNAX.

Our overarching goal is to empower educators to drive their own professional growth, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. We are committed to the concept of DEV Leadership, embracing gradual change guided by a clear vision, where teachers are integral to the design thinking process. We embrace entrepreneurial ideas that we abandon or expand based on what is or is not getting us to our desired outcomes for students.

For example, the user friendly platform kidOYO is where we track educator completion of personalized professional learning, issuing badges and tracking the stackables completed by each teacher. We're always innovating collaboratively with our educators, exploring innovations like AI in education and encouraging teacher-led book clubs and other self-directed learning experiences. We offer faculty the opportunity to pursue their professional interests in independent studies if they choose. We guide this work by pairing an administrator to each project so that our leaders learn alongside our faculty."