INSTITUTE FOR MIDDLE LEVEL LEADERSHIP
July 11-14, 2021 | Orlando, Florida
The marquee event for aspiring and current leaders in middle school education is back! To ensure the health and safety of all attendees, we’re holding one, socially-distanced Institute this year capped at 200 – so be sure to register soon to secure your spot.
Join us for a one-of-a-kind, personalized, and engaging learning experience that will leave you with key insights, fresh perspectives, and the chance to jump-start ideas that will transform your school.
Registration Rates*
Member: $995
Non-Member: $1195
*Includes meals referenced in the below schedule, a copy of The Successful Middle School: This We Believe, and a copy of Career Exploration in the Middle Grades: A Playbook for Educators.
Who should attend?
- Current and aspiring school leaders who work with young adolescents aged 10-15
- School teams invested in transforming their culture
- Principals and assistant principals looking for exceptional ideas to build a positive, productive school culture and strengthen their leadership team
- Teachers and counselors seeking creative ideas to improve instruction, build meaningful connections with students, and help students take charge of their learning
- District/Central office staff who seek best practices and program ideas for district-wide middle school improvement
What can I expect?
Exclusive training on AMLE’s newly updated foundational position paper on middle school best practice, The Successful Middle School: This We Believe – including a complimentary copy of the text.

One-on-one consultations with faculty on your unique challenges and situation

Connect with a small Home Base team for networking, collaboration, and focused discussions on key concepts

Dozens of breakout sessions in small-group settings

Unconference and open spaces to come away with answers and ideas to improve your school or district

Dedicated time to collaborate with educators in similar schools and roles
Schedule
Sunday, July 11 | |
Registration | 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM |
Tech Help Desk | 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM |
Dinner & Homebase #1 | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM |
Monday, July 12 | |
Breakfast | 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM |
Breakout Session #1 | 8:10 AM - 9:25 AM |
Homebase #2 | 9:35 AM - 10:50 AM |
Job Alike #1 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Lunch | 12:10 PM - 1:10 PM |
Breakout Session #2 | 1:20 PM - 2:35 PM |
Speed Learning w/ Snacks | 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM |
Individual Consultations | 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM |
Participant Planning Time | 3:55 PM - 4:30 PM |
Tuesday, July 13 | |
Breakfast | 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM |
Breakout Session #3 | 8:10 AM - 9:25 AM |
Homebase #3 & Unconference Session #1 | 9:35 AM - 10:40 AM |
Job Alike #2 | 10:50 AM - 11:20 AM |
Lunch | 11:20 AM - 12:20 PM |
Unconference Session #2 | 12:25 PM - 12:55 PM |
Unconference Session #3 | 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM |
Breakout Session #4 | 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM |
Team Building, Trivia, and Treats | 3:10 PM - 4:15 PM |
Participant Planning Time | 4:15 PM - 4:40 PM |
Wednesday, July 14 | |
Breakfast | 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM |
Breakout Session #5 | 8:10 AM - 9:25 AM |
Breakout Session #6 | 9:35 AM - 10:50 AM |
General Session | 11:00 AM - 11:25 AM |
Homebase #4 | 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM |
The Breakout Sessions
After a disrupted year, the Institute offers a setting to share, learn, and discuss some of the most pressing leadership challenges facing middle school teams, including:
- Understanding and implementing the research-based characteristics of a Successful Middle School
- Supporting tech hesitant teacher in a technology driven environment
- Conducting difficult conversations
- Motivating young adolescents in a virtual environment
- Promoting staff morale and care in any learning environment
- Designing effective integrated instruction
- Implementing trauma-informed instruction
- Providing extrinsic/intrinsic motivation
- Encouraging student self-care, stress management, and organizational skills
- Examining grading practices and policies
- Using early warning indicators to address student achievement
- Promoting the positive and addressing the toxic in school culture
- Gamifying your classroom
- Developing personalized leadership growth
- Prioritizing learning standards
- Confronting equity issues: doing it right and for all students
- Exploring tech tools for learning
- Addressing SEL during the hybrid experience
- Assessing student learning
- Creating PLC’s
- Exploring the possibilities of multi-age teaming/looping
- Designing instruction in a block schedule
- Promoting digital citizenship and literacy
- Transitioning to and from the middle school
- Addressing learning gaps after COVID
- Advisory in-person/remote
- Fostering attendance and engagement in a hybrid world
- Preparing for re-entry to a full in-person environment
The Faculty
We’ve assembled a world-class faculty of award-winning expert practitioners from a diverse range of backgrounds and school settings who have tackled the same challenges you’re facing as a middle school leader.

Gail Heinemeyer, Chair

Todd Brist

Cedrick Gray

Linda Hopping

Barbara McCarty

Juan Rodriguez

Erin Scholes

Dru Tomlin

Renaissance Orlando at Seaworld
Ensuring the Health and Safety of Educators
We’ve worked to ensure the health and safety of educators at the event by taking the following measures:
- Capping the event at 200 attendees
- Allowing flexible cancellation for any reason up to three days prior to the event
- Ensuring space for social distancing throughout all Institute sessions
- Verifying that our venue, the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, is committed to providing a clean, healthy environment.