Join education leaders nationwide for SPN’s transformative 5-part Virtual Leadership Series, designed for K-12 districts and community colleges facing today’s biggest challenges. Learn directly from Dr. Bill Daggett, Ray McNulty, and Dr. Robert Peters as they guide you through Future-Focused strategies, educational leadership, and preparing students for an AI-driven world.
Discover proven strategies from successful leaders, then build a customized action plan for your organization. Each weekly 30-minute Zoom session delivers practical, immediately applicable insights on workforce development, AI integration, and essential student skills—all at no cost to participants ready to lead educational transformation.
Click the sessions listed below to learn more
Session 1 (Oct 8)
Date: Oct 8, 2025 – 3:00PM EST
Duration: 30 min
Presenter: Dr. Bill Daggett
Where Are You Now and Where Do You Want To Be In Two Years?
The rapidly expanding power of AI, chip technology, biotechnology, and other advanced technologies has redefined the skills that students need to know and apply to succeed in the workplace and society now and in the future.
Those new skills, coupled with the changes in students themselves because of advanced technologies (e.g., smartphones), have led many districts to rethink their Strategic Plans. Some others have created Portraits of a Graduate. Both typically provide a list of skills, knowledge, and attributes that differ from what their existing instructional programs and assessments are designed to do. Too often, these Plans and Portraits end up as a poster on the wall. In most cases, these Strategic Plans and Portraits are consistent with some of the world’s biggest consulting firms and organizations, such as McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, and the World Economic Forum, have produced similar reports about the skills, knowledge, and attributes that students will need in the immediate future to thrive in jobs and a society increasingly reliant on technology and information. Their implementation requires districts to break out of the confines of traditional classrooms, instructional designs, instructional resources, instructional strategies, and student assessments, which can be problematic and easily put off.
How, from the classroom teacher to the district superintendent—and everyone in between—can the necessary changes be made when their days are filled with more tasks and distractions than there are hours to tend to them? How can anyone find the time, energy, and resources to implement the most valuable, innovative practices the nation’s most rapidly improving schools are modeling for us? How can you break down your vision into focused, actionable steps?
In this session, Dr. Daggett will guide you through a series of action steps that the nation’s pacesetting districts have taken to enable them to implement change in their classrooms, schools, and central offices, better preparing students for success in the world in which they will work and live.
Session #2
Date: October 15, 2025 – 3:00PM EST
Duration: 30 min
Presenter: Ray McNulty
Leading Into the Future: Reimagining Education with Foresight, Courage, and Clarity
In today’s fast-changing, disruptive world, the question isn’t whether education should change — it’s whether our leadership is ready to guide that change. In this provocative and inspiring keynote, Ray McNulty draws on more than 50 years of leadership across all levels of education — from classroom teacher to state Commissioner of Education, from national nonprofit leader to thought partner for districts across the country — to make the case that the leadership we need now is fundamentally different from what worked even 20 years ago.
For decades, strong leadership meant managing change, refining systems, and optimizing for improvement. But in a VUCA world — one that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous — that mindset will leave schools behind. Today’s leaders must be future-focused, agile, and bold. They must learn to navigate ambiguity, embrace innovation, and guide others with clarity even when certainty is out of reach.
Ray introduces a robust framework to help leaders think differently:
Drawing on his work with systems nationwide, Ray also shows how the best leaders today are not just adapting — they’re using foresight to build plausible futures and preparing their systems to thrive in them.
This virtual session will leave educators, administrators, and policymakers not only motivated but also equipped and ready to lead into a future where schools empower students to succeed in the lives they will lead.
Session #3
Date: October 22, 2025 – 3:00PM EST
Duration: 30 min
Presenter: Dr. Robert Peters
The shifting role of content in Instruction
AI and other technologies are redefining the skills, knowledge, and attributes that today’s students will need to succeed in the rapidly changing workplace and society. These technological advancements drove these districts to shift content from being the primary objective of instruction to becoming an enabling objective. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act championed standards and state testing, thereby placing outsized emphasis on content knowledge, especially in middle and high schools. As a result, content became the focus in most classrooms, and standardized tests measured how well students understood it. However, with the rapid rise of AI’s ability to access and use content faster than any human and synthesize it to form new understandings, the focus on content is no longer sufficient for educating students. Content is still necessary, but it becomes an enabling tool that supports the development of higher-order skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.
Session #4
Date: October 29 –
Duration 30- min
Presenter: Dr. Bill Daggett/Dr. Robert Peters
Proven Strategies from Leading Districts and Community Colleges
This session will be divided into two (2) segments.
-Segment #1 is for K-12 School Districts – 3PM EST
-Segment #2 is for Community colleges -4PM EST
Discover how innovative districts and community colleges are successfully implementing future-focused strategies in real-world settings. Dr. Robert Peters & Dr Bill Daggett interviews leaders from high-performing institutions who have transformed their instructional practices, integrated AI effectively, and developed practical solutions to today’s most pressing educational challenges. This session features two separate tracks—one focused on K-12 district success stories and another highlighting community college innovations. You’ll hear directly from superintendents and college presidents about their implementation strategies, lessons learned, and measurable outcomes. These candid conversations reveal the specific steps these leaders took to move from vision to reality, providing you with proven models you can adapt for your own institution.
Session #5
Date: November 5, 2025 – 3:00PM EST
Duration: 1 Hour
Presenters: Dr. Bill Daggett & Dr. Robert Peters
Building Your Action Plan for Future-Focused Success
Transform insights into action with a personalized roadmap for your district or college. In this interactive capstone session, Dr. Daggett and Dr. Peters guide you through developing a customized two-year action plan based on your specific challenges, goals, and organizational readiness. Drawing from the previous four sessions, you’ll identify your current position, define your desired outcomes, and create focused, actionable steps to bridge the gap. This collaborative session includes frameworks for prioritizing initiatives, overcoming implementation barriers, and measuring progress. Participants leave with a concrete plan they can immediately present to their leadership teams and begin implementing in their institutions. Individual consultation opportunities will be available for those seeking additional support.
Complete & submit the form to register for the 5-part series
Once submitted you will receive an email from Zoom with information on how to access the meeting. If you have any questions, please reach out to Alan Fanitzi at Afanitzi@spnetwork.org.
Successful Practices Network
Successful Practices Network
Successful Practices Network
