Annual Event Experience

On Friday, October 17, attendees can choose to join leaders from Eden Prairie Schools (Wisconsin) for an interactive workshop on the power of student voice in effective and meaningful future-ready journeys.

Workshop Title: Beyond Listening: Embedding Student Voice for Real Impact

Student voice is more than listening—it’s about empowering students to influence meaningful change. Join Eden Prairie Schools, a district nationally recognized for embedding student voice into school culture, leadership, and improvement efforts.

• Explore ten proven strategies to foster authentic student agency. Learn how Eden Prairie’s diverse toolkit of strategies enables students to shape practices, inform decisions, and drive tangible changes.
• Through real-world scenarios and interactive discussions, you’ll discover practical ways to integrate student voice into strategic planning, leadership practices, and overall school culture.
• Gain insights into overcoming common challenges like adults feeling a sense of loss, inconsistent implementation, and inequitable participation.
• Leave with actionable strategies to elevate student voice in your district, foster genuine student partnerships, and create a culture where students are active co-creators of their learning experience.

You can sign up for this workshop when completing your registration for the Annual Event. If you have already registered, email Heather Conlee at hconlee@aasa.org to facilitate your workshop registration.

At this year’s Annual Event, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in school tours of the Chandler Unified School District located in the southeastern part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The district spans 80 square miles and serves students from PreK through 12th grade in the city of Chandler, the towns of Gilbert and Queen Creek, and the Gila River Indian Community. With over 40,000 students across 45 schools, the district offers a dynamic educational environment. During the tour, participants will have the opportunity to experience deeper learning practices by visiting selected school campuses within the district.

Participants may choose from two different tours:

• Knox Gifted Academy (PreK–6) with an enrollment of 663 students and Andersen Elementary School (PreK–5) with 397 students. Located just one mile apart from one another, participants will rotate between these schools, spending approximately 80 minutes at each site before boarding a bus to the next location. While both are elementary schools, they offer distinct educational experiences: KGA focuses on gifted education, while Andersen is an International Baccalaureate (IB) school. This contrast will provide participants with a unique and valuable perspective.
• Hamilton High School with 3,375 students, where participants will spend the full three hours.

Tour participants will observe students engaging in learning experiences that foster the development of our Portrait of a Learner attributes.

Participants should not book their return flights until after 2:30 p.m. MST on the day of the tour. You can sign up for the school tours when completing your registration for the Annual Event. If you have already registered, email Heather Conlee at hconlee@aasa.org to facilitate your school tour registration.