Summer Professional Learning
Mark your calendar’s for RFISD’s Summer Learning by the Beach, happening May 29-30 in Rockport, Texas! Join us at the Rockport Center for the Arts, located in the heart of the Rockport Cultural Arts District, for two days of engaging professional development and the opportunity to earn your summer learning hours.
This year’s theme, “Focusing on the Student Experience,” highlights the importance of creating meaningful and impactful learning opportunities for students. At RFISD, we believe that when adults learn, students learn. Our event features keynote speakers and breakout sessions from leaders who are making waves in the classroom. Don’t miss this chance to learn, connect, and grow with fellow professionals.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Stephen Mackey
Stephen Mackey, is a character and leadership development coach, keynote speaker, and Wall Street Journal Best Selling author.
In January 2017, Mackey asked the question: “What would it take to help one million athletes and coaches connect the dots between sports and life?” The answer to that question became 2Words Character Development.
Built on the Six Pillars - Tough People Win, Integrity Over Everything, Growth Follows Belief, Excellence Everywhere, Relentless Effort, and Service Before Self - 2Words has become one of the top leadership and character curriculums in the country.
Mackey serves as the character and leadership development coach of numerous organizations, including the Texas High School Coaches Association, the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association, and 8X NBA All-Star, Damian Lillard’s initiative Formula Zero.
Dr. Layne Pethick
Dr. Layne Pethick, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized expert on education, autism spectrum disorder, mental health in learning and schools.
By day, he’s a Neuro-Cognitive and Neuro-Behavioral Coach and a Behavior and Autism Spectrum Disorders Master Consultant for the great state of Texas. By night, he’s probably reading something nerdy about how screen time messes with your head, chasing his next big idea, or playing hockey (because we all need a good outlet for stress)!
Pethick has been a fan favorite at SLBTB and will be back for his third year.
TNTP
The New Teacher Project is catalyzing a movement to redesign America’s public education system so that it meets the expectations of tomorrow—for young people, families, communities, and the nation.
We are educators, researchers, and innovators who know that a strong academic foundation is essential for improving children’s life outcomes.
We work across sectors to ensure young people have opportunities to access the factors of mobility that will help them thrive in an increasingly dynamic world.
John Fessenden
John Fessenden is the energy and passion behind accountabilityconnect (a year-long service that currently supports over 400 school districts in Texas). An experienced educational consultant, John has worked with districts, campuses, and regional education service centers in the areas of assessment, accountability, and data analysis for over 2 decades. He began his career as a corporate attorney, but then transitioned to education – where he has worked as a teacher, a school law attorney, a senior director at TEA, a Director of Special Education, a service consultant at ESC 13, and Director of Accountability and Research in Del Valle ISD. In 2010 he helped co-found lead4ward.
John’s diverse background with a wide range of stakeholders has provided him with experiences that inform his work with districts across the state. He makes it his personal goal to make the most complex systems accessible for school leaders at the district, campus, and classroom levels. In a field where federal and state accountability systems are in a constant state of motion, John is resolute about keeping instructional leaders focused on one thing: student growth. A calm in the tumultuous storm of change, John reminds educators of the power they hold to influence student achievement through simplified systems that take the bite out of time-consuming processes related to assessment and accountability.
2025 Registration is Closed
Event Location
Rockport Center for the Arts
204 S Austin St, Rockport, TX 78382
