Facing History’s School Leaders Summer Institute Returns

Over the past several years, Facing History & Ourselves has made a commitment to expanding our impact by connecting directly with schools and districts to share our curriculum, resources, and time-tested pedagogy with new audiences and regions. And how better to cultivate and nurture those burgeoning relationships than by spending time together in a space intentionally curated for leadership learning, growth, and thought partnership? With that in mind, Facing History is thrilled to be hosting our 4th annual School Leaders Summer Institute on July 22, 2025.

This virtual event will use Facing History's proven approach to prepare school leaders to create classrooms and school culture where all students—regardless of backgrounds—can experience academic success and reach their full potential. As part of our wide range of summer professional development opportunities including a number of Teaching for Equity & Justice workshops, the School Leader Institute has shown itself to be a memorable and worthwhile experience for school and district leaders as they prepare for the upcoming school year.

In this time of increasing polarization and the politicization of what and how we teach, we know that educational leaders are looking for a brave community space where they can collaborate with other like-minded peers. A place where they can prepare their mindsets and practices for the upcoming school year—and perhaps most importantly, a place where they can come with open minds to experience new perspectives and have their current mindsets and practices challenged and expanded.

Research has shown that when classrooms and schools have a positive climate, students are more likely to succeed academically, less likely to engage in bullying, and more likely to become informed and engaged citizens who value civic participation. But what tangible actions can school leaders take to help create these environments for their educators and students?

This half-day institute will offer those who join a more complete understanding of the societal and structural factors that affect students' school experience, allowing them to create a more equitable school culture that aligns with current goals. By building collaborative dialogue between fellow leaders and experts, attendees will walk away with resources on navigating common challenges and practical steps to implementing equity practices to mitigate disparities in their schools and districts.

As one 2024 attendee told us: “[The School Leaders Summer Institute] re-emphasized for me the importance of connecting with other educators who are in similar positions to support each other in this work.”

As part of this day of learning and connection, participants will use one of our most highly-regarded resources: our Teaching For Equity and Justice Reflection Tool. These seven reflection domains help educational leaders reflect on their growth towards equity-conscious leadership—creating a better understanding of their journey towards building more equitable school and classroom environments. With support from this tool, joining Facing History for this five-hour workshop can help educational leaders gain a clear vision of how their school community currently measures up and what steps can be taken to confront unconscious bias and mitigate the impact of historical racism on educational practices and policies.

We're so excited that this session will feature Dr. H. Richard Milner IV, author of "These Kids are Out of Control," for a discussion on ways to work with students to co-create an equitable classroom and school culture that promotes empathy and youth agency—themes deeply aligned with the end goals of our Teaching For Equity and Justice Reflection Tool.

There’s never been a better or more important time for educational leaders to drive better outcomes for their students by creating more caring, equitable, and inclusive school environments. Sign up today and we can’t wait to see you in July—we look forward to working together to build the thoughtful, empathetic, and student-centered world that we all deserve.