Category: Main Slider

Date:     January 29, 2026       
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: WRESA   
          200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
          Asheville, NC 28806

Fee:      $45  WRESA Members  
          $70  Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     5  Contact Hours 
Limit:    45 Participants
Audience: 6-8 Educators who teach Social Studies, Coaches
What to bring?: Your own device

Description: 

 Inquiry is at the heart of powerful social studies instruction, and primary sources are the tools that bring inquiry to life. Join us as we explore how the use of primary source material and inquiry-based learning can transform teaching, strengthen literacy skills, and deepen student understanding.

This highly interactive workshop will guide educators through the use of primary sources not simply as information, evidence, or artifacts, but as catalysts for incorporating inquiry and strengthening critical thinking skills. Participants will explore practical ways to meaningfully integrate the literacy skills and practices of the Social Studies Inquiry Strand into daily instruction while also discovering fun and innovative ways to drive inquiry-based learning through the alignment of primary source material and framing instruction around compelling questions.

Whether you are new to inquiry-based instruction or looking to refine your practice, this session will empower you to make questioning, source analysis, and evidence-based reasoning the driving forces of your social studies classroom and strengthen social studies literacy skills.  

Presenter:  Michelle McLaughlin, our K-12 Social Studies consultant from NCDPI, will lead this workshop. 

If you have additional questions, contact April Spencer at aspencer@wresa.org

If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click  WRESA MEMBER List. 

REGISTER

 

Leading with Purpose, Learning with Passion

Summer Leadership Conference for North Carolina Educators

Embassy Suites Downtown Asheville, NC | Summer 2026

Join education leaders from across North Carolina in the beautiful mountain city of Asheville for an inspiring summer conference designed to empower, connect, and transform.

Leading with Purpose, Learning with Passion brings together principals, district administrators, instructional coaches, and teacher-leaders to explore innovative strategies for shaping the future of education in our state.

 

 

 

What to Expect

• Visionary Keynotes: Hear from nationally recognized thought leaders and local trailblazers who are redefining educational leadership.
• Networking Opportunities: Build lasting connections with peers from across North Carolina who share your commitment to purposeful leadership.
• Regional Spotlights: Celebrate success stories from districts across the state and learn how to adapt them to your own context.
• Wellness & Renewal: Experience Asheville’s vibrant culture and natural beauty  while recharging for the year ahead.

Why Attend?

This conference is more than professional development—it’s a movement to inspire leaders who guide with clarity, compassion, and courage. Together, we’ll explore how passion for learning fuels purposeful leadership, ensuring that every student in North Carolina thrives.

REGISTRATION COMING SOON!

Participant Registration

Superintendent Registration 

Sponsorships

Date:     March 26, 2026       
Time:     9:00am – 3:00pm 
Type:     In-Person

Location: WRESA   
          200 Ridgefield Ct, Suite 206
          Asheville, NC 28806

Fee:      $125  WRESA Members  
          $250  Non-members

**NOTE: We have a No Refund policy for our WRESA courses. However, you
are welcome to send a colleague in your place. Contact LaDonna Sluder
at lsluder@wresa.org or 828-774-5681 (ext 102) if you need to change
the name of the person attending.

CEUs:     5 Contact Hours 
Limit:    50 Participants
Audience: K-12 Administrators, Curriculum Coaches and Central Office Administrators
What to Bring: Your own device

Description: 

Dawn Brookhart will provide professional development and learning focusing on the critical components of creating the conditions and modeling the expectations necessary to enhance student learning through Student-Focused Coaching.  The content will be grounded in the principles outlined in the book Instructional Leadership in Student-Focused Coaching:  Creating Effective Systems.  The training will provide practical insights and strategies for administrators, coaches, and educators. 

Administrators often struggle with balancing supervision and evaluation, which can create an imbalance in their role as instructional leaders.  This session highlights how coaching empowers administrators to model their expectations for teaching and learning, rather than directing them as traditional managers.  Through a collective leadership model, defined levels of autonomy help build trust and collaboration, not only between the coach and administrator, but also with the instructional staff.  Together, the coach and administrator move the model forward, with teachers leveraging the coach’s services and utilizing the administrator’s instructional support to improve student learning.  Participants will engage in collaborative conversations and immersive learning experiences to understand what it takes to lead complex change as instructional leaders in schools.  

Presenter: 

Dawn Brookhart, M.A.T., M.Ed., is an educational leader and consultant with nearly 30 years of experience in K-12 education. She has helped schools create evidence-based improvements that enhance student success, earning local and national recognition. Dawn founded a dyslexia and reading training academy in Pennsylvania and has held various leadership roles, including Principal and Director of Curriculum and Instruction. As a passionate advocate for the science of reading, she focuses on empowering educators through professional development and coaching. Dawn co-authored the book *Instructional Leadership with Student-Focused Coaching* and co-founded Ed Cap Consulting, LLC, along with The Reading League Pennsylvania. Her work emphasizes collaboration and high-quality education for all students.

Contact Candie Sellers at csellers@wresa.org with any questions.

If you are unsure whether your school system is a WRESA member, click  WRESA MEMBER List.    

REGISTER