2026 Teacher Climate & Culture Institute Agenda

Registration

7:45 AM – 8:45 AM
Brower Student Center (BSC)

Phase 1: Insight Sessions

To equip attendees with proven, replicable strategies via deep-dive peer learning

Session 1

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Social Sciences Building (SSB)

Session 2

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Social Sciences Building (SSB)

Sessions (Designed for all attendees)	Location
Anchored in Leadership, Rising in Impact: Empowering Teacher Leaders to Drive Success	SS-128
Building Teacher Leaders: From Informal Leadership to Registered Apprenticeship	SS-323
Dismantling the Silos: Practical Structures for Climate, Communication, & Collective Leadership	SS-103
District AI Toolkit for Saving Teachers' Time	SS-105
Empowering Educators: Building a Culture of Shared Leadership	SS-326
Enhancing Teacher Efficacy & Well-being Through Neuroeducation & Mindfulness	SS-230
From Burden to Blueprint: Promising Every Educator a Future from the Inside Out	SS-325
From Burnout to Breakthrough: How One District Reimagined Teacher Support	SS-228
From Overwhelmed to Optimized	SS-130
How AI Can Benefit Students with Disabilities	SS-321
Private AI: How Local AI Is Saving Teachers Time and Transforming Learning	SS-225
Reducing Daily Burden on Educators	SS 324
Small Team, Big Impact: Scaling AI Support Across a School Community	SS-223
Stop Developing Teachers. Start Building Thinkers.	SS-226
Unleashing Teacher Leadership: Turnkey Tools for School Leaders Who Want Real School Change	SS-227
Using AI to Make Text More Accessible	SS-328

Phase 2: Integration Session & Brown-Bag Lunch with Keynote Speaker Tony Cattani

To process insights and identify specific barriers to implementation

12:45 PM – 1:45 PM
BSC 100 (main room) and BSC 225 (overflow room)

State Board of Education President Remarks – Kathy Goldenberg
Commissioner of Education Remarks - Lily Laux, Ph.D.
Keynote - Tony Cattani, 2025-2026 National High School Principal of the Year
Closing Remarks - Peter Mazzagatti, Ed.D., Director, Office of Educator Effectiveness

If applicable, please pre-order your lunch in advance to ensure you have time to pick it up and be seated before the keynote session begins at 12:45 PM.

Phase 3: Implementation Hubs

To finalize the "Post-Institute Action Plan" with expert support

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Presenter Gallery

BSC 100 and BSC 225

Attendees can visit presenters to ask questions to establish a more concrete action plan.

Communal Working Space

Brower Student Center

Attendees looking to collaborate with their teams, this area will serve as a communal space to synthesize ideas and provide an area to debrief and plan.

Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Educator Evaluation