It’s October, and the hallways are bewitched with student creations—paper ghosts sway from the ceiling and construction-paper spiders guard the doorways.
But for K-12 educators, there’s nothing playful about the real challenges that make our hearts race. Watching capable students freeze when learning gets difficult. Navigating hybrid environments where you’re juggling in-person and online learners simultaneously. Transitioning to digital spaces without a roadmap. These are the things that truly keep us up at night.
But here’s where this story takes a turn toward the light: the OLC K-12 Symposium is the opposite of scary. It’s supportive, practical, and empowering—a space where educators unmask solutions and leave feeling confident.
Don't Let These Challenges Haunt You
Every educator has those moments that lurk in the shadows. Maybe it’s the day your carefully crafted lesson vanished into the digital abyss. Or when the Wi-Fi ghosted you just as students hit “submit.”
These challenges don’t have to haunt you. The K-12 Symposium brings together educators facing the same obstacles—think of it as gathering around a warm fire, sharing strategies that illuminate the path forward. This is interactive, practical learning where you walk away with immediately implementable tools.
No Tricks, All Treats: Real Solutions
As a volunteer and presenter, I can tell you: every session is designed around what educators actually need—no smoke and mirrors, just substance. The day begins exploring how to create safe, logical, fun, and memorable classrooms—the foundation for everything else.
Then choose from sessions that fill your professional candy bucket with treats you can use right away. Explore the philosophical roots of mathematics anxiety—that invisible monster holding students back—with new frameworks for support. Discover how to harness AI tools like ChatGPT without feeling like you need to be a tech wizard. Learn how visual workflow systems can transform self-directed learning from overwhelming to achievable. Explore best practices for transitioning from blackboard to virtual instruction and district-wide blended learning strategies.
You won’t find scary lectures here—just interactive sessions, lively discussions, and hands-on exploration. It’s professional learning that feels more like a candy buffet than a trick.
Unmasking HyFlex: A Personal Highlight
I’m especially excited because Erin Phillips—a former teaching colleague—and I will present on HyFlex in Elementary Classrooms: Practical Strategies for Engaging All Learners. HyFlex (Hybrid-Flexible) learning can feel like stepping into a haunted house—terrifying when you don’t know what’s around the corner.
We’re bringing real experiences from our classrooms—those “double-audience” days with half the students laughing at your read-aloud in person while the others wave from the smartboard at home. We’ll share the successes that lit up our rooms and the missteps we learned from. Expect tech recommendations and lively discussion. No scary jargon or magic wands required—just practical strategies from educators who understand your reality.
Gather 'Round: Building Your Community
Here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough: the loneliness of trying to innovate in your classroom. You’re experimenting with new approaches, wrestling with technology, and wondering if anyone else is facing the same struggles. The Symposium changes that.
Picture yourself in a hallway conversation after a session, exchanging email addresses with someone who just described a solution you’ve been searching for. These aren’t polite networking moments—they’re genuine connections with educators who get it. The conversations that start over coffee often continue for months afterward, becoming the support system that sustains you through the school year.
The day concludes with a panel bringing together educators from blended learning, virtual schools, and homeschool environments. This cross-pollination sparks innovation, leaving you with multiple perspectives on what’s possible.
Filling Your Professional Candy Bucket
As you carve pumpkins this October, consider this: What if you could start the new year feeling confident? What if those challenges that currently loom large—HyFlex implementation, AI integration, virtual transitions—shrank down to manageable size because you had proven strategies and a supportive network?
Think of the K-12 Symposium like trick-or-treating through a neighborhood of innovative educators. You’ll collect ideas like treats in your bucket—strategies, tech recommendations, tools, connections. Some you’ll use immediately. Others you’ll save for when the timing is right.
That’s what this November day offers. No scary surprises lurking around corners. No overwhelming theory that disappears when you try to use it. Just practical solutions, genuine support, and a community that gets it—educators who understand that the real magic happens when we help each other find our way.
So pack an extra bag for all those sweet new ideas. Erin and I will be there to welcome you to our HyFlex session, and I’m looking forward to all the conversations that will continue long after the lights come up.
No tricks. All treats. See you there!
Details:
- Date: Monday, November 17, 2025
- Location: Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort, Orlando, FL
- Format: Full-day, in-person event
- Registration: Standalone or add-on to OLC Accelerate (Nov 18-20)
