Legacy Traditional Schools

Supporting Schools Remotely: Building Trust When You're Not On-Site
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 (America/Phoenix) | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Red Bird L, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Kristy Phillips
Build strong, effective school partnerships—no matter the distance. This session explores practical communication strategies, common pitfalls to avoid, and ways to better understand school needs across departments. Learn how to strengthen relationships, improve collaboration, and deliver more responsive, high-impact support from wherever you are.

Designing Systems That Scale Across Many Schools
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Red Bird K, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Larissa Cuda
Design systems that scale without losing clarity or impact. This session introduces a practical framework to distinguish core elements from flexible components, helping you maintain consistency across campuses while honoring local needs. Engage in hands-on application and leave with actionable strategies to build systems that work effectively at every school.

Radical Candor in Action: Tools to Elevate Feedback, Trust, and Team Growth
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Red Bird J, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Kristi Moreno
Build stronger teams through honest, effective feedback. This session introduces the Radical Candor framework—caring personally while challenging directly—and shows how to apply it in real leadership situations. Learn practical tools to foster trust, normalize learning from mistakes, and support long-term employee growth, engagement, and development.

Beyond the Balance Sheet: Using Financial Metrics to Diagnose School Health
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Quail F, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Michael Juel-Larsen
Move beyond numbers to true financial insight. This session shows how key metrics like cash on hand and coverage ratios reveal a school’s health and risks. Through real case studies, learn to interpret data, ask better questions, and identify early warning signs to guide stronger, more strategic decisions.

Facilitating Difficult Conversations
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Quail E, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Jesse Bean
Navigate difficult conversations with clarity and confidence. This session introduces the three layers—what happened, feelings, and identity—and equips you with practical strategies to lead productive, learning-focused discussions. Build the skills to approach tough conversations with empathy, reduce defensiveness, and strengthen relationships through honest, meaningful dialogue.

Make Your Work Easier with Asana: From Basics to Automation
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Quail D, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Jenny Given
Join us in person for a fun and hands-on session where you’ll learn how to make your daily grind smoother using Asana. We’ll start with the basics and quickly move into cool automation tricks that save you tons of time. Perfect for anyone wanting to boost productivity without the stress. Come ready to learn, ask questions, and transform the way you work!

From Data to Decisions: Building Strategic Narratives
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Road Runner B, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Autumn Barber
Learn how to turn data into clear, strategic decisions by avoiding common analytical mistakes, identifying hidden insights, and building compelling leadership narratives. This interactive session will strengthen your ability to think critically about data, uncover root causes, and communicate recommendations that drive action and better business outcomes.

We've Got This: A Structured Co-Mentoring Framework for Professional Growth
2026-06-17 14:45 - 15:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Road Runner A, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Natalie Gold
This session introduces a structured co-mentoring framework grounded in the research on Collective Efficacy, the most powerful driver of team performance identified across 60,000+ studies. Participants will discover their professional archetype, be paired with a cross-role colleague based on complementary strengths, and experience their first structured co-mentoring conversation all within the session. Rather than a long-term commitment, this is a hands-on introduction to what peer-powered professional growth can look and feel like. Participants leave with their archetype profile, a co-mentoring conversation guide, and a framework they can bring back to their own team or department to implement in a way that works for them.

AI Innovation Lab Day 2 PM Working Block
2026-06-17 13:15 - 18:00 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Salt River 3, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Erick Grady, Cody Bell, Lleyton Ito, Janet Hernandez, and OBIS
The AI Innovation Lab is an interactive session designed to help participants explore how we can enhance day-to-day work, improve efficiency, and support innovative thinking across teams. Attendees will learn about practical AI tools, real-world applications, and strategies for integrating AI into workflows to solve problems, streamline processes, and generate new ideas. Whether participants are new to AI or already experimenting with it, this session will provide actionable insights, examples, and opportunities to think creatively about how AI can support both individual and organizational success.

Process and Data Analysis Using AI
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Quail D, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Cora Howell and Autumn Barber
Turn data into decisions that matter. This session helps you move beyond dashboards to uncover real insights, avoid misleading averages, and identify root causes. Learn a clear framework to transform questions into actionable strategies, craft compelling data stories, and drive smarter decisions that make a measurable impact across your organization.

Shifting Instinct to Evidence in Decision Making
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Road Runner C, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Toral Kadakia
Stop guessing—start deciding with data. In this interactive workshop, experience how instinct can mislead and how structured analysis leads to better outcomes. Through hands-on scenarios and team challenges, you’ll learn to identify real signals, avoid common pitfalls, and build simple, defensible data strategies that drive smarter decisions.

The SWARM Framework: Solving Problems Together
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Road Runner B, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Madison Carillo
This session introduces the SWARM framework—a structured, repeatable approach to solving complex problems through cross-functional teamwork. Explore a real case study and learn how to bring diverse perspectives together, strengthen collective ownership, and drive more innovative, effective outcomes across your teams.

Winning the Community Before You Serve the Community
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Road Runner A, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Jennifer Turney
This session equips school leaders with practical strategies to establish credibility, connect with families, and define their school’s identity in a new market. Learn how to overcome skepticism, build community partnerships, and create early momentum that drives enrollment, engagement, and long-term success.

RAMP 101: A Better Way to Manage Spending
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Red Bird K, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Corey Francis
Transform how your schools manage spending with the rollout of RAMP. This session explores what to expect during implementation, how the platform streamlines accounts payable processes, and the value it brings to schools. Gain insight into key features, benefits, and practical considerations to ensure a smooth, successful transition.

Beyond Compliance: How Great Leaders Inspire Action and Ownership
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Red Bird J, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Stephanie Martinez
Why do change efforts stall—even with a clear strategy? Because motivation goes beyond logic. In this session, explore how to engage both the rational and emotional drivers of change. Learn practical strategies to overcome resistance, build momentum, and inspire lasting action through autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

How to use Power Query in Excel
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Quail F, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Stefan Sharpensteen and Chris Lim
Unlock the power of Excel with Power Query and transform how you manage data. This session introduces essential tools, real-world use cases, and practical best practices to streamline your workflow. Whether you’re new or looking to level up, discover how to clean, combine, and analyze data with confidence and efficiency.

The Charter Landscape: What Every Vertex Teammate Should Know
2026-06-17 10:45 - 11:45 | Talking Stick Resort Hotel – Conference Room Quail E, 9800 East Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale, AZ, 85256, US
Presented by: Corey Kennedy
Vertex operates within a uniquely complex and highly relational ecosystem that includes school boards, authorizers, regulators, and community stakeholders. Some Vertex roles engage more directly with these groups than others, but all of us are impacted by them in one way or another.
This session provides a practical overview of the charter school landscape and the dynamics that shape our work. The goal is not to turn participants into experts, but to build shared context that leads to to stronger collaboration, better decision-making, and greater organizational alignment.
