In 2008, Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) first convened local and national experts to engage on issues affecting Baltimore City students. Called Leading Minds: Challenging Conversations on Public Education, the annual symposia challenges conventional wisdom through hard conversations that consider the complexity of education policy and prioritize lasting solutions over quick fixes.
The 2025 Leading Minds topic, “Adapting to a Changed World: Tackling Chronic Absenteeism and Reinventing Parent Engagement and Community Schools Post-Pandemic,” addresses critical challenges today in education.
Join us for this year’s event, free and open to the public:
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Pimlico Elementary/Middle School
4849 Pimlico Road, Baltimore, MD 21215
Moderator:
Joshua Michael, Chair, Maryland State Department of Education School Board
Panelists:
Larry Simmons, Senior Fellow, Attendance Works
Mark Gaither, Principal, Wolfe Street Academy
Debra Books, Ed.D., Director, Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success
Agenda:
8:00-8:45 AM Breakfast
8:45-9:00 AM Brenda Kahn Award
9:00-10:30 AM Leading Minds Symposium
Following the symposium, BCP teachers and staff will take part in small group break-out sessions, as an additional professional development and growth oppotrtunity. The goal is to connect to the Leading Minds’ 2025 theme with applicable strategies and best practices that staff can take back to their schools and classrooms. Topics for these sessions include:
- Creating Effective School Committees
- Community School Strategies
- Working with Community Partners
- Using Resources to Improve Attendance
- Restorative Practices in Schools
To attend Leading Minds, please contact Brianna Kaufman, BCP Director of Operations, at bkaufman@baltimorecp.org.
