The 2026 Elementary School Summit - What the Most Effective Schools Do Differently
Webinar March 16th + Summit Interviews on March 18th
Join us for the 2026 Elementary School Summit, a free virtual event for elementary principals and district leaders exploring what the most effective schools do differently to build a strong, sustainable culture.
Learn how adult behaviors, aligned expectations, and intentional leadership practices create belonging, improve engagement, and strengthen student behavior. Discover how leading schools teach behavior with the same clarity as academics—and how strong adult practices drive Tier 1 success.
Walk away with practical, research-based strategies to strengthen schoolwide culture and build systems that don’t feel like “one more initiative,” but become part of how your school operates every day.
Takeaways
How Adult Practices Shape School Culture - What the most effective elementary schools do differently to model and reinforce the behaviors they expect from students.
Teaching Behavior Like Academics - How clear instruction, consistent expectations, and proactive systems reduce disruptions and increase engagement.
Building Belonging That Improves Attendance and Engagement - How intentional culture-building strengthens relationships, student motivation, and schoolwide consistency.
Creating Character Education That Integrates—Not Adds - How to implement schoolwide practices that support Tier 1 without feeling like “one more initiative.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Summit being held? The 2026 Elementary Summit, is a free, virtual event. The morning of the summit we’ll send you interviews with experts.
How do the videos get released? In the morning at 5 am you will receive an email with a link to a page that will have all of the videos and content.
Are the videos available all week? Yes! The videos for the 2026 Elementary will be available the entire week of the summit for you to watch at your convenience.
Guest Speakers & Presenters.
James has been a public educator for the past 22 years. He has served at the high school and middle school level --and currently serves as a Principal at Lyons Farm Elementary in Durham, North Carolina. From custodian, teacher, academic advisor, administrator, and inclusive leadership coach -- his experiences across the K-12 setting are grounded in his core values of Gratitude, Interdependence, and Effort.
Brooke is an experienced educator in her 13th year as a K-5 School Counselor at Gibraltar Elementary. She supports students through classroom lessons, small groups, and individual counseling. Brooke is also an active member of the Wisconsin Multi-Level Systems of Support (WiMLSS) and the school’s mental health team. She is dedicated to building a positive school culture and strong relationships to help every student thrive.
Dr. Ruth Alisha Hill is the Executive Director of Professional Services at CharacterStrong, with over 22 years of experience in education across diverse settings. She previously held leadership roles in Gwinnett County Public Schools and has served as a teacher, Academy Leader, and Adjunct Professor. She's passionate about student engagement, empowering educators, and creating supportive learning environments, and is a sought-after speaker on coaching, student voice, and educator well-being.
Karen is an Elementary Curriculum Specialist at CharacterStrong. She has 10 years of experience in education. Karen has Masters in School Counseling. She has served as an elementary classroom teacher and a professional school counselor. Karen is passionate about life skill development, cultivating strong relationships with educators and students, and empowering them to succeed.
Matthew McClain is a veteran school counselor in rural Northeast Colorado with K-12 experience dating back to 2005. Since 2017, he has served as the Executive Director of the Colorado School Counselor Association (CSCA), building on a long history of leadership within both CSCA and ASCA. A passionate advocate for social-emotional learning and systemic change, Matthew was recently honored as the 2025-2026 Colorado School Counselor of the Year.
Dr. Heidi A. Truax (True-Axe, she/her/hers) is the Executive Director of the Office of School Counseling and Postsecondary Advising (OSCPA) with Chicago Public Schools.
Dr. Heidi A. Truax Executive Director, Office of School Counseling & Postsecondary Advising, Chicago Public Schools
Dr. Paul C. Harris is an Tenured Associate Professor in the Counseling and Special Education Department in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Dr. Paul Harris Counselor Educator / Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University
Kelli Smith, Ed.D., is an experienced educational leader with over 30 years in K-12 education. She earned a Doctorate in Executive Leadership for Educational Equity from the University of Colorado Denver, focusing her research on how Professional Learning Communities influence teacher collective efficacy.
Dr. Kelli Smith Director of Health, Wellness and Prevention, Douglas County School District
Brandon Castro School Counselor and School Counselor Educator, Board Director, California Association of School Counselors
Dr. Sarah Kirk is the Owner and CEO of Yoga 4 Classrooms and a National Board Certified Counselor. Sarah provides training and consultation on a variety of topics, including trauma-informed practices, tiered supports for students, and positive behavioral supports.
Dr. Sarah Kirk Yoga 4 Classrooms Owner, Adjunct Professor, School Counseling Trainer and Consultant, 2019 ASCA SCOY Finalist
Joshua Nelson is a 2023 ASCA National School Counselor of the Year Finalist, 2022 Florida School Counselor of the Year, 2021 School Counselor of the Year for Duval County Public Schools, and in 2020 received the distinguished National RAMP Award.
Joshua Nelson School Counselor, Richard Lewis Brown Gifted and Talented Academy. 2022 Florida School Counselor of the Year, 2023 ASCA SCOY Finalist
Kiley Luckett is a dedicated social worker and mental health advocate with a proven track record in supporting students' well-being.
Kiley Luckett District Mental Health Coordinator, Lawrence Public Schools
Jason Thompson has been a school counselor in several Saint Louis school districts for twenty-two years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Master’s degree in counseling from Saint Louis University.
Jason Thompson School Counselor, Wydown Middle School & Counseling Coordinator, School District of Clayton
We're kicking off the 2024 School Counseling Summit with an inaugural webinar, uniquely designed to empower school counselors in catalyzing systemic change while championing the diverse needs of students. Join us for an enlightening session where distinguished experts will share insights and offer effective strategies to guide you in fostering a holistic approach to serving not only the whole child but also the entire school and community. Don't miss this unparalleled opportunity to be inspired, equipped, and connected for a purpose-driven school counseling experience.
Dr. Loretta Whitson is the founder and executive director of the California Association of School Counselors (CASC), the second-largest state association representing school counselors in the nation.
Dr. Loretta Whitson
Dr. Loretta Whitson is the founder and executive director of the California Association of School Counselors (CASC), the second-largest state association representing school counselors in the nation. She is known as a visionary leader and a prominent figure in the field of education in California and has left an indelible mark on the landscape of school counseling. She has tirelessly championed the cause of school counselors, forging critical connections with legislators and key decision-makers to ensure that their voices are heard, and their contributions recognized. One of her most significant achievements was in the year 2000 when she led the effort to establish CASC, which a few years later became the ASCA nationally chartered school counseling association for California. This historic milestone solidified California's place within the field of school counseling and paved the way for further advancements in the profession.
Laura Ross is the lead counselor at Five Forks Middle School in Lawrenceville, Georgia where her focus is connecting with students to connect them to their education. She has been a school counselor for almost 16 years.
Laura Ross
Laura Ross is the lead counselor at Five Forks Middle School in Lawrenceville, Georgia where her focus is connecting with students to connect them to their education. She has been a school counselor for almost 16 years. Laura was an elementary school counselor for 8 years and is in her 8th year as a middle school counselor. She has presented at district, state, and national levels on creating school-wide teacher-student connections, integrating academics into counseling lessons, using technology and data in school counseling, creating counseling lessons with a social justice and equity lens, and more. Laura’s school counseling blog about creating connections with students at www.theconnectingcounselor.com, will be back from hiatus in 2022 along with a brand new YouTube channel. Laura was the 2020 American School Counselor Association (ASCA) School Counselor of the Year. She serves on the Georgia School Counselor Association (GSCA) Executive Board as President-Elect and is a leader in her school district, Gwinnett County Public Schools, collaborating on committees with focuses on middle school counselor professional development, civic engagement, social-emotional learning, teen lures curriculum, student discipline, and equity. She is also a Counselors for Computing consultant and Girl Talk DEI Committee member.
Phil Echols, former teacher, school counselor, and administrator, serves as a Diversity Specialist for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in North Carolina and a Global Consultant for Public, Private, and International Schools.
Dr. Phil Echols
Phil Echols, former teacher, school counselor, and administrator, serves as a Diversity Specialist for WakeMed Health and Hospitals in North Carolina and a Global Consultant for Public, Private, and International Schools. His expertise includes effective collaboration, coaching, diversity, and inclusion for large systems. As a former North Carolina School Counselor Association Board member, he has over two decades of experience in education, public speaking, facilitation, and international training and development. Dr. Echols has presented sessions on creating positive and productive professional cultures for ASCD, Learning Forward, and the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools, specifically in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, and Bangkok. Dr. Echols believes diversity enriches the community, and all have the capacity to learn and grow. His work is anchored in his mission to inspire and support individuals and groups in doing and being their best.
Meet Your Hosts For The Summit
Melissa Rosario is the Director of Elementary Education at CharacterStrong, where she leads the development of the PurposeFull People curriculum and provides professional development to educators nationwide. With experience as an elementary educator in both traditional and virtual settings, as well as serving as an interventionist, Melissa brings deep classroom expertise to her work. She has also held research and leadership roles at the University of Central Florida, where she earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and conducted research on character education. Passionate about building compassionate school communities and supporting educator growth, Melissa blends practical experience with research-driven insights to help schools strengthen character, belonging, and student success.
Julie Hinshaw is CharacterStrong’s Senior Director of Content Development, where she oversees the creation and improvement of the Pk-12 curricula. She has over 15 years of experience in education and holds a M.Ed. in Administration. She served as a classroom teacher in grades 3-8, led her middle school campus to be recognized as a National School of Character, and was recognized as her district’s Teacher of the Year. Julie also worked for 2 years at the district level supporting 10 campuses in their whole-child programming and leading professional development. Julie has been presenting on character development at the district, state, and national level for over 10 years. Her passion is rooted in using education as a vehicle to make the world a better, kinder place!
