SANFORD, NC - Over 400 Lee County Schools educators came together for the two-day Accelerate Learning Conference, embracing the theme “Thrive in Lee: Strong Roots, Limitless Growth.” The professional learning event equipped teachers, administrators, instructional support staff, and specialists with innovative strategies, practical resources, and renewed inspiration as they prepared to welcome students for the new school year.
Centered around five conference pillars of curriculum, instruction, environment, evaluation, and operations, sessions at the conference offered a wide range of training opportunities to strengthen teaching and learning across every grade level and content area.
Participants explored emerging technologies, instructional best practices, student engagement, school safety, and educator wellness through more than 80 professional learning opportunities. Sessions highlighted innovative uses of artificial intelligence in the classroom including Canva, NotebookLM, and tools that support lesson planning, differentiation, and student creativity. Educators also participated in workshops focused on literacy, mathematics, science, curriculum interpretation, inquiry-based learning, classroom management, and cross-curricular instruction.
Supporting every learning remained a central focus of the annual event. Teachers had the opportunity to attend sessions covering multilingual learner supports, autism awareness, gifted education, exceptional children services, and de-escalation strategies, reinforcing the district’s commitment to creating inclusive classrooms where all students can succeed.
Beyond instructional practices, the conference emphasized the importance of relationship and educator well-being. Sessions addressed self-regulation, mentoring new teachers, building positive classroom cultures, strengthening family partnerships, work-life balance, and fostering school environments where both students and staff can thrive.
"The Accelerate Learning Conference reflects who we are as a district," said Dr. Natalie Kelly, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. "When we invest in our educators, we invest directly in our students. This conference gave our staff the opportunity to learn from one another, explore innovative instructional practices, and strengthen the relationships that help every student thrive. Together, we're building strong roots that will lead to limitless growth in every classroom across Lee County Schools."
The conference also featured extended learning opportunities for teachers needing certifications in specific areas, such as Foundations of Math, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, and Interpretation and Translation training. These sessions provided participants with in-depth professional development tailored to specialized roles and district priorities.
The annual Accelerate Learning Conference is part of the district’s strategic focus to strengthen human capital and enhance student growth and achievement. It signifies the commitment to fostering a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and excellence as our local public schools lay the foundation for another successful year of teaching and learning.