About

Welcome to the 5th Annual Essex County Learning Community (ECLC) Summer Institute: Building Community Through Conversation.

School is one of the few democratic spaces left in our society and, as such, has become the arena for many public controversies. We cannot wish away the turmoil, but we, as adults who work in schools, can learn how to participate in and lead conversations that are more meaningful and productive. Whether your daily conversations take place at the community, district, school, or classroom level, the art and science of conversation is relevant to you as a professional--and as a lifelong learner…

The Essex County Learning Community (ECLC) invites you to learn about the art and science of conversation at the 5th Annual ECLC Summer Institute that will take place on Tuesday August 2nd through Thursday August 4th. You will have myriad learning opportunities, planning and reflection time with your respective district teams, and the chance to work in cross-district and role-alike spaces. Some of the topics on tap will be:

  • Parent and family engagement
  • Classroom conversations
  • Conversations about race and other DEI issues
  • Social media and how issues in school play out online

This year, we welcome Essential Partners, a highly esteemed non-profit organization, to play a leading role in the ECLC Summer Institute. Founded in 1989, Essential Partners (EP) equips people to live and work better together by building trust and understanding across differences. EP helps schools, civic groups, faith communities, colleges/universities, and organizations across the globe build resilience and belonging across deep divides of values, beliefs, and identities.

Please note that Day 1 of the Summer Institute is limited to Cohort 3 ECLC districts only for orientation, and will take place at the Wylie Inn and Conference Center in Beverly, MA. Days 2-3 of the Summer Institute will take place at Endicott College, and are open to all members of Cohorts 1, 2, and 3 as days dedicated to cross-district learning experiences. We are thrilled that this year’s Summer Institute, which is our annual signature professional development event, will take place in-person!

So please mark your calendars and register now for our annual celebration of learning and growth as we welcome our community members back in person! More logistics information will be provided in the coming months.