Dear County and District Superintendents:

California Labor-Management Initiative Summer Institute

The California Labor-Management Initiative (CA LMI) Summer Institute creates safe, supportive learning environments built on trust, equity, and communication for labor-management teams to learn and work together. The Summer Institute is designed for superintendents, certificated and classified union leaders, and board members to engage in tough conversations that lead to improved communication and collaborative problem-solving. Using research-based tools and frameworks, teams can create more effective approaches to meet the needs of students and staff.

The CA LMI believes that inclusive labor-management practices and collaborative structures lead to sustainable organizational culture change. The Summer Institute is an opportunity to convene with your labor-management team to learn from other districts, share insights, and plan your work for the coming school year. Attendees should expect to interact with their labor-management team to jointly learn about strategies to increase collaborative professionalism, build stronger relationships with their team, and receive resources and tools that guide teams to build an environment of continuous learning, reflection, and discussion.

That is why I invite you and your labor-management team to register for the CA LMI Summer Institute, which will take place June 20–22, 2023, in San Diego.

CA LMI is proud to present the Summer Institute with a strong coalition that includes the California Department of Education, the Association of California School Administrators, the California Federation of Teachers, the California School Boards Association, the California School Employees Association, the California Teachers Association, and the California County Superintendents.

The keynote address features Jeff Duncan-Andrade, who has been ranked as one of the nation’s most influential scholars by EdWeek’s Public Influence Rankings. His work and methods of teaching have been widely studied and acclaimed for producing uncommon levels of social and academic success for students. His research interests and publications span the areas of youth wellness, trauma responsiveness, curriculum change, teacher development and retention, critical pedagogy, and cultural and ethnic studies. He works closely with teachers, school site leaders, union leaders, and school district officials to help them develop classroom practices and school cultures that foster self-confidence, self-esteem, and academic success among all students. Duncan-Andrade also lectures around the world and has authored numerous journal articles and books on effective practices in schools.

Registration

All interested school districts in California are invited to attend the 2023 CA LMI Summer Institute. If you and your colleagues would like to learn more about the benefits of labor-management partnerships, we hope you will attend—even if you have no prior experience with this approach. Please register by June 1. To register and for additional information, please visit the CA LMI Event Overview web page at https://web.cvent.com/event/10537438-f98f-4a5c-95e5-d5dedaf001b1/summary.

Please forward this invitation to your school board president, certificated and classified union presidents, and other key staff you would like to participate.

If you have questions about the Summer Institute, please contact Gustavo Morales at 818-632-6289 or gustavo@cdefoundation.org.

I hope this convening will give your district team the opportunity to begin building or improving future collaborative activities and will connect you with peer districts, school board leaders, superintendents, and union leaders to share your experiences. I know that by working together we can create schools where all students have the support and learning environments they need to overcome challenges and accomplish great things.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction