Cultural Competency Workshop

Inspired by a highly received Spring 2026 collaboration “Empowering Educators” with Philippine Center of MN (PCM) and Filipinx for Immigrant Rights & Racial Justice in MN (FIRM), Elevate Teaching once again helped to organize a Cultural Competency all-day Training.

PELSB- certified trainers Seema Pothini and Mel Andersen (AmazeWorks) presented alongside Dr. Marci Levy-Maguire. 

A special legal session with Atty. Jeffrey Heidkamp (Davis Immigration Lawyers) was featured through support from Filipinx for Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice in MN (FIRM), who also provided additional funding.

Twenty-eight teachers, educators and paraprofessionals from twelve school districts attended and received their PELSB CEU Certificates. 

One participant has this to say about teaching and cultural competency: 

“We teachers/education staff are blessed to have the opportunity to touch the lives of our students everyday. True cultural competency requires actively creating an inclusive environment where every student’s background is valued. It requires educators to constantly examine their own biases, adapt to changing student demographics, and commit to lifelong learning. As the world and our students change, our teaching methods must evolve with them.”

We are grateful to the PCM board and volunteers for all the work they put in with food, transportation, community communications.

Special thanks to our generous partner Kids In Need Foundation and Colleen Gray (VP, Mission Impact) for gifting all attendees with valuable school and art supplies.

If you are interested in having a Cultural Competency Training in your school or organization, please contact AmazeWorks or inquire about PELSB-certified trainings by contacting us.G

The convening is a community space to learn, share and spark actions. Everyone is welcome, even if you haven’t joined previous events. Please help us spread the word about this convening— feel free to share this invitation!

This is a virtual convening, and upon registering you will receive a zoom link for the event.

Sign Up for the Elevate Teaching newsletter to hear first!

Summer CELEBRATION

After a year of relentless challenges,  Black Educators Alliance, UpLift Movement, Ujima Collective and Elevate Teaching threw down a much-deserved end-of-year celebration to prove that educators know how to turn up their energy! The event made space for meaningful connection, giving educators the time to let loose, recharge, and celebrate their massive impact, their vital leadership and community building. It was an evening of connection, appreciation, scrumptious appetizers, soulful music as we closed out another school year together.

In attendance was 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year David Davis. Partnership leaders Dr. Alexis Mann, Dr. Rose Chu (Elevate Teaching) and Jonathan Jones (UpLift Movement) hosted and led participatory reflections that brought everyone together in 

Celebrating YOU!

Our recent "Celebrating YOU!" collaborative event honored MN teachers and educators changing the world one student at a time. We are grateful to our partners:  UpLiFT Movement,  Hamline University CEUT, Black Educators Alliance and  Kids In Need Foundation. 

Take a minute to reflect on some memorable quotes from our event speakers.

TFA Teacher Appreciation Week Happy Hour

Join us for TFA Teacher Appreciation Week Happy Hour—cheers and good vibes to celebrate our amazing teachers!

Celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week with Teach For America Twin Cities at our special happy hour on Tuesday, May 5th from 6:00–7:30 PM at Diane’s Place in Northeast Minneapolis.

Enjoy a relaxed time to connect with fellow supporters, educators, board members, and staff. You’ll also hear briefly from corps members sharing reflections from their classrooms this year and what they are navigating right now.

Please RSVP by April 20th using the link provided.

For questions, contact Emily Blomquist at emily.blomquist@teachforamerica.org.

Save the date: April 16 at 4:00pm

We’re relaunching the Elevate Teaching Advisory Council and would love your feedback, ideas, and perspective as we continue to grow the movement.

Interested in being part of the Advisory Council? Email us at yes@elevateteaching.us or fill out the form below

Network for School Leaders Hosting International Teachers

April 14, 2026 • 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

Online event

Details

A virtual network for school leaders across Minnesota who host/employ a foreign trained teacher on a J-1, H1B, H1B1 or other visa to share best practices and news, or discuss questions. Please email mde.worldlang@state.mn.us if you have a topic you would like to add to the agenda.

Northwest Suburban Integration School District is proud to present our 16th annual Giving Voice Leadership Conference!

The theme for the 2026 conference is, "LEADERS INSPIRE, EMPOWER, AND ASPIRE." The purpose of this leadership conference is to teach students teamwork, leadership skills and workplace values; promote interest in the field of education; and encourage students to enroll in post-secondary education.

We are seeking judges for our annual Giving Voice Leadership Conference. This conference will bring together approximately 450 high school students in grades 9-12 who are participating in the Educators Rising NWSISD and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) programs. We invite you to participate in this event.

The theme for this year’s conference is “LEADERS INSPIRE, EMPOWER, AND ASPIRE.” Students will engage in a variety of interactive workshops and competitions, in addition to attending a college and career fair. Volunteers from the education and business communities will be available to share authentic life experiences that will guide students toward future success.

Here are some of the benefits of attending for students:

• Interactive workshops and competitions

• College and career fair

• Opportunities to network with professionals

• Guidance for future success

We need YOU to judge competitions!

Supporting student competitions is crucial because it fosters essential real-world skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, and resilience, while also boosting confidence and engagement. It bridges classroom learning with practical application, strengthens community networks, promotes equal opportunities, and prepares students for future career success. 

This year, we will have 13 competitions... 

• AVID Jeopardy

• College/Career Exploration Competition

• Conference Theme Development

• Creative Storybook Writing

• Educational Debate

• Educational Games

• Employability Skills (Pre-judging takes place March 26th & 27th, 8am - 12pm. The final competition takes place during the conference.)

• Essay 

• Ethical Dilemma

• Impromptu Speaking

• Lesson Plan Writing

• NWSISD “Shark Tank”

• Program Banner (New)

Conference date:
Thursday, April 9, 2026
8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Competitions will be held from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Location:
Doubletree Bloomington Minneapolis South Hotel
7800 Normandale Blvd
Minneapolis, MN 55439
(952) 835-7800

Interested individuals are invited to register as a judge by clicking HERE. We are looking for a minimum of two judges for each competition. To ensure fair distribution, we kindly request that each volunteer only participate in judging one competition. Please feel free to share this opportunity with any colleagues or friends who might be interested in serving as a judge.

Lunch will be provided. Those wishing to attend lunch are requested to send a separate email to jdavis@nws.k12.mn.us to confirm participation.

Your contribution of time is greatly appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

SAVE the DATE

TOCAIT 10th Year Anniversary

March 21st 2026

Stonebridge World School 4530 Lyndale Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55419

The Coalition to Increase Teachers of Color and American Indian Teachers in Minnesota is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and we would like you to be part of this celebration.

​Further details will follow soon.

Empowering Educators: Filipinx Teachers Forum

30+ Filipinx international teachers from five school districts gathered at the Philippine Center of Minnesota for discussions around legal pathways and cultural adjustments through presentations, workshops and storytelling. Attendees came from ISD 14, 28, 288, 622, 62.

On March 14, 2026, the Philippine Center of Minnesota in Maplewood buzzed with energy as Filipinx international teachers on H-1B visas gathered to share their experiences. Sponsored by Philippine Center of MN (PCM), Filipinx for Immigrant Rights in MN (FIRM) and Elevate Teaching,  the majority of the educators in attendance were Special Education teachers, bringing vital expertise to U.S.  K-12 public schools.

The event featured legal insights on visa rights from attorney Loan Huynh (Fredrikson and Byron), alongside cultural workshops led by local Filipina American educators Glazell Toledo (PELSB board member) and Jen Shier (Educators For Excellence Teacher Action Team).  Additionally, Elevate Teaching specialists Dr. Marci Levy-Maguire, Seema Pothini and Media & Public Engagement Specialist Marlina Gonzalez facilitated story circles. Teachers shared unique on-the-ground challenges, ranging from navigating Minnesota winters to adapting to American classroom norms, such as students casually addressing teachers by their first names.

The gathering underscored the profound impact of community support on professional success. Reflecting on the event's collaborative atmosphere, ISD 622 Superintendent Christine Tucci Osorio noted that international teachers are often more comfortable asking questions and speaking up when they are training alongside peers from their cultural community.

Asked what we can do for teachers through Elevate Teaching, Superintendent Tucci Osorio said, “Anything that can facilitate our existing teachers and elevate their voices in knowing how they’re really experiencing our schools. 

Providing spaces and opening dialogues such as this event is the ultimate key to empowering educators, ensuring BIPOC teachers in general feel heard, valued, and fully equipped to thrive in our schools.

The convening is a community space to learn, share and spark actions. Everyone is welcome, even if you haven’t joined previous events. Please help us spread the word about this convening— feel free to share this invitation!

This is a virtual convening, and upon registering you will receive a zoom link for the event.

Please let us know you plan on coming by clicking the button below to register!

Sign Up for the Elevate Teaching newsletter to hear first!

Roots, Rhythm & Recipes: A Soulful Saturday

February 28, 2026 | 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Osborn370, 4th Floor | 370 Wabasha St. N, St. Paul, MN 55102

Self-Care IS Community Care: Join Us for Soulful Saturday

In a time when educators—especially educators of color—are navigating unprecedented challenges in Minnesota's classrooms, we're creating space to simply breathe.

The reality is this: educators of color carry unique burdens. We navigate microaggressions, advocate for culturally responsive practices, serve as cultural bridges, and show up as visible role models—all while doing the already demanding work of teaching. In Minnesota's current climate, where debates around curriculum, identity, and belonging continue to intensify, this emotional labor has never been heavier.

This is why affinity spaces matter.
They're not about exclusion—they're about restoration. They're where we can drop our armor, share our truth without explanation, and find community with those who understand the nuances of our lived experiences. These spaces remind us that we're not alone, that our struggles are valid, and that our joy is resistance.

In celebration of Black History, we're inviting BIPOC educators and allies to an afternoon of connection and care. Bring a dish that tells your story. Share food, laughter, games, sip & paint, and fellowship with people who get it.

Because self-care isn't selfish—it's survival. And community care is how we sustain the work. You deserve both.

Let's nourish our roots so we can continue to lift our communities.

Your perspective matters. Your insight strengthens the fabric of our shared story. Let’s thread-together something lasting, meaningful, and transformative—together.

Davu Seru, Curator of the Givens Collection, extends a special invitation to share your perspectives and insights as we develop a NEW African American Literature Curriculum Guide.

Teachers will receive two clock hours toward MN relicensure (meets cultural competence requirement). Spots are limited to the first 50 registrants.

Agenda

• 4:30–5 p.m. – doors open and sumptuous buffet

• 5–6 p.m. – a Curator-led tour of the exhibit The Circle Unbroken: Celebrating 40 years of Community Stewardship and the Givens Collection

• 6–7 p.m. – opening remarks by curriculum guide ambassadors Katie Sample and Amira McClendon and a presentation by the Education Committee with responses by guests

Details

• What: Reclaiming Learning: PreK–12 Curriculum and African American Literature
  When: Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 5-7 p.m.
  Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library, Givens Conference Suite 120 | Parking (Lot 86)

Calling all teachers, educators & champions of the teaching profession!

Join us for a virtual community gathering to meet the moment.

Thursday, January 22 at 4:30pm to 5:30pm

Every day, educators across our state show up not only to teach, but to listen, to reassure, and to hold space for young people who are carrying far more than they should have to. In moments of fear and uncertainty, schools become more than places of learning.  Educators become anchors of safety, dignity, and belonging. 

For many Minnesota students and families, especially those facing new and painful anxieties, educators are often the most trusted, steady presence in their lives.

Tracy Byrd, 2024 MN Teacher of the Year, has a powerful reminder for all us.

“As an educator we are always teaching. There are times when the teaching is school curriculum based, and there are times when the teaching revolves around social and emotional learning. The students are always looking to us for direction.”

To our teachers and educators: Thank you for supporting our students. Thank you for supporting each other too. 

To the broader community: Thank you for supporting the teachers and educators who are using their skills, experiences and courage to ensure that students continue to get their education in these challenging times.

This matters deeply.

Now more than ever, Elevate Teaching is committed to lifting up your voices. We continue to connect you with peers and supporters, and to highlight resources that can sustain you and your well-being to live out your mission as an educator.

You matter. Your work matters. Your community stands with you.

Join us in this virtual space to breathe together, listen to one other, receive support materials to sustain you and your wellbeing to meet the moment.

We will facilitate exercises and guided group reflections to connect teachers, educators and community supporters together. You are not alone.

Please click below to register. This event is free.

At the end of June, Elevate Teaching concluded its Phase 2 contract with PELSB to implement the Teacher Marketing and Outreach Campaign. Elevate Teaching is grateful for continued support of PELSB and partners to continue the work in the next phase of Elevate Teaching (Phase 3).

The convening is a community space to learn, share and spark actions. Everyone is welcome, even if you haven’t joined previous events. Please help us spread the word about this convening— feel free to share this invitation!

This is a virtual convening, and upon registering you will receive a zoom link for the event.

And, if you’d like to learn more about what we were up to in Phase 2 (the Teacher Marketing & Outreach Campaign), feel free to check out our presentation to PELSB.

Learn more and sign-up here.

Building Connections: A BIPOC Educator Network Gathering

Come together with BIPOC educators from across Minnesota to connect, recharge, and celebrate the work we do. This gathering is a space to honor our journeys—whether you’re just starting out, preparing to enter the classroom, or already shaping the future of education.

This event is designed to support you, offering free resources and meaningful opportunities to connect with fellow BIPOC educators in a space that uplifts and affirms who you are.

What’s Included at the Gathering

• Free Classroom Supplies

  • Those who qualify for KINF services will have the opportunity to shop in the resource center.

• Free Professional Development Resources

  • Culturally responsive teaching resources

  • Teacher Grant Writing 101 packet

• Paid Mentorship Sign-Up

  • One-on-one mentorship for career growth

Please note: The time slot you select will be your designated window to shop for free classroom supplies at the facility. Educators are welcome to access all other resources during the open house, either before or after their scheduled shopping appointment.

This event is a community celebration—led by UpLiFT Movement, Kids In Need Foundation, Black Educators Alliance, Elevate Teaching, and Ideation4—united to uplift and affirm BIPOC educators.

Education Minnesota’s MEA conference is the largest one-day professional development event for educators in Minnesota. Don’t miss it!

The MEA conference and MEA Online are always free and open to Education Minnesota members only.

Find additional information on the conference here.

Kids in Need Foundation is thrilled to announce the official opening of their new home with a

weeklong Grand Opening celebration—kicking off with our Grand Opening

Ceremony on August 11th from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM. We warmly invite you

to join for the festivities and help us celebrate this exciting new chapter!
RSVP Here

Avoid Burnout for Teacher Activists
with Maria-Renée Grigsby, Ed.D.
Culturally Responsive Systems Supervisor, MN Department of Education

Join us for an inspiring session on how teacher activists can protect their energy, avoid burnout, and sustain their passion for justice in education.

About the Speaker:

Maria-Renée Grigsby, Ed.D., is licensed in elementary and special education and has taught across all educational levels and settings—from urban classrooms to rural schools, and from birth to post-secondary education. Her journey has included roles as an assistant professor, Director of Recruitment & Retention at a Minnesota university, and now as the Culturally Responsive Systems Supervisor for COMPASS at the Minnesota Department of Education.

A respected equity trainer and consultant, Maria-Renée is deeply committed to building culturally responsive and culturally responsible systems that serve every student. She is also a proud mother to one amazing and brilliant daughter.

The Coalition to Increase Teachers of Color and American Indian Teachers in Minnesota

Educators of Color: Stories, Dialogue & Restoration

You're Invited!

Join us for a powerful day of community, healing, and truth-telling. This is more than just a panel. It's a space for collective restoration. Together, we’ll honor the work of educators of color, uplift each other’s voices, and build strategies for real change in our schools and systems.

Let’s listen, learn, reflect, and act together with this wonderful panel!

Panelists:

Roberta Hernandez – Roseville Area Schools, MN

Roseville Area Schools Affinity Group FOCUS, facilitator/Elementary Reading Interventionist
Co-founding group of FOCUS in 2006, lived through many different versions of this group, currently grant-supported
Co-founder of Restoring Our Roots, MN affinity group, ITOC connected, and grant-supported

Verna Wong – Champlin Park High School, Minneapolis, MN

Works at Champlin Park High School
Founding member of AHTOCC (2013-2024)
Doctoral student at University of Minnesota

Meng Yang – Champlin Park High School, Champlin Park, MN

Champlin Park, MNEnglish Teacher at Champlin Park High School

AVID Program Coordinator

Adjunct Faculty at Augsburg University

Co-founder member of AHTOCC (2013 - 2024)

Co-founder member of Champlin Park HS, Educators of Color Collaborative Team (2020 - Current)

Moderador: Mauricio Montes de Oca

Experience Healing and Renewal
As part of our program, we are excited to welcome Priscilla Momah. A gifted Sound Healer and Wellness Instructor, who will guide us through a powerful meditation session.

It is a free event, and CEUs are available 

Virtual job fairs provide a convenient way to meet directly with principals and administrators hiring in your specialty. MNSchoolJobs.org hosts three virtual job fairs each winter and spring to help you easily connect with school leaders and make decisions about your next career chapter.

Job seeker registration for virtual job fairs is also free.  You must register for each fair that you want to attend.   The easy-to-use technology allows you to join with your connected device when it is convenient.

Virtual job fairs provide a convenient way to meet directly with principals and administrators hiring in your specialty. MNSchoolJobs.org hosts three virtual job fairs each winter and spring to help you easily connect with school leaders and make decisions about your next career chapter.

Job seeker registration for virtual job fairs is also free.  You must register for each fair that you want to attend.   The easy-to-use technology allows you to join with your connected device when it is convenient.

The Minnesota Educator Career Expo is a free, in-person event for current and aspiring educators. It is Minnesota’s largest educator career fair, bringing school districts, agencies, and professionally licensed candidates together under one roof to facilitate hiring, networking, and professional development.