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Courageous Conversations: Bridges to Belonging

Description:

It's time to talk about what we've been avoiding. Join us for a powerful exploration of how to build a school culture where honest conversation isn't just safe—it's essential.

This isn't a lecture. This is a shared inquiry. You'll engage with a brief pre-session reading or video to ground us in common understanding, then we'll spend our time together doing what matters most: talking, listening, and learning from each other.

Montessori leadership coach and consultant Cassi Mackey, M.Ed. will offer a brief framing rooted in Montessori principles and real experience, then we're diving into dialogue. Together, we'll examine the questions that keep school leaders up at night: How do we create environments where raising concerns is expected, not feared? How do we preserve relationships even when conversations get hard? How do we ensure every voice is heard—not just the loudest ones?

Through guided dialogue and reflective engagement, we'll explore practical strategies for preparing the adult environment, building the skills for difficult conversations, and establishing shared agreements that support a culture of respectful, honest communication in service of the whole community.

What You'll Walk Away With:

• Practical frameworks for facilitating courageous conversations

• Strategies to create psychological safety for all voices

• Skills for navigating tension while preserving relationships

• Shared agreements you can implement immediately in your community

• Connection with fellow educators facing the same challenges

Perfect for: School leaders, administrators, teachers, and anyone committed to building Montessori communities where belonging and honest dialogue go hand in hand.

Cassi Mackey, M.Ed., is a Montessori leadership coach and consultant with over 30 years ofexperience dedicated to guiding schools and leaders in building thriving, inclusive communities.

A former Montessori charter school principal and Montessori teacher, Cassi brings a wealth of real-world insight to her work, drawing from decades of experience in public, private, and charter Montessori settings. She has shared her expertise nationally through keynote presentations, podcasts, and contributions to Montessori publications. Cassi serves as an AMS Accreditation Commissioner, an AMI administrator trainer, and a leadership guide for Montessori teacher education programs. As a mentor with the Greenspring Center for Lifelong Learning, she supports aspiring leaders in cultivating confidence, clarity, and compassion in their roles.

Her professional journey reflects a steadfast commitment to equity and transformation: she is agraduate of the AMS Anti-Bias Anti-Racist Certification Program and the Public Montessori in Action Coaching Course, and actively contributes to global Montessori efforts through her involvement with AMI’s Voices of Educateurs sans Frontières.

At the heart of Cassi’s work is a profound belief in the promise of Montessori education to shapea more just and peaceful world. She is passionately devoted to serving the greater Montessori community by helping to grow courageous, visionary leaders and nurturing educators who honor the potential in every child. Through her coaching, mentorship, and collaboration, Cassi empowers adults to lead with authenticity, purpose, and love, for the children of today and the world of tomorrow.