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WISIT Summer Institute 2026
WISIT Summer Institute 2026

August 3 to 7, 2026
Washington International School, Tregaron Campus
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The Neighborhood is Our Classroom
LIMITED
Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Middle School Building Room 211
Limited Capacity seats available
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What becomes possible when the neighborhood becomes the classroom? Inspired by core ideas from Project Zero, this session shares the story of a Pre-K classroom that reimagined a traditional “community helpers” unit through the lenses of agency, inquiry, and civic engagement. You will explore how young learners engaged with their community in meaningful ways while also unpacking the educators’ own thinking and design process behind the work. Through reflection and discussion, you’ll consider the key ingredients that make learning experiences truly powerful and how to bring these ideas into your own context. While especially relevant for early childhood educators, this session welcomes all who are interested in rethinking what’s possible when we center student thinking and agency at the heart of the curriculum.
Speakers
avatar for Kerstin Schmidt

Kerstin Schmidt

Briya Public Charter School
Kerstin Schmidt is a long-time pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teacher and currently works as an instructional coach and early childhood curriculum specialist at Briya Public Charter School in Washington, DC. Originally from Chicago, she holds a BA in linguistics from the University... Read More →
avatar for Nury Sandoval

Nury Sandoval

Briya Public Charter School
Nury Sandoval is an experienced Early Childhood Educator and Inclusion Specialist with over 22 years of work in multilingual, neurodiverse, and culturally responsive classrooms. Holding degrees in Special Education and a Master’s in Education, she has led inclusive practices across... Read More →
avatar for Kathryn Gillon

Kathryn Gillon

Briya Public Charter School
Kathryn Gillon is a pre-K teacher at Briya Public Charter School in the Petworth neighborhood of Washington, DC. Originally from Winston-Salem, NC, she studied history at American University and began her career in education as an assistant pre-K teacher with DC Public Schools. Kathryn... Read More →
Tuesday August 4, 2026 1:45pm - 3:45pm EDT
Middle School Building Room 211
  Interactive Course

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