Designing Client Connected Projects

Discover the Power of Real-World Learning with Client-Connected Projects

This session is being offered 2 times, once in SW Missouri and again in the St. Louis Region.

Southwest Missouri

  • Dates: June 19-20, 2025; participants attend both days

  • Time: 9-4 PM each day

  • Location: Nixa High School, 514 S. Nicholas Road, Nixa MO 65714

  • Lunch: One hour lunch, on your own

  • Intended Audience: Superintendents & Assistant Superintendents, Principals & Assistant Principals, Teachers, ESL Staff, Instructional Coaches, Curriculum Directors, University Professors, Preservice Teachers, Partners

  • Registration: Free

  • Limited Seats Available

  • Organized in partnership with GOCSD. Registration for this event is also available on the GOCSD website. Participants may access the registration from either site, but need only submit the registration once.

St. Louis Region

  • Dates: June 11-12, 2025, participants attend both days

  • Time: 9-4 PM each day

  • Location: Florissant Valley Community College - Health Sciences Building, 3400 Pershall Rd, St. Louis MO 63135

  • Lunch: One hour lunch, on your own

  • Intended Audience: Superintendents & Assistant Superintendents, Principals & Assistant Principals, Teachers, ESL Staff, Instructional Coaches, Curriculum Directors, University Professors, Preservice Teachers, Partners

  • Registration: Free

  • Limited Seats Available

Register for the SW Session
Register for the St Louis Session

Why Attend?

Are you ready to engage in innovative teaching and bring real-world impact into your classroom? Join us to explore the groundbreaking Client-Connected Projects strategy, an approach that integrates authentic, business- and industry-connected learning into any classroom setting.

Led by two experienced educators and practitioners this session will guide you step-by-step through the process of incorporating client-connected projects into your courses. You’ll leave empowered with practical tools and actionable strategies to create meaningful, dynamic learning experiences for your students.

Here’s what to expect:

  • Inspiring Insights: Learn how to design client-connected projects that are organic, impactful, and aligned with your curriculum.

  • Hands-On Design: Craft a project tailored to your classroom needs using templates, collaborative teamwork, or personalized design time.

  • Ongoing Support: Stay supported long after the session with monthly check-ins, where our expert facilitators will provide guidance, answer questions, and serve as your sounding board as you bring these projects to life.

Transform the way your students engage with learning—turn your classroom into a hub of real-world problem-solving and collaboration. Are you ready to inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders?

Guest Experts

Sarah and Stefani are teachers who also work as consultants with the Real-World Learning team at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to provide training and support to teachers designing and implementing real-world learning in the Kansas City region.

Sarah Renfrow

Sarah Renfrow
Teacher
Blue Springs High School

Sarah Renfrow is an English and communications teacher with 20+ years of experience designing experiential learning, implementing innovative learning practices and grading methods in individual classroom and cross-curricular flexible learning spaces. She holds advanced degrees in English and educational technology and is passionate about improving students’ communication skills. She is an avid promoter of student and teacher voice in developing meaningful process-based educational experiences tied to the expertise of educators and goals of students. She teaches at Blue Springs High School and lives in Lee’s Summit, Missouri with her husband Jason, daughter Emerson, and a growing collection of pets.

Stefani Russ

Stefani Russ
Teacher
LEAD Center

Stefani Russ is a journalism and media teacher who has spent more than 20 years working to empower students to develop quality print and digital publications. She has developed proven systems to recruit and retain quality community partners to work in various roles with students in real-world learning experiences. She holds advanced degrees in educational leadership and journalism and is invested in supporting teachers as they navigate their educational system to remove barriers when implementing exceptional experiences for students. She has a special interest in telling student and teacher stories to promote effective practices. She teaches at the Enterprise & Design program at the LEAD Center in Raymore, Missouri and lives in Cleveland, Missouri on her family farm with her husband Rob, and children Baylee, Blake, and Chase.

Are you ready to inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders?

Register for the SW Session
Register for the St Louis Session

Additional PCBL Professional Learning Opportunities

PCBL On-Demand Series

In partnership with DESE, SRSN is in the process of developing additional professional learning opportunities to grow educator capacity in regards to PCBL. One example is the PCBL On-Demand Series with videos that are free and accessible to any Missouri educator. These are currently on the SRSN website and will be added to the DESE website in early 2025. Watch for additional episodes to be added!

Access PCBL On-Demand Series

PCBL Master Teacher Cadre

The Personalized Competency-Based Learning (PCBL) Master Teacher Cadre (MTC) is a prestigious, year-long professional development program designed to equip educators with the knowledge and skills to master personalized competency-based learning (PCBL) through a dynamic blend of in-person and virtual experiences. The SRSN will engage 120 teachers, college preservice professors and RPDC consultants in this work each year. Participants are chosen through an application process.

Learn More