Call for Proposals

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Join Center for Responsive Schools, Responsive Classroom, and Fly Five at the First Six Weeks of School National Conference in July 2025.

The First Six Weeks of School Conference

Before submitting your conference proposal, we encourage you to review the Submission Information FAQ below. It will guide you through the process and help you gather all the necessary details for each presenter and any co-presenters involved, ensuring a smooth and complete presentation proposal. Ready to get started?

 
Submit a Proposal

Timeline

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February 7, 2025

Call for Proposals Portal Opens
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March 16, 2025

Deadline for Proposal Submissions
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April 1, 2025

Proposal Status Notifications Sent
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April 7, 2025

Presenter Agreements Due
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May 2, 2025

Deadline for Presenters’ Conference Registration
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July 9 – 11, 2025
First Six Weeks of School Conference Dates

Submission Information (FAQ)

The First Six Weeks of School Conference has instituted a two proposal submission limit; each person may be listed on a maximum of two submissions total.

Your proposal should:

  • Reflect your intended audience
  • Align with a conference strand
  • Include all open-ended responses
  • Proposals should be written in the third-person format, avoiding the use of “I,” “you,” and “we.”
  • The name of the presenter, co-presenter(s), or an institution should not be included in the body of the proposal.
  • The proposal must not sell or market another brand, program, product, or service that is not Responsive Classroom or Fly Five.
  • Before submitting, make sure to edit and proofread your proposal and adhere to standard grammatical conventions.
  • Accepted proposals will be printed in the conference program booklet and listed in the Conference Mobile App.
  • Center for Responsive Schools has the right to modify conference proposals during the editing and proofreading process.

The First Six Weeks of School Conference strands are as follows:

  • Strand 1: Teaching Discipline
  • Strand 2: The First Six Weeks of School Strand
  • Strand 3: Innovative Practices in SEL Strand
  • Strand 4: Classroom Management
  • Strand 5: Instructional Leadership
  • Strand 6: School-Wide Health and Wellness

You can read more about the conference strands here.

We are currently accepting applications for the following presentation formats:

  • Listen and Learn
  • Panel Discussion
  • Research paper
  • Interactive session
  • Learning Lab

Learn more about what each of these presentation formats entails here.

  • All session rooms are provided with standard A/V equipment consisting of a projector, screen, and head table.
  • Any additional tools needed for the presentation will be at the presenter’s expense.
  • Presenters and co-presenters are responsible for their own registration.
  • Presenters and co-presenters are responsible for all conference-related expenses, including travel, hotel accommodations, and meals.
  • Presenters and co-presenters will receive no compensation for presenting at The First Six Weeks of School Conference.
You will be asked to provide the following information when completing the submission form online:
  • Presenter information (including name, contact information, school district, position, grade level(s), bio, and a photo)
  • Proposal content and session details, including:
    • Session title
    • Session description
    • Aligned conference strand
    • Participant learning outcomes
    • Presentation format (including duration)
    • Anticipated audience (including grade levels)

All proposals are evaluated through anonymous peer review by several reviewers. The reviewers will have access to all information submitted in the proposal form. Each submission is rated by reviewers independently according to the following criteria:

  • Title and Description: Do the title and description effectively convey the conference theme?
  • Connection to Strands: Does the proposal align with a conference strand?
  • Learning Objectives: Are the learning objectives clear, measurable, and achievable?
  • Presentation Style: Does the proposal engage participants actively in discussion, activities, and/or hands-on learning?
  • Organization and Clarity: Is the proposal concise, clear, well-written, and logical sequence of flow ideas?
  • Approach to SEL: Does the proposal take a thoughtful approach or integration of SEL to change student behaviors?


Download the rubric.