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Denver Recap: My First NCSM and Another Unforgettable NCTM








I’m still taking in last week in Denver. Between NCSM and NCTM I learned a lot, reconnected with people I care about and met a whole new group of colleagues. Here are the highlights.

My First NCSM

This was my first NCSM, and it set a high bar. The theme of bold leadership ran through every room I walked into.

Keynote: Anthony Muhammad opened with Transforming School Culture 2.0: Why Culture Is Important Today, Tomorrow, and Forever. It framed the whole conference. Strategy and curriculum only go as far as the culture we build around them.

Sessions that stayed with me:

  • Jo Boaler, From Division to Harmony through Inclusive Mathematics

  • Kris Childs, Unapologetic Leadership: Building Impactful Mathematics Environments
  • Eli Luberoff, Who’s Doing the Thinking? This is a question every math leader should be asking in every classroom.

  • Brooke Powers, A Culture Playbook to Bold Leadership

  • Arlene Crum and Dashiell Young-Saver, Infusing Data Literacy into All Pathways. As a data literacy person, I was nodding the whole way through.

  • Robert Kaplinsky, AI in Mathematics Leadership: Navigating Guidance, Practice, and Possibilities

Presenting: I also got to share my own session, Data Stories for Justice: Empowering K–12 Students to Investigate Their World Through Data Science. Thank you to everyone who came, asked questions and stayed afterward to talk. Students deserve to see math as a tool for understanding and changing their world, and I loved talking about that with leaders who feel the same.

Celebrating leadership: Congratulations to Bill McCallum, the 2026 Ross Taylor/Glenn Gilbert National Leadership Award recipient. It was an honor to be in attendance as he accepted his award.

The people: One of my favorite moments was meeting Zalman Usiskin, Steve Leinwand and many past and current NCSM leaders. Their work shaped the field I get to work in every day.

It was great to reconnecting with many friends, too many to name here. I also made a lot of new friends and I can’t wait to keep learning with all of you.

And TI Casino Night, what an incredible night!  Thank you, Dana Morse and Texas Instruments for bringing everyone together.

On to NCTM

Russell Ledet opened NCTM with Do I Belong Here? Building Mathematically Confident Learners in the 21st Century. Belonging is the foundation of everything we do, and that question is one every student is quietly asking.

Memorable Sessions:

  • Both of Ron Lancaster’s sessions, Math Walk and A Joyful Journey into Recreational Mathematics, were a reminder that math should be full of joy and curiosity.

  • Peter Liljedahl and Timothy Brzezinski, Integrating Technology in a 6–12 Thinking Classroom

  • Kurt Salisbury, Beyond Answers: Designing for Math Comprehension with Polypad and Desmos Classroom

  • Adam Pennell and Becky Byer, Learning Takes Flight: Engaging Students in Inquiry Through Drone Technology. I left with so many ideas.

CRC work: As CRC Chair, I co-presented two Classroom Resources Committee sessions: Engaging Secondary Students in Notice and Wonder and Exploring Classroom Resources for New Members. It was great to spend time with fellow CRC members Jayme Lorenz, Joe Bolz, Jodie Bailey, Bobson Wong, Benjamin Sinwell and Manpreet Sandhu. I’m grateful to work with such a dedicated team.

Beyond the sessions: We celebrated at Open Up Resources’ Math in Music 2026 with Petey Pablo, which was a night to remember. I also had dinner with Ron Lancaster and some new friends, which turned out to be one of the best conversations of the week.

What I’m Taking Home

Bold leadership, culture, belonging and student thinking came up in almost every keynote, session and hallway conversation. I’m heading home inspired, a little tired and very grateful for this community.

Thank you, Denver. See you next time.

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