Summer Conference

July 28-30, 2026 | Shanty Creek Resort, Bellaire, MI

Where bold ideas and student-centered innovation shape the future of education.

Join a community of forward-thinking educators, leaders, and policymakers committed to redefining the boundaries of public education. The MiCoOp Summer Conference is a catalyst for change event.

This year, we are grounding our work in a simple, provocative question: What If? To be an educator today is to be an architect of the future. It requires the audacity to look at long-standing systems and imagine them differently. We are moving beyond the "way it’s always been done" to explore the "way it could be" if we truly put students at the center of every decision.

  • What if curriculum was co-created with the students who use it?
  • What if teacher credentialing honored real-world expertise and diverse pathways?
  • What if the school day followed the learner, rather than the clock?
  • What if funding were as flexible and innovative as the classrooms it supports?

That is exactly what the MiCoOp Summer Conference is designed for: challenging the status quo, reimagining learning, and creating meaningful change. Through energizing discussions, dynamic sessions, and invaluable networking, participants will explore instructional strategies, emerging technologies, and practical solutions to empower students to be active drivers of their learning.

This conference is for superintendents, principals, virtual and partnership school leaders, teachers, mentors, board members, and legislators. Come ready to engage, innovate, and lead the movement toward a more personalized, student-centered future.

Come ready to imagine. Come ready to innovate. Together, we’ll turn "What If?" into actionable change.

This conference is free for MiCoOp members. For non-members, the conference fee is $150 for one day or $250 for both days. Once your registration is submitted, an invoice will be sent. Contact Lisa, sitkins@mi-coop.com, with registration questions.

Our Un-Keynote

Architecting the "What If" Era: Designing the 2040 Education Community

What if Michigan became the first state to truly put students at the center of every decision? To be an educator today is to be an architect of the future. It requires the audacity to look at long-standing systems and imagine them differently. In this high-energy, interactive un-keynote, we’re ditching the podium and picking up the blueprint to travel 15 years into the future.

We begin by confronting the Exposure Gap. We’ll hear a first-hand account of the educational disconnect and ask: What if we valued real-world troubleshooting and grit as highly as a multiple-choice test? Then you become the architects of a new Education Community. Using giant timelines and "What If" milestones, your team will design an interconnected web of People, Places, Policy, and Purpose.

But innovation isn’t a straight line. You’ll have to navigate "What If" Wildcards, forcing you to pivot to keep your purpose alive. We conclude with high-stakes elevator pitches to the stakeholders who can turn these visions into reality.

What would happen if we stopped asking "Why?" and started asking "What If?"

Un-Keynote Facilitators: Dr. Beverly Knox-Pipes, Speaker/Consultant, BKP Solutions, and Jordan Lewis

Outcomes:

  • Participants will identify and bridge the Exposure Gap by elevating real-world skills above traditional standardized metrics.

  • Participants will architect a 15-year Living Timeline (2026–2040) that integrates non-traditional learning sites, flexible policy workarounds, and community-based mentorship.

  • Participants will navigate systemic "wildcards" and leverage collective resources to sustain innovation and keep their educational purpose alive under pressure.

Conference Schedule

Schedule subject to change.

Meet & Mingle - July 28

Informal evening meet-up at The Nest.
Sponsored by Lincoln Learning Solutions

Schedule - July 29

Breakfast
Welcome and Announcements
Un-Keynote - Whole Group Activity
Annual Conference Photo
Breakout Sessions
Lunch and Networking
Sponsor Showcase:
Talk with sponsors one-on-one or in small groups
Breakout Sessions
Dinner on Own

Schedule - July 30

Breakfast
Breakout Sessions
Closing Session
Boxed Lunch
Networking and District Team Meeting Time

Deadline for registration is June 26, 2026

Lodging at Shanty Creek

summer shanty creek
Nightly Rates at Summit Village*
Guest Room: $216
Studio Parlor: $252

(All rates + 6% sales tax.)

5780 Shanty Creek Road
Bellaire, MI 49615
*Two night minimum is required for these rates.
Room block deadline: 6/28/26

Golf at Shanty Creek

golfshanty

Cedar River Golf Course $127-$97
Hawk's Eye Golf Course $111-$77
The Legend Golf Course $104-$75
Schuss Mountain Golf Course $76-$65
Summit Golf Course $69-$54

Rates are per person, per round. First cost listed is weekend rates (Fri-Sun), second cost listed is midweek (Mon-Thurs).

To receive the discounted rates above, mention that you are with the Michigan CoOp Summer Conference

Thank You to our Sponsors!