26-04-2025
Teachers' conference gives Kansas educators a place to connect, collaborate
CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kans. — Kansas teachers are gathering in Crawford County this weekend for a grassroots movement meant to connect and empower K-12 educators.
'I'm so excited to be here,' said Derby Hills Elementary teacher, Susan Rogers.
Rogers made the three-hour drive to Pittsburg to join more than 200 Kansas teachers for the annual Kansas LEADS conference. 'LEADS' stands for 'linking educators across districts.'
This two-day event is designed for teachers by teachers.
'We need each other. I mean, this profession is challenging. It definitely has its challenges, and the biggest thing is, we can't do it alone, we need each other and so I think that's the mission of the Kansas LEADS team,' said Rogers.
The conference gives educators from across the 'Sunflower State' a place to connect, collaborate, and create new pathways for professional growth.
'Education is a funny thing. Once you get inside the four walls of your classroom, you're there from 8:00 a.m. till 3:15 p.m.. You do your work and then it's time to go home or go to a couple of meetings and then head home. So, it can feel very isolating, even though we're all in it together,' said Geary County Schools Teacher, Jennifer Farr.
Educators say the conference will help create an open dialog, providing a space where teachers are the experts — openly sharing ideas and strategies, and taking those back to the classroom.
'Every time we leave this conference, we have some real-world takeaways that we can implement the next day, we can bring it back to our classroom, and in the end, that's the goal. We want to enrich our students and enrich our teachers,' said Rogers.
Through professional development and support, teachers are able to provide a better learning experience.
'Anytime that Kansas teachers can get together, it's going to help the gains of students. Anytime our students are making gains, then they're going to go out into our communities and they're going to go change those communities, and they're going to go to other states, and they're going to lead those states,' said Farr.
The conference continues Saturday (4/26) at Frontenac High School, where teachers will participate in a variety of workshops, interactive sessions, and networking.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
