MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
Educators from across Reno County will come together next week for “All Hands on Deck,” a large-scale professional development event designed to foster collaboration, shared learning, and innovation across school systems.
The one-day event is scheduled for Jan. 5 on the Hutchinson Community College campus and will bring together teachers and administrators from every public school district in Reno County, along with Central Christian School and higher education partners at HutchCC.
Paul Erickson, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for grades 6–12 at Buhler USD 313 and one of the event’s lead organizers, said the gathering represents years of planning and coordination among local school leaders.
“This has really been an idea for probably 10 years,” Erickson said. “Coordinating calendars and committing a professional learning day across that many districts is a significant challenge. It took a lot of teamwork from superintendents and school boards to make it happen.”
Because of the scope and planning required, the event is held every other year. The upcoming session marks the return of “All Hands on Deck” following its initial launch in 2024, which received strong feedback from participating educators.
The day will feature a keynote address from Kim Bearden, co-founder of the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, along with dozens of breakout sessions and networking opportunities. Erickson said pooling resources across districts makes it possible to bring in nationally recognized speakers while also offering a wide range of locally driven sessions.
“Educators are collaborative by nature,” he said. “They want to learn from one another. Bringing everyone together allows us to tap into that collective expertise and create a learning experience that would be out of reach if districts worked in isolation.”
In addition to the keynote, the majority of breakout sessions will be led by local educators, highlighting successful classroom practices and district-level initiatives from across the county. Erickson estimates roughly 80 percent of presentations are facilitated by teachers and staff from participating schools.
“We have tremendous expertise right here in Reno County,” Erickson said. “This gives our educators the chance to showcase what they do every day and learn directly from their peers.”
Bearden will remain on campus throughout the day, delivering multiple sessions to smaller groups of teachers in addition to her keynote presentation. Erickson said her hands-on approach and classroom-focused background make her a strong fit for the event.
“She’s a teacher by nature,” he said. “Not only can she deliver a powerful keynote, but she’ll also be teaching alongside us all day. We’re really fortunate to have her.”
For organizers, success will be measured not just by attendance, but by how educators feel at the end of the day.
“When teachers from all subject areas — including electives, career and technical education, the arts, and coaching — say the day was meaningful for them, that’s the marker of success,” Erickson said. “If they leave saying, ‘I can’t wait to do this again,’ then we’ve done our job.”