professional learning

BADGES and MICRO-CREDENTIALS

https://credly.com/u/boadams1 (badges)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/boadams (endorsed skills)

CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE, PRESENTATIONS, and PROFESSIONAL REVIEW

2026-2027 (Employment: Mackintosh Academy – Boulder)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DOCUMENTATION: 2026-27

  • Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS), 38th Annual Leadership Conference. Vail, CO. October 15–16, 2026. Participated in the ACIS Heads’ Business Meeting and Amol Tripathi’s Heads’ Roundtable on Crucial Conversations. Attended keynotes by Jim Best (*The Work Behind the Work: Why the Board–Head Partnership Matters More Than Ever*) and Amol Tripathi (*Designing the Anti-Fragile School: Thriving Amid Volatility*). Additional sessions included Nat Saltonstall/SPARC on strategic auxiliary revenue growth and Dana Nelson-Isaacs on diagnosing enrollment challenges through market, message, and model.
  • ACIS Professional Development Webinar Series 2026-27
    • September 16, 2026 — Capital Project Planning/Funding Your School’s Master Plan — Stifel Public Finance
    • September 22, 2026 — Micro-Practices, Meaningful Impact: Practical Tools for Well-Being and Resilient School Communities — Woodhull Wellness
    • October 21, 2026 — Advancement Is a Team Sport: How Schools Can Distribute Work Across Campus — Throughline
    • October 28, 2026 — The FUN 15 for Boards — Ginny Bishop
    • November 4, 2026 — AI in Advancement — Boost My School
    • November 11, 2026 — The Art of Compensation Transparency: Managing Sensitive Discussions — TriNet
    • December 2, 2026 — Faculty Compensation — Cliff Kling
    • December 9, 2026 — Intentional Organizational (Re)Design: Clarifying Decision Rights, Right-Sizing Leadership Teams, and Aligning Structure to Mission — Cara Gallagher
    • April 7, 2027 — Building an Endowment Campaign that Inspires Investment — IndySchool

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2026-27 (REVERSE CHRONOLOGY)

  • NAIS Webinars. Where we are Headed: AI Philosophy, Policy and Practice in Independent Schools. Online. September 2, 2026.
  • NAIS Institute for New Heads. Participated in six-day intensive with NAIS faculty and 80 incoming heads of school. Atlanta, GA. July 11-17, 2026.

Select Conferences 2019-2026 (Reverse Chronology)

  • “Creating and Sustaining a Culture of Change,” World Leadership School K12 Change Lab, Three-Series Seminar, Winter 2025-26 (Panelist)
  • Future of Assessment Summit 2026, Toddle, February 11-13, 2026 (Virtual Attendee)
  • Culture in Action: Tools for Measuring Trust and Leading Change in Schools, Cara Gallagher, ACIS online webinar, January 2026
  • Wilderness First Responder Certification, National Outdoor Leadership School, completed hybrid course, July 2025
  • Contributor and co-editor for Leveling Up Maker Education, book release from Mount Vernon Ventures, September 2023
  • Finalist for Innovative Chief Academic Officer for the Georgia Tech and Learning Innovative Leader Awards, March 2023
  • K12 Purpose Summit, World Leadership School, February 8-11 + virtual sessions, 2023 (Attendee)
  • All Saints Episcopal School Sandbox Chat Podcast, Featured Guest, December 15, 2021
  • National Association of Independent Schools, People of Color Conference, December 2020 (Attendee)

2018-2019 (Employment: Mount Vernon Presbyterian School + MVIFI)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DOCUMENTATION: 2018-19

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2018-19 (REVERSE CHRONOLOGY)

  • Plywood People Black Box Sessions. Speaker on Topic of Problem Solving Design. Atlanta, GA. October 23, 2018.
  • SAIS Annual Conference. Participated in Fishbowl Keynote Address on NextGen Schools 2028 with Tim Fish, Brad Rathgeber, Debra Wilson and Quinton Walker. Co-facilitated Learning Walks: Trail Hikes in Pedagography with Derrick Willard. Charleston, SC. October 14-16, 2018.
  • Cherokee Trail Elementary School. Co-facilitated two-day design thinking workshop for faculty and administration. Parker, CO. August 6-7, 2018.

2017-2018 (Employment: Mount Vernon Presbyterian School + MVIFI)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DOCUMENTATION: 2017-18

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2017-18 (REVERSE CHRONOLOGY)

  • Traverse Conference 2018.Co-facilitated design thinking and maker workshop with Jim Tiffin. June 4-6, 2018. Watershed School.
  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference 2018. March 8, 2018. Atlanta, GA.
  • Social Impact Design Workshop. Co-designed and co-hosted in joint partnership between MVIFI and Hillbrook School. March 7, 2018. SCAD Atlanta. [Blog post recap from Ross Wehner of World Leadership School.]
  • Transcend Yellow Hats League Zoom Webinar with Chip Houston, Meghan Cureton, Trey Boden, Katie Cain and Bo Adams. Badging and Microcredentialing. Feb. 9, 2018. Co-speaker/facilitator.
  • Douglas County School District, Cherokee Trail Elementary School consulting visit and bespoke workshop in design thinking and school transformation. Mount Vernon Institute for Innovation, Jan. 28-31, 2018. Co-created and co-facilitated with MVIFI Nucleus Team.
  • School visit and conversations with students, faculty and administrators at The Logan School for Creative Learning, Aurora, CO. Jan. 26, 2018.
  • Hillbrook School, Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship consulting visit and bespoke workshop in design thinking and strategic visioning. Mount Vernon Institute for Innovation, Jan. 18-19, 2018. Lead designer and facilitator.
  • Observation of strategic visioning workshop for Orlando Junior Academy, Orlando Florida. Led by Grant Lichtman, Dec. 2, 2017.
  • “Real-World Learning in Schools.” Transcend Yellow Hats League, Zoom Webinar. October 20, 2017. Featured host and speaker/facilitator.
  • EdLeader21 Annual Event, Atlanta, GA, Oct. 3-5, 2017. Co-created and co-facilitated workshop, “Design Thinking and Design Doing,” with Jim Tiffin and Trey Boden. Provided student for Ken Kay opening keynote and student panel. 
  • Tilton School bespoke workshop in design thinking and school transformation. Mount Vernon Institute for Innovation, Sept. 21-22, 2017. Co-created and co-facilitated with MVIFI Nucleus Team. 
  • Transcend Yellow Hats League Zoom Webinar with Grant Lichtman, Moving the Rock: Seven Levers We Can Press to Transform Education. Sept. 20, 2017.
  • Joined Yellow Hats League, Transcend, August 8, 2017.
  • NAIS Innovation Kitchen Summit Hack, NAIS National Headquarters, Washington, D.C., July 26-28, 2017. Magnetic Mountain Model and Framework. Co-designed and co-facilitated event with Kawai Lai (VP Innovation, NAIS) and Jackie Wolking (Director of Innovation, NAIS)

2016-2017 (Employment: Mount Vernon Presbyterian School + MVIFI)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DOCUMENTATION: 2016-17

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2016-17 (REVERSE CHRONOLOGY)

  • MVIFI fuse17 design thinking experience, Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, June 14-16, 2017. Conference d.Team member and Conference Director.
  • Traverse17: Expedition to the Future of Learning, Watershed School, June 5-7, 2017. Participant, Co-leader of “Learning Walks & Instructional Rounds” sessions (2) with Shelley Clifford, and Program Partner through MVIFI.
  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Innovation Kitchen cohort member, Washington, D.C. May 17-18, 2017.
  • MISBO + IDEO Independent School Business Model Project meeting at IDEO, San Francisco, CA. May 1, 2017. Co-presenter with Rosalyn Merrick.
  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference 2018 Think Tank meeting, Atlanta, GA. April 13, 2017. (Think Tank Member for NAIS AC 18.)
  • MISBO + IDEO Project: How might we reimagine the independent school business model? Launch event in Baltimore, MD. March 4-5, 2017. Ongoing project work as team lead, March 6 – May 1, 2017.
  • National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference 2017, Baltimore, MD. Attendee and co-presenter with Dr. Brett Jacobsen, “How to Build Your School’s Innovation Portfolio,” Speed Innovation Session. March 1-3, 2017.
  • Mastery Transcript Consortium meeting, Baltimore, MD. March 1, 2017.
  • School visit to Baylor School, Chattanooga, TN. February 3, 2017.
  • School visits and re-connections with Cannon School and Providence Day School. Concord and Charlotte, NC. November 10-11, 2016.
  • Mastery Transcript Consortium. October 27-28, 2016.Participant. Hawken School visit, Gates Mill (Upper School) Campus – Stirn Hall. October 27, 2016.
  • MVIFI A Night of Inquiry, Innovation and Impact. October 20, 2016. Organizer and attendee.
  • MVIFI Collider: In-House Professional Learning Conference. October 7, 2016. Organizer of event and facilitator for session “What’s In a Grade?”
  • MVIFI – MVPS School Visit Day. October 6, 2016. Organizer and director. 
  • MVIFI Consults visit to Tilton School. September 26-27, 2016. Consultant.
  • Visit to Colorado Academy, Denver, CO. September 15-16, 2016. Climbed to summits of Grays and Torreys Peaks. Meet-ups with Greg Bamford, Head of Watershed School; April Lewandoski, Professor at Front Range Community College.
  • Visit to Carolina Day School, Asheville, NC. August 29-30, 2016.
  • Expeditionary Learning Field Work. Workshop in MVPS Lower School facilitated by Jim Tiffin and Nicole Martin. August 12, 2016 (Two hours).
  • Design Thinking Challenge + Maker/Design/Engineering Lab. PBL Workshop with Four As Protocol and Critical Friends Project Tuning Protocol. Five-hour and two-hour, professional learning arcs co-designed and co-facilitated by MVIFI Nucleus Team and MVPS Division Leadership for MVPS Preplanning 2016. August 2016.
  • “Why We Brand; Why We Buy.” Design Conversation with Debbie Millman, hosted by Museum of Design Atlanta, August 11, 2016 [lecture].
  • “Cultivating Curiosity in the Classroom.” ASCD Webinar with Dr. Wendy Ostroff. July 28, 2016 (One hour).

2015-2016 (Employment: Mount Vernon Presbyterian School + MVIFI)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DOCUMENTATION: 2015-16

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2015-16 (REVERSE CHRONOLOGY)

  • MVIFI fuse16 design thinking experience, Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, June 15-17, 2016. Conference d.Team member and Conference Director.
  • Traverse16: Expedition to the Future of Learning, Watershed School, June 6-8, 2016. Participant, Co-leader of “Consultivations” sessions (2) with Meghan Cureton, and Program Partner through MVIFI.
  • FolioStudent Think Tank with Folio Collaborative, McDonogh School, May 1-2, 2016. Member of the think tank team to help concept and develop new portfolio and learning/growth processes and tool.
  • Coca-Cola AOC Workplace 2020, Tour and Discussion with Rodney Drinkard. April 15, 2016. (blog post)
  • Learning Walks & Instructional Rounds “Crash Course” Workshop. Mount Vernon Presbyterian School Visit Day, hosted and co-created by MVIFI. April 8, 2016. Co-directed by Bo Adams and Allison Toller.
  • iDiploma Field Experience at the Stanford d.School. Co-created by MVIFI/MVPS iDiploma team with lead creation/facilitation from Ariel Raz, Durell Coleman and Suzie Wise, K12 Lab. February 29-March 4, 2016. (blog post)
  • SPARKplaces Workshop: “a dynamic 2-day design expedition, exploring the creation of remarkable, contemporary learning environments.” Wonder, By Design & Leadership + Design. http://www.sparkplaces.com/ February 26-27, 2016. (blog post)
  • NAIS Annual Conference 2016, “What’s Your Story? The Power of Trailblazers, Catalysts, and Calamities.” February 25-26, 2016. Co-presenting with Chip Houston and Shelley Clifford in one-hour workshop on Instructional Rounds. (blog post)
  • San Francisco school visits to Brightworks and Nueva School. February 23-24, 2016. (blog posts: Brightworks and Nueva)
  • Lead facilitator for MVIFI Design Thinking Workshop for four Alabama schools. February 12, 2016. Co-facilitating with MVIFI/MVPS design thinking coaches.
  • XLR8 Makers (Dine and Design). January 28, 2016. Participant (personal logo design and vinyl cutting) and badge earned.
  • Workshop on Deeper Learning, Place-Based Learning, and Risk Management. Facilitated by World Leadership School. January 4-5, 2016 (1.5 days of teacher leader and administrator development). Participant and liaison.
  • XLR8 Makers (Dine and Design). November 12, 2015. Participant (Scratch and PICO boards topic focus) and badge earned.
  • Council on Innovation. October 23, 2015. Co-designer and program director.
  • Collider. October 9, 2015. Co-designer and executive program director. Also co-facilitated “PBL/DT: Case Study – Recycling” session with Anya Smith, as well as facilitated “Teachers Guild” session. Badge earned.
  • VS North America Days. Tauberbischofsheim, Germany. September 26-30, 2015. Participant and invited guest of Wonder, by Design and VS North America Southeast Region representative.
  • Creative Mornings Atlanta, Aarron Walters, Empathy; MODA 3D Printing the Future; Atlanta Tech Village StartUp Chowdown (all with Innovation Diploma). September 25, 2015.
  • XLR8 Makers Pilot/Prototype. Dine and Design Maker Evening – new PL offering from MVIFI. Concept test with MVIFI Nucleus and Cell Team + Parker Thomas. September 23, 2015. Co-designer and participant.
  • MVPS School Visit Day. September 18, 2015. Program co-designer and facilitator of Learning Walk Crash Course & Debrief.
  • Atlanta Tech Village, Startup Chowdown. September 4, 2015. Participant with MVIFI sub team.
  • Plywood Presents, Gathering of Problem Solvers. August 19-20, 2015. MVIFI Nucleus and Cell Teams, VIP Table.
  • “Tinkering Fundamentals: A Constructionist Approach to STEM Learning” (Art of Tinkering MOOC from Coursera). August 9 – September 22, 2015. Participant.
  • PBL Workshop with Suzie Boss. August 7, 2015. Co-organizer and participant with MVPS Upper School Faculty and Grade 2 Team.
  • Center for Civic Innovation, Open House. July 21, 2015. Attendee with MVIFI Nucleus Team members.

2014-2015 (Employment: Mount Vernon Presbyterian School)

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DOCUMENTATION: 2014-15

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2014-15 (REVERSE CHRONOLOGY)

2013-2014 (Employment: Mount Vernon Presbyterian School)

Professional Learning Documentation: 2013-14

Selected Highlights: 2013-14

2012-2013 (Employment: Unboundary)

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2012-13

1995-2012 (Employment: The Westminster Schools)

360 Degree Review and Feedback: 2011-12 and Earlier

As Bo evolved as an educator and school administrator, he saw himself as not only the principal teacher, but primarily as the principal learner of the Junior High – his passions resided in being a “lead learner” in his division, as well as in the school. At Westminster, Bo fully engaged the Faculty Assessment and Annual Review (FAAR) Plan. Below is a link to a matrix of resources which houses Bo’s annual goals, administrative evaluations, etc.

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2011-12

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2010-11 (reverse chronology)

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: 2009-10 (reverse chronology)

  • TEDx Atlanta RE:LEARN, Speaker (“Infrastructural Learner-preneurship”), May 2010, and RE:PURPOSE attendee, January 2010
  • Professional Learning Communities Summit, Solution Tree, February 2010
  • Learning and the Brain Institute: Modern Brains in the Digital Age, November 2009
  • Assessment Summit, Solution Tree, October 2009
  • Professional Learning Communities at Work Institute, Solution Tree, August 2009

SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: Pre-2009

  • Leading and Managing the Independent School of the Future. The Principals’ Center. Harvard Graduate School of Education. November 8-11, 2006. Participant.
  • Focus on Accountability. The Principals’ Center. Harvard Graduate School of Education. June 28-July 3, 2004. Participant.

personal learning plan I professional learning I books & videos

 

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