Annual
CHARLESTON, SC | JUNE 23-26, 2021
The all new SCL Annual Conference
In 2020, the pandemic forced us to pivot to an all-virtual conference. This was met with astounding success, as triple the number of guests joined us online from around the world. This year, the SCL plans to build on last year’s success by creating an all-new experience for our attendees, both online and in-person.
Three Options to Attend...
In Person
A Unique In-Person Experience
Together again. Join us in Charleston and be equipped and refreshed! After 2020, this time of fellowship should be particularly meaningful.
Together again. Join us in Charleston and be equipped and refreshed! After 2020, this time of fellowship should be particularly meaningful.
Hybrid
Official Host Locations
Unable to make it to Charleston? You can experience the next best thing. Take your entire team to one of SCL’s official host locations in your region.
Unable to make it to Charleston? You can experience the next best thing. Take your entire team to one of SCL’s official host locations in your region.
Online
An Interactive Online Experience
Building off of last year’s success, this year we plan to add even more engaging features for those attending online.
Building off of last year’s success, this year we plan to add even more engaging features for those attending online.
🢚 COVID-19 Information 🢘
We are excited to offer three conference options this year, accommodating ways for everyone to access our annual summer conference. After last year’s hiatus, we are glad to be gathering in person again in beautiful Charleston, SC!
We realize Covid is a serious concern for many – a benefit of the three attendance options. For those in person in Charleston, the conference will function as traditionally as possible. We do request attendees adhere to the local Charleston ordinances regarding masks, distancing, etc., though we will leave the enforcement of hotel policies and local ordinances to hotel staff.
From Francis Marion: Hotel Guidelines (updated May 1, 2021)
As of this point, we are still requiring masks while guests move about and are in all public areas of the hotel. However, we are allowing guests to meet with masks off once they are seated and eating/drinking. As the vaccinations continue to roll-out, we are certainly feeling more comfortable allowing higher numbers of guests to congregate. We will still have our air purifiers located throughout, along with hand sanitizer stations.
Regional Host Location Guidelines
Any mask or social distancing requirements at our regional host locations will remain at the discretion of host school leaders who will be well familiar with local ordinances. Please be prepared to respect the requests of the regional host.
Responses to COVID changes and regulations can be unpredictable. Of course, we will adapt as necessary.
ALL NEW AT THIS YEAR'S CONFERENCE
All-in-one Event Management Software for In Person and Virtual Conferences!
- Agenda: personal schedules, reminders, session search
- Networking: attendee profiles, messaging, and scheduling a meeting
- Community Board: planning social activities and gatherings, job posts, Q&A, lost and found, and more
- Exhibitors: Get coupons, giveaways, and raffles offered by exhibitors.
- Maps & Logistics: Access interactive indoor maps, GPS, parking info, etc
The Whova app will be used in Charleston and at all host locations, as well as for all fully online attendees.
Main Stage Speakers
Click each speaker’s photo for more information.
Os Guinness
Author & Social Critic
*A Special Virtual Message*
Cherie Harder
President,
The Trinity Forum
Jonathan Pennington
Associate Professor of N.T.,
Southern Seminary
Karen Swallow Prior
Research Professor,
Southeastern Seminary
John Stonestreet
President,
The Chuck Colson Center
Louis Markos
Professor of English and Scholar,
Houston Baptist University
Jessica Hooten Wilson
Louise Cowan Scholar,
University of Dallas
Christopher Perrin
Co-Founder,
Classical Academic Press
Alexandra Hudson
Curator,
Civic Renaissance
Aaron Howard
Founder & CEO,
As One Diversity
Keith McCurdy
President and CEO,
Total Life Counseling Inc.
Francis Su
Professor of Mathematics,
Harvey Mudd College
Jeremy Tate
Founder & President,
Classical Learning Test
Anika Prather
Professor of Classics,
Howard University
Angel Adams Parham
Professor of Social Science,
Loyola University-New Orleans
Andrew Graham
Senior Fellow,
Religious Freedom Institute
Stanton Lanier
Composer & Author
*Conference Worship Leader*
Conference Channels
Channels allow you to fine-tune your conference experience, gathering just what you need for where you are. With over 12 channels (and more to come!) and 80+ breakout sessions to choose from, there is something for everyone.
Heads of School
Don’t go it alone. Gain insight into the complex and ever-changing world of legal and accreditation issues, plus stay fresh on a full range of school leadership matters including facilities, hiring, school culture, and more. Best of all, connect with others facing your same challenges - glean and be encouraged.
Boards
It is said the ceiling of any school is its Board. Industry leaders will offer refreshing insights and skills in how to lead effectively in their primary responsibilities of mission preservation, ensuring school stability and longevity, strategic planning, and creating a strong and effective relationship with the Board’s sole employee, the Head of School.
Urban
Urban schools face significant challenges while our nation’s cities face a dearth of Christ-centered educational opportunities. How do we spread the cause of Classical Christian Education to the children most in need, diversify our curriculum, and increase our awareness of these deep needs? Are you exploring work in urban schools? Are you curious to know what is happening here? Join us as we hear from leading practitioners in our land and tackle these thorny-yet-vital issues.
Marketing & Admissions
Promoting your school and retaining your current students are important aspects of marketing and admissions. Glean from both sides of this coin while gaining foundational knowledge of marketing & admissions fundamentals - media, communication, surveys & interviews, tours & events, and enrollment management, combined with some of the best marketing hacks and strategies to make your job easier and impactful.
Fundraising & Development
We know our schools can’t function without this critical arm. So how do we create a plan to run this arm effectively? Learn the critical principles for operating the key areas of fundraising and development - case statements, leadership, prospects, strategy and planning, the asking process, and more. Plus, learn from those in the trenches of Covid/post-Covid fundraising.
Academic Administration & Support
As academic leaders, how do we guard and articulate our classical and Christian distinctives while actively preparing to send our students off into the world? This process is complex and requires a significant team effort. Gain insights into key topics, such as faculty culture, the post-Covid college admissions process, testing, supporting exceptional students, observing and evaluating teachers, curriculum design, and more.
Grammar School
Understanding the development of young learners is vital to the implementation of Grammar School curriculum and instruction. The formation of a student’s mind, body, and soul is critical at this stage. Learn the foundational aspects of Grammar School life - building lifelong learners ready for the next stages of life while diving into the nuances of aspects such as the power of words, assessments, and the reading brain.
Humanities
What makes classical Christian education such a long-standing tradition? The Great Ideas! Explore Socrates, Augustine, Erasmus, Milton, and more on why the liberal arts matter to Christian formation. What do the great books and thinkers of this great tradition have to say about why, how, and what we teach? This channel is an open door for exploring the humanities: history, literature, philosophy, theology, and rhetoric, and why classical pedagogy matters more today than ever before.
International
God’s hand is at work through classical Christian education around the world. Come see how He is moving mightily in Africa, Asia, and beyond as CCE leaders and pioneers craft an academically and biblically robust educational system. Might God be calling you to the international mission field? This channel is for anyone exploring such a calling or wanting to hear about God’s work internationally.
Athletics
One year ago, we seriously wondered about the future of our athletics programs. What has Covid meant to athletics programming? What consequences may be long-lasting? What changes are in store as a result of the Equality Act, especially for girls’ sports? And what best practices should be in place to best weather these changes and complexities? Learn from industry leaders who have walked the walk through it all this last year.
Languages
This is home for all things Latin, Greek, and beyond. How do we best make foreign languages come alive for students? What are the best teaching strategies for gaining knowledge, appreciation, comprehension, and facility? Leading language teachers will guide us through various authors, texts, curriculum, and instruction.
Math & Science
Discover the central place mathematics and the sciences hold in a liberal arts education. How do we properly recover math and science in a classical curriculum? And how do we best grant students the opportunity to fully master math and science, both conceptually and practically? Learn from experienced practitioners as we explore the best pedagogy while deepening our understanding and appreciation of the maths and sciences.
CHANNELS OVERIVEW
The Society for Classical Learning has released the first round of breakout sessions for this year’s Annul Conference. Click on the button below to see all the fantastic breakout sessions. More sessions will be added soon, so check back for more info!
Pre-Conference
This all-day event is your opportunity for an in-depth learning experience.
Leadership
Strategic planning, leadership, school culture, and more. Spend a day focused on what it takes to lead a school.
Boards & Governance
Healthy boards make for healthy schools. Spend a day diving deep into how to create a healthy school from the board level down.
kingdom diversity & Urban
The issues of race and diversity are saturating our culture. Think beyond the toxic and misguided responses and join the conversation with schools who are successfully navigating these issues with wise, loving, thoughtful, and biblical consideration. Anyone with responsibility to address issues of race and diversity or who has a heart to learn and contribute is invited.
Grammar School Reading
Teaching reading is one of the most important skills for future learning. Back by popular demand, come learn about the reader’s brain and the art of teaching reading.
Classical Christian Education 101
New to classical Christian education (CCE)? Learn the fundamentals of the philosophy and pedagogy to become a more equipped CCE educator.
Languages
Learn how to incorporate spoken classical languages into the classroom, making students and teachers more familiar and comfortable with speaking Latin and Greek on a daily basis, both in and out of the classroom.
PRECONFERENCE OVERVIEW
Schedule
Pre-Conference
Wednesday, June 23
- 08:00am | Coffee & Fellowship
- 08:45am | Session I
- 10:15am | Session II
- 11:30pm | Lunch
- 01:30pm | Session III
- 03:00pm | Session IV
- 06:00pm | Dinner (on your own)
Day One
Thursday, June 24
- 08:00am | Coffee & Fellowship
- 08:30am | Breakout I
- 09:45am | Mainstage I
- 11:15am | Breakout II
- 12:15pm | Lunch
- 01:30pm | Mainstage II
- 03:00pm | Breakout III
- 05:00pm | Reception
- 06:00pm | Dinner (on your own)
Day Two
Friday, June 25
- 08:00am | Coffee & Fellowship
- 08:30am | Breakout IV
- 09:45am | Mainstage III
- 11:15am | Breakout V
- 12:15pm | Lunch
- 01:30pm | Mainstage IV
- 03:00pm | Breakout VI
- 06:00pm | Dinner (on your own)
Day Three
Saturday, June 26
- 08:00am | Coffee & Fellowship
- 08:30am | Breakout VII
- 09:45am | Mainstage V
- 11:15am | Breakout VIII
- 12:15pm | End of Conference
CHARLESTON, SC
The SCL is working diligently and creatively to create a unique experience for our attendees in Charleston, SC. Please explore the links below to learn more about Charleston and the historic Francis Marion Hotel.
ABOUT CHARLESTON
Charleston, the South Carolina port city, founded in 1670, is defined by its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, excellent dining, and pastel antebellum houses, particularly in the elegant French Quarter and Battery districts. The Battery promenade and Waterfront Park both overlook Charleston Harbor, while Fort Sumter, a federal stronghold where the first shots of the Civil War rang out, lies across the water.
ABOUT THE FRANCIS MARION
Dating from 1924, this sophisticated hotel is opposite Marion Square. It’s also 15 minutes’ walk from both the South Carolina Aquarium and the historic City Market.
Traditionally decorated rooms come with all the amenities of a fine three-star hotel.
Additionally, the Francis Marion has a Southern-style restaurant/bar, which offers regular, live jazz music. Other amenities include a spa, an exercise room and a Starbucks coffee shop.
HOTEL BOOKING OPITIONS
FRANCIS MARION
$189 per night – Reserve by Friday, May 14, 2021
Guests may utilize the booking code and link below, or call our in-house reservations agents at 1-877-756-2121 and mention “Society for Classical Learning”
The parking garage is located adjacent to the hotel and is owned and managed by the City of Charleston. Current rates are $20 daily for self-parking and $28 for valet parking, which is charged the guest room. Valet parking is only offered to overnight guests of the hotel. The hourly rate is $2.00.
Online Booking Code: SCL2021
HYBRID HOST LOCATIONS
Unable to make it to Charleston? Now you can experience the next best thing! Take your entire team to one of SCL’s official host locations in your region.
CONFIRMED REGIONAL HOST LOCATIONS
- Providence Christian School Dallas, TX
- Regents School of Austin Austin, TX
- Veritas Academy Austin, TX
- Covenant Classical School Fort Worth, TX
- Classical School of Wichita Wichita, KS
- Calvin Christian School San Diego, CA
Registration
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
All cancellations are subject to a $100 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after May 21, 2021.
IN PERSON TICKETS ARE LIMITED TO 380! Make sure to purchse your tickets soon. Space is limited and filling up quickly!
CONFERENCE
HYBRID - REGIONAL HOST $ 229
- $206 FOR SCL MEMBERS
❗ NEW ALL-IN HYBRID TICKET ❗
$149 PER TICKET
(15 TICKET MINIMUM)
CONFERENCE
ONLINE $ 179
- $161 FOR SCL MEMBERS
❗ NEW ALL-IN VIRTUAL TICKET ❗
$99 PER TICKET
(15 TICKET MINIMUM)
PRE-CONFERENCE
All cancellations are subject to a $50 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after May 21, 2021.