2025 Democracy Schools Convening- Motivating Agency, Sustaining the Republic

Home Democracy Schools 2025 Democracy Schools Convening- Motivating Agency, Sustaining the Republic

Join the Illinois Democracy Schools Network for a day of learning about civic learning ACROSS the disciplines in grades K-12. Join a wide range of experts to delve into how ALL educators can prepare students for college, career, and civic life. Registration includes parking, a light breakfast, and lunch. Members of the Illinois Democracy School Network can contact Sue Khalaieff for information on reduced registration fees.

Agenda

Monday, September 22nd, 2025

7:30 a.m.

Doors open, and a light breakfast is available.
Civic Learning Providers will have tables for participants to visit.

8:30 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:45 a.m.

Opening Keynote: Motivating Agency, Sustaining the Republic with Dr. Shawn P. Healy- Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer for iCivics

9:30 a.m. DSN Table Talk

10:00 a.m. Breakout Session One

10:50 a.m. Morning Break

11:00 a.m. Breakout Session Two

12:00 p.m. Lunch

Carolyn Pereria Civic Leadership Award
Darlene Ruscitti Civic Champion Award

1:00 p.m. Dismissal for Breakout Session Three

1:10 p.m. Breakout Session Three

2:00 p.m. Final Reflection and Thank You

2:10 p.m. Dismissal

Breakout Session One 10:00-10:50 a.m.

1A. Citizen Nation: Civics Resources for Dialogue and Inquiry with Retro Report- How can students be a model for civil dialogue? How can teachers build student capacity through inquiry and discussion? With resources connected to the PBS show, Citizen Nation, this session takes a behind the scenes look through the eyes of students participating in the “We The People” program to help build civic knowledge and skills. This suite of resources helps students build capacity for research skills and information literacy, tools for civil dialogue, and helps promote civic engagement.

1B. Legal Precedent in these Unprecedented Times with the ABA Division of Public Education: In the wake of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, legal matters that we thought settled are no more: constitutional right to abortion access, affirmative action measures to remedy inequities, church and state relations, the role of executive agencies in our government, and the list goes on. It isn’t strange to think this moment in American history is unprecedented. This session will use historical and contemporary primary sources and data to explore Supreme Court precedence. Participants will consider the question, “Is today’s Supreme Court unprecedented?”

1C. Civic Harmony: Navigating Multiple Perspectives in our American Constitutional Democracy with the Bill of Rights Institute: Join us for an enlightening session designed to transform the way you teach history. This workshop will equip educators with innovative strategies to foster critical analysis of history through diverse sources, promoting empathy, understanding, and essential historical thinking skills. Participants will learn to engage students in discussions and activities that encourage consideration of multiple perspectives, civil disagreement, and civic friendship within the framework of American constitutional democracy. Through interactive activities, practical applications, and comprehensive lesson ideas, educators will gain valuable insights and tools to inspire their students and enhance their teaching practice.

1D. Religious Upstanders in Nazi Germany with the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center: Amid Nazi tyranny, persecution, and genocide, a small but important number of individuals and organized groups in Nazi Germany took a stand and resisted. While many were motivated by politics or personal reasons, some were motivated by the morals and values of their deeply held religious beliefs. Religious Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others all found ways to resist through different means, including practicing their religion after it was banned, using their platform to alert the German population about the regime’s systematic murder, and helping Jews escape deportation and murder. This session features stories of individual religious Upstanders, bringing to light the ways that religion can be a force of change even in the most oppressive of circumstances.

1E. Model UN: A Civic Learning Powerhouse: This session will explore the powerful role of Model United Nations (MUN) programs in fostering civic learning among students. Grounded in the Illinois Democracy Schools’ civic learning model, we will delve into how MUN aligns with inquiry-based learning, cultivates student agency, encourages collaboration, promotes self-reflection and improvement, and provides practical experience in the principles of constitutional democracy. Panelists will share insights on how MUN encourages students to investigate complex global issues, function as a member of a team, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, practice diplomacy and negotiation, and understand diverse perspectives. Participants will gain practical strategies for implementing or enhancing MUN programs in their schools to support excellence for all learners and empower the next generation of engaged citizens.

1F. Methods for Engaging Multilingual Learners in Civic Inquiry with Allison Baxter from West Chicago Community High School: A foundational principle of Democracy Schools is that ALL students have a right to high quality civic learning experiences across the disciplines. In this session, learn how one teacher used inquiry around historical narratives, such as Japanese American incarceration and enslavement at Mount Vernon, to engage student voice and reflection. Walk away with ideas and resources to enhance your own classroom and make modifications for learning differences.

Breakout Session Two 11:00-11:50 p.m.

2A. SCOTUS Preview with Professor Steven D. Schwinn: Get a preview of the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court term with Dr. Steven D. Schwinn. Steven D. Schwinn is a professor of law at the University of Illinois Chicago John Marshall Law School, where he teaches constitutional law, comparative constitutional law, and human rights.

2B. Chicago History Museum: Unlock your Students’ Civic Superpowers! Do you know your Civic Superpower? Or your students’? Made by Us has developed the concept of four Civic Superpowers – Amplifier, Connector, Nurturer, and Defender to describe a multi-faceted approach to civic engagement. During this session, discover more about each superpower, connect them to historical figures using resources from the Chicago History Museum, and add your ideas to a mural depicting each one. Then take a quiz to find out your own Civic Superpower and consider how you can leverage it in your civic life. You will leave with resources for classroom instruction.

2C. Bridging Divides Through Civil Discourse: Empowering Students to Find Common Ground with Shawn McCusker: Discover practical tools and strategies to foster meaningful civil discourse in your classroom. This session explores methods to help students engage with diverse perspectives, navigate controversial topics, and build skills for constructive dialogue. Empower your students to bridge divides and cultivate understanding in history and social sciences education.

2D. Can the President Do That?: Resources for Teaching About Executive Power with Retro Report: This interactive session will connect teachers with media-rich resources designed to help students explore the complexities of executive power in U.S. history and government. Using short documentary films and accompanying instructional materials from Retro Report, attendees will engage with key moments in history that illustrate the broad—and sometimes contested—powers of the presidency.

2E. What’s in the Mix for 2026? Looking to the Midterms with Dr. Shawn P. Healy- In the aftermath of the contentious 2024 Presidential Election, the contemporary federal policy landscape was shaped by changes to party control and congressional leadership, victories by political newcomers, and current public issues. This presentation will reflect on how President Trump approached his term with divided (or unified) party control of Congress. Attendees will learn of the policy priorities of key political leaders at the federal level approaching the midterms return to their classrooms with ideas of how to engage students in dialogue around the upcoming elections.

2F. Explore, Learn & Participate: Center Students’ Civic Identity with Facing History & Ourselves: How can we help students pursue civic action that is authentic, responsible, and informed? Join Facing History and Ourselves as they explore the connections between students’ civic identity and informed civic action. In this interactive session educators will receive resources and tools to help students cultivate a strong sense of civic responsibility and collaboratively explore solutions to complex civic problems.

Breakout Session Three 1:10-2:00 p.m.

3A. Q and A on the Role of the Courts in Our System of Checks and Balances with Dr. Steven D. Schwinn from the University of Illinois- Chicago School of Law: Bring your questions around the role of the courts in our system of checks and balances for Dr. Schwinn to respond to. Collaborate with others as we navigate questions around executive orders, rule of law, the administrative state, and other issues.

3B. Civic Virtue and Civil Society: Fostering Informed and Active Citizenship with the Bill of Rights Institute: Join us for an insightful session on Civic Virtue in Government and Politics, designed to deepen students’ understanding of the essential role of civic virtue in fostering a healthy civil society. Through personal reflection and civil discourse, students will define civic virtue and explore the concept of civil society, examining how community members are linked by common interests, purpose, and activities. They will engage in structured discussions to explain the connection between civic virtue and a thriving civil society, and practice speaking and listening skills to articulate their thoughts clearly and engage in meaningful dialogue. Key terms such as “civil society” and “constitutional republic” will be explored, providing a comprehensive understanding of these concepts. This session promises to be both educational and engaging, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to become informed and active participants in their communities.

3C. AI for Research and Writing: Or How I Learned to Embrace AI Without Fearing Plagiarism and Losing My Mind with Shawn McCusker: In an era where AI permeates every aspect of our lives, it’s essential to harness its power effectively, especially in student research and writing. “AI Strategies for Research and Writing” offers a comprehensive exploration of utilizing AI tools to enhance the writing and research process while addressing concerns surrounding student misuse of AI. This course is designed to empower educators to structure assignments that maintain the integrity and meaningfulness of writing tasks in an AI-rich environment.

3D. Building Bridges, Not Walls with the Constitutional Democracy Project: Teaching Civil Disagreement is an interactive workshop designed to give teachers tools to help students navigate tough conversations without shutting down or tuning out. Together, we’ll explore hands-on activities where we will practice seeing a controversial topic through multiple lenses. You’ll leave with ready-to-use strategies to create a classroom culture that values listening, challenges ideas (not people), and builds civic friendship—skills essential for sustaining our democracy.

3E. Creating Critical Thinkers in the Classroom and Beyond with Chicago Metro History Day: Join us to learn about how National History Day, a project-based inquiry program, empowers students to become engaged historians and citizens who conduct research and share their conclusions. Students learn to analyze primary and secondary sources, recognize multiple perspectives, and examine short-term and long-term effects for their topic to make evidenced-based historical arguments, ultimately strengthening their executive and critical thinking skills. The 2025-2026 National History Day theme is “Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History,” especially relevant for the upcoming America 250 celebration. We will discuss the History Day process and how teachers and students can evaluate both historical and contemporary source trustworthiness in times of AI and information overload with resources and examples from the Chicago History Museum’s collections.